THE BEST YOU!!!
Hello Empowered readers! I’m excited to be a part of something so fresh and cutting edge. I spend more time with technology than I care to admit because I am fascinated with all things digital. In my other life, I am a business woman and I meet lots of fascinating and interesting people on a daily basis. Most of them look like you and me, hold regular jobs, and love their families. Out of the ranks, there are those who set themselves apart from the rest. Some of them have achieved or are on their way to massive success. These individuals are doctors, writers, CEOs, and professionals from all walks of life. I can assure you that hard work and preparation probably played a role in their success, however; personal development is a major part of that equation.
Personal development is that key element of business and personal success that makes a good singer an excellent vocalist. It can take a successful business owner from breaking even to making a seven figure income. Through personal development a budding writer now becomes a best-selling novelist. When you look at someone like Oprah Winfrey who had very humble beginnings as a child born to a teenage mother and raised by her grandmother, you have to ask…what made the difference in her life? Was it skill, luck, hard work or all of the above? The bottom line is that people who achieve high levels of success work very hard on themselves and they pay attention the things successful people do in order to achieve.
Most people are born with a certain temperament and set of talents. Maximizing those things by working on yourself can set you apart in ways that you can only imagine. This can be applied to the stay-at-home mom who really wants to make a difference in her children’s lives. It can also happen for the retiree who wants to do more than collect a retirement income and wait for old age to take effect. At any stage of life, you can begin a journey towards personal development. So, you’ve heard the theory but let’s talk about practical application. What are some key elements of personal development?
1) Personal development addresses all aspects of human development.
I like to think of it as a spirit, soul and body process. The person who is focused on their total development in all of these areas would do activities such as: pray or meditate, read enriching books, develop a sound exercise and healthy eating plan, take a class on organizational skills, etc. Personal development could also include activities such as traveling abroad, learning a new language or taking a cooking class. Any positive activity that adds value to you as a person on a spiritual, physical or mental level is considered personal development.
2) Personal development should occur at all stages of life.
Let’s look at a high school senior who is about to go out into the world and get their first job. On the surface, this person (we will use “he” for this illustration) is just a typical teenager who has no idea what life will look like 5, 10 or 15 years from now. However, he can take steps to steer his life in a positive direction by learning to focus on areas which will help him grow as an individual. Meeting new people and learning to communicate effectively will boost his social skills. Getting his first job at McDonalds will teach him responsibility and the importance of hard work. Adding a dash of personal development would include reading a book about Ray Croc, the businessman who took over the McDonalds franchise, in order to learn how he achieved success in the fast food industry.
3) Personal development is just that – PERSONAL.
So many people start out on a path to improve themselves with other people in mind. Change is about your desire to become a better YOU - to maximize your impact in the world. If you start out looking at how your positive change will please others, it can only lead to discouragement; so keep the focus on you.
4) Personal development can be fun! Keep in mind that your journey through personal development is an adventure, so make it fun. If you are not an avid reader, download audio books on your smartphone or device. Make your car a drive-time university by playing your personal development material while you’re on the road. There are so many books written by some of the giants in the area of personal development such as Zig Ziglar, Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey and many more. Look for titles on leadership, time-management, communication and similar topics.
5) Finally, personal development must be intentional.
Be aware that you are developing personally on a daily basis but it must be intentional and focused to make a difference. Make it a goal to read 10 pages of an enriching book every night or to complete at least one self improvement course at the local Junior College per year. I use this illustration: if you sit in a room with a heater you may get warm eventually. But if you sit near a heater in front of the vent with a blanket on, you will get warm more efficiently. The goal is warmth, the method determines how quickly and effective your efforts will be.
I encourage you to stay focused in your approach to personal development and eventually you will become a person that others can model in business and in life.
I’ll see you at the top!
Personal development is that key element of business and personal success that makes a good singer an excellent vocalist. It can take a successful business owner from breaking even to making a seven figure income. Through personal development a budding writer now becomes a best-selling novelist. When you look at someone like Oprah Winfrey who had very humble beginnings as a child born to a teenage mother and raised by her grandmother, you have to ask…what made the difference in her life? Was it skill, luck, hard work or all of the above? The bottom line is that people who achieve high levels of success work very hard on themselves and they pay attention the things successful people do in order to achieve.
Most people are born with a certain temperament and set of talents. Maximizing those things by working on yourself can set you apart in ways that you can only imagine. This can be applied to the stay-at-home mom who really wants to make a difference in her children’s lives. It can also happen for the retiree who wants to do more than collect a retirement income and wait for old age to take effect. At any stage of life, you can begin a journey towards personal development. So, you’ve heard the theory but let’s talk about practical application. What are some key elements of personal development?
1) Personal development addresses all aspects of human development.
I like to think of it as a spirit, soul and body process. The person who is focused on their total development in all of these areas would do activities such as: pray or meditate, read enriching books, develop a sound exercise and healthy eating plan, take a class on organizational skills, etc. Personal development could also include activities such as traveling abroad, learning a new language or taking a cooking class. Any positive activity that adds value to you as a person on a spiritual, physical or mental level is considered personal development.
2) Personal development should occur at all stages of life.
Let’s look at a high school senior who is about to go out into the world and get their first job. On the surface, this person (we will use “he” for this illustration) is just a typical teenager who has no idea what life will look like 5, 10 or 15 years from now. However, he can take steps to steer his life in a positive direction by learning to focus on areas which will help him grow as an individual. Meeting new people and learning to communicate effectively will boost his social skills. Getting his first job at McDonalds will teach him responsibility and the importance of hard work. Adding a dash of personal development would include reading a book about Ray Croc, the businessman who took over the McDonalds franchise, in order to learn how he achieved success in the fast food industry.
3) Personal development is just that – PERSONAL.
So many people start out on a path to improve themselves with other people in mind. Change is about your desire to become a better YOU - to maximize your impact in the world. If you start out looking at how your positive change will please others, it can only lead to discouragement; so keep the focus on you.
4) Personal development can be fun! Keep in mind that your journey through personal development is an adventure, so make it fun. If you are not an avid reader, download audio books on your smartphone or device. Make your car a drive-time university by playing your personal development material while you’re on the road. There are so many books written by some of the giants in the area of personal development such as Zig Ziglar, Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey and many more. Look for titles on leadership, time-management, communication and similar topics.
5) Finally, personal development must be intentional.
Be aware that you are developing personally on a daily basis but it must be intentional and focused to make a difference. Make it a goal to read 10 pages of an enriching book every night or to complete at least one self improvement course at the local Junior College per year. I use this illustration: if you sit in a room with a heater you may get warm eventually. But if you sit near a heater in front of the vent with a blanket on, you will get warm more efficiently. The goal is warmth, the method determines how quickly and effective your efforts will be.
I encourage you to stay focused in your approach to personal development and eventually you will become a person that others can model in business and in life.
I’ll see you at the top!
RSS Feed