Ageing is natural, but personal growth is intentional and deliberate

 

So, what’s the fuss about personal development, you may ask. It seems like a fancy word thrown around in conversations these days. You probably have heard it before. What is personal development or personal growth anyway? Exactly what the words says. It’s about discovering who you are and intentionally training and developing yourself to the best you can possibly be. It’s about working on yourself because no one knows you better than you do. It is about training and developing your character, discipline, values and emotional intelligence to fully maximise your potentials and possibilities in life. We are an embodiment of potentials, and sadly, it will remain a potential if nothing is done to harness the potential capacity.

 

As much as personal development/personal growth can be informal and casual, a high level of commitment to the process is required to achieve meaningful results. That’s why few commit to the process and achieve unbelievable results. I am a product of personal growth. Growing up, I was not a confident boy. I had issues with insecurity, and my low self-esteem was hidden behind good grades in school. There is no way I could have imagined that I had the capacity to do what I am doing today. It’s all possible because of the man I have grown to be. Growth in this context is not ageing. My investment on books alone would buy you a decent brand new car. I invest my money and time in buying and reading materials I know will help develop, challenge, encourage, motivate, and inspire my spirit, soul, and body. In most cases, the outcome of personal development may not necessarily be an upward movement, but an inward movement, internal transformation. Personal development is not a one-time exercise but a lifetime process because there will always be room for improvement. The truth is, when you stop growing, you start declining without your knowledge. The late Jim Rohn once suggested we generally change ourselves for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation. 

 

Why Consider Personal Development? 

 

1. Because ageing is natural, but personal growth is intentional and deliberate.

Never assume that you will grow because you are ageing. It takes deliberate investment to grow and be all you can be in life. You can consider your life as raw material that can be moulded, processed and developed into a fine product.

 

2. You will discover a better you

There is so much to you than what you know currently. You may just need someone to highlight what’s hidden inside of you. The process will help you discover your capacity, ability, and the skills you never knew you had.

 

3. It will enhance your quality of life

You will be amazed what a little change in your attitude, thinking or perspective can have over your quality of life. My family and I relocated from the inner city where we lived for 10 years to the suburb and that change has improved our quality of life as a family. You never know what’s waiting for you on the other side of your comfort zone.

 

4. It will help you expand your outlook and perspective on life

Rarely does your outlook, income and perspective in life exceed your personal development. It will help you take ownership and responsibility with less room to blame anyone else for how your life turned out.

 

5. It will help you to be self-aware

No one knows you better than you do. Personal development will support you, not only to know yourself better but also to identify and work on areas where you need improvement and development. Self-awareness is about your social, spiritual and emotional intelligence

 

6. It will help identify barriers holding you back

We all love our comfort zone because it’s easy, familiar,  comfortable and pain-free. What we are not saying or showing others is our fear of stepping out of the familiar. Hence, we stay happy and contend with what we wish we could change.

 

Now that I have said what you wish you could say, I guess the question now is how can you start the process of personal development? Quite simple really.

1. Reading books that can help you grow and applying the principles in your life

 

2. Attending formal training in areas you need to develop and apply the principles

 

3. Engage a mentor and or a coach you can be accountable to. The process of personal development and growth requires a high level of commitment and accountability.

 

Are there areas in your life you have identified that you need to grow or develop? I can support you through the process. Drop me a line.