Everything is in a state of becoming; everything has its processes of growth. There’s nothing static or still, you are either progressing or regressing. Pat Wiley observed that,’ if you are not getting better, you are getting worse’. Truer words have not been said and this seems fundamental to our personal lives, businesses, careers and other pursuits.
DEFINITIONS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
“Personal Development covers activities that improve awareness and identity, develop talents and potential, build human capital and facilitate employability, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of dreams and aspirations.”-Wikipedia
“Personal development is the conscious pursuit of personal growth expanding self-awareness and knowledge and improving personal skills.”-MyrkoThum
“ Personal Development is a process of improving oneself through activities such as reading books, journals, magazines, listening to audio programmes, watching video programmes and attending seminars, conferences, crash courses etc. for the primary aim of enhancing earning skills, and capabilities.”-Oladipupo Clement
Personal Development is the ability and discipline to crystallise your thought and establish a specific direction and destination for your own life. It begins from the Awareness and Acceptance of your ignorance or inadequacies instead of living in self-denial. I believe in order to cure failure and change unfavourably circumstance in our lives, we need to take personal responsibility for the situation. Change has been said to be the only constant thing in life but growth is not automatic; so you have to be deliberate about it. Not all changes results in positive growth but there can’t be a meaningful growth without deliberate changes. You cannot rise above the level of your knowledge. Where your knowledge stops is where your growth stops! Any area of your life where you are feeling much pressure shows you are deficient of knowledge in that area. There are no mountains we cannot surmount; perhaps every man’s mountain is his ignorance. Hence, if you improve, the situations and circumstances around you will improve.
AREAS NEEDING PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Spiritual life
Relationship/ Family life
Finance
Academic life
Business/ Career life
Health
We must understand that personal development is a lifelong process; a journey and not a destination. Someone once said that, ”the largest room in life is the room for improvement”, hence we must appreciate that it takes time and process because if you jump up, you will come down but if you grow up, you will stay up!
WHY DO WE NEED PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT?
It enhances better decision making skills and capabilities. If we know better, we will do better.
It increases your courage to ride on in spite of adversity and against all odds.
It increases your awareness, keeps you current and relevant.
It impacts significantly on your earning. If you are not pleased with what you are earning then check what you are learning!
It develops your character to stay true to your words and keeps you teachable and humble.
It enlarges our capacity to deliver results at a much higher level thus increasing your productivity.
It enhances your competence to deliver excellent and effective leadership.
It turns you into a mentor to current and future leaders, as it provide model and pattern for others to follow.
It ultimately re-invents, re-brands and re- positions you in the eye of the public
SOME SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL TIPS TO PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Start Now. Write down the plans and the expected results and do something about it daily.
Break it into steps. Keep the end result in mind as you focus on the smaller bite sized steps.
Learn from Other People. Ask questions, attend seminars; training; conferences and workshops in your area of development, read books, listen to audio programmes, DVDs, Use the internet-Google, TEDex, EDex etc.
Embrace Change. Be opened in your mind and teachable.
Be Accountable. Get a Mentor or Mentors for various areas needing development. Someone who genuinely have your interest at heart; to monitor your progress and provide you leadership.
Be Intentional. Success in life is intentional and not accidental. Anyone can fall off from the top of a ladder by accident but no one gets to the top of it by accident!
Challenge yourself and follow your passion.
Keep Going & NEVER Give Up. Life works in cycles and flows to a rhythm. You will have ups and downs but when you hit a slow point or things don’t seem to be moving, don’t give up, keep moving. A bend on your journey should not be the end, Rest if you must but NEVER EVER give up!
In conclusion, you need to stay hungry, be inquisitive, seek meaning, search deep, observe and listen. There is no such thing as finished personal development rather you will Unlearn, Learn and Relearn for all of your life.
I hope this piece has been helpful in some ways. Please feel free to share with others and you will do well to share with me your comments, experiences and testimonials as a result of its application.
Your success story will hit the headlines soon!
Oyeledun Femi Gomez
07068505299
gomezfemi@gmail.com
