What is Personal Development?

There is an entire industry based on helping you succeed in life. Whether you want to improve your job performance, learn new social skills, or get into the practice of meditation, the personal development industry is there for you with books, videos, motivational speakers, workshops, and so much more.

When you think of leaders in this industry, you may think of Aristotle or Confucius. Both of whom influenced the Western and Eastern ideas of bettering one’s self for the sake of living fulfilling lives. Later, psychologists took up with the idea of living the dream and how people could design their own lifestyle to be happier and healthier.

Colleges in the 1960s decided young adults could benefit from learning to manage their emotions, develop interpersonal relationships, and to achieve autonomy. Businesses thought it wise that employees learn time-management, stress management, and how to obtain a work-life balance.

Personal development is essential in every aspect.

In fact, in the hierarchy of needs, Abraham Maslow put self-actualization at the top of the list. Without this growth, we just wander through life unfulfilled. And many would agree that is no way to live at all.

Self-development doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that takes place over the course of a person’s entire life. Self-discovery is ever changing – as needs are met, new desires reveal themselves. We are always on a progressive journey.

Know that working on yourself doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough. It means that you care enough to pay attention to your needs. If you are feeling stuck in some area of your life, you can probably overcome it through personal development.

The most successful people got where they are because they were curious enough to learn more about themselves and how they could improve their lives. They constantly fed their brain with positivity and new information. They overcame fears and got the motivation they needed.

Consider your goals in your life.

What talents do you want to develop? How can you get ahead at work? Where can you improve in personal relationships? Where are you headed in life? What is an obstacle in your way? Do you want to be happier/healthier?  Could your quality of life be better?

You can do this on your own by reading books on the topic you’re looking to improve, watch motivational videos, or go to workshops. You can also seek guidance from mentors, counselors, life coaches, or educators, if you feel you need an extra boost.

Set yourself up to succeed with accountability partners or someone who can help you measure your victories. Develop a plan and take free online assessments to see what areas you could improve. Reflect often on where you were and how far you’ve come. And most importantly, don’t give up on yourself.

You can achieve your goals in mere minutes a day. By educating yourself and taking the time to improve your skills, you can and will excel in this thing we call life.

By investing in yourself, and harnessing the power of good personal development habits, you will have a new outlook on the world and how wonderful it can be.

Therefore, the next logical step in this journey is finding your purpose in life.