What is personal development?
Personal development is not a milestone and it is not achieved by a specific age. Personal development is an ongoing process for those who choose to work on it. Since achieving perfection is impossible, everyone room for improvement in certain areas of their lives.
The term “personal development” can include:
- establishing a sense of identity
- working on confidence & self-esteem
- advancing further in your career path
- improving upon communication skills
- developing quality connections with others
- increasing your sense of self-awareness
- improving time management skills & discipline
The underlying theme of personal development is the improvement of the quality of your life by effectively working towards one or more of your personal goals.
How do I get started?
The first step is making the decision to work on your own personal development. It does not matter if you are a young, college student or an experienced business professional. Everyone and anyone can benefit, irrespective of age, gender, or background.
The next step is to identify areas of your life you would like to improve. It is important to set a goal, prepare a plan, and stick to that plan. As you accomplish the small goals you set for yourself and work towards them consistently, you will see the results of your efforts later on. For example, if you want to advance further in your career, you should create a plan to make yourself the most ideal candidate for a promotion. This may involve getting another degree or improving upon your networking skills.
Once you have a plan, it is important to work on it consistently. Although you may not see immediate results, your effort will pay off in the long run.
If you would like to browse Urban Balance’s Personal Development Resources, click here.
Landino, R. (2013). Growth and Change Through the College Years. Psych Central. Retrieved on May 15, 2015, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/growth-and-change-through-the-college-years/000482