What is Personal Development to You?
Personal development is a very private matter and what it means to one person may not necessarily be the same thing that it means to another.
However, there is one aspect of personal development that is the same for each and every one of us – the need to improve.
For various reasons, we continue to strive for what we perceive is better whether it be in our careers, families, or personal interests.
Start With Self-Awareness
When it comes to personal development, you can find the answers in how honest you are with yourself. The ability to identify areas of growth in your life lies in practicing self-awareness.
The best way to get to know yourself better is to grab a pen and paper and make a list of what you feel your strengths and areas of development (weaknesses) may be.
If pen and paper don’t work for you then switch it up! Jay and I use a large whiteboard to gather our thoughts!
On the reverse side of the paper (or another side of the board) write down what you feel other people think your areas of development and best qualities are.
You may find interesting answers such as identifying a strength in you that others view as a weakness and vice versa.
Evaluate Weaknesses
Now look at the weaknesses that you identified within yourself and pick one that is not listed on the opposite side of the paper. Think about why you feel that area is a weakness while others don’t.
Ask yourself whether you lack self-confidence or whether you portray a different picture to the rest of the world?
This could be the first step you can take to personal development. Once you feel you have improved in that area, repeat the exercise, and see whether you get the same results.
Don’t Forget Strengths
You also need to pay attention to the strengths that you listed. If you feel you have a strength that other people don’t see, why are you hiding it?
Remember that strengths are not automatically better than weaknesses and there may be some room for improvement so that everyone will notice a specific strong trait.
Even the strengths that correspond on both sides could always use a bit of work. Most people believe that they need to address their weaknesses in order to become a better person.
Starting by building upon and bettering one or more of your strengths can provide you with the foundation you need to address other issues in your weaknesses.
Take-Home
Don’t be afraid to ask for help along your journey of self-development. It is very rare that people achieve any type of personal development or self-improvement on their own and the more people you include in your journey the more likely you will be to experience growth.
Thanks for reading. I hope the words in this article were helpful or helped spark conversation.
Read: 30+ Mental Strength Hacks
