Personal development
courtesy of Scotland Office, Flickr

Personal development primarily concerns the growth and improvement of a person as both an individual and as a useful member of society. The chief concepts involve educating oneself, personal reflection, nurturing one’s talents and abilities, and inspiring and transposing the same qualities in others.

Acts of personal development can involve something as simple as reading a book or as complex as writing a symphony. It is not so much the act itself that constitutes the development; it is more the enrichment experienced contributing to the greater whole.

We can break personal development down into specific units which give a better idea of the types of activities that can contribute:

  • ŸIncreasing self-awareness. This is our ability to recognize our own personality and the strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes contained therein. Through increased self-awareness we become more able to identify when we are under pressure or stress, a useful prerequisite for determining appropriate subsequent behaviour.
  • ŸImproving self-knowledge. Alongside self-awareness, self-knowledge is the knowledge of one’s mental states, specifically sensations, desires and beliefs. Increased self-knowledge allows us to deal with the stresses and pressures self-awareness identifies.
  • Constructing identity. A person’s sense of individual self. How one sees oneself; a personal self-image, if you will.
  • ŸNurturing strengths and talents. Skill development not only helps make one a more capable individual in the work, leisure, and interpersonal pursuits one is involved in, it also helps those around you achieve greater success.
  • ŸRecognising and developing potential. Fulfilling one’s potential in a particular ability or skill set is a desirable goal as achieving excellence invariably leads to happiness and fulfilment.
  • ŸConstructing employability. The accumulation of skills and knowledge through education and experience that allow one to create wealth.
  • ŸImproving quality of life. A catchall phrase describing the general, overall well-being of an individual or society. From something as simple as eating healthier, to drinking a higher quality cup of coffee in the morning, to playing golf more often; such activities stack to create a greater whole. Pervasive happiness is subjective, but it is a good indicator of one’s quality of life.
  • ŸAchieving dreams and aspirations. Realizing personal goals and objectives with intrinsic value to oneself are a valuable step in personal development.

Personal development is a journey we undertake throughout our lives. From something as small as working towards a new high score on a favourite video game, to graduating college, to an ambition as lofty as finally walking on the moon, personal development and the pursuit of enrichment is the goal, and key to our happiness. It is not only the individual end results that coalesce the benefits to ourselves and those around us, it is also the journey itself that makes us better, more integrated human beings.

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