What three things you MUST know on your personal development journey

I recently had a conversation with a coworker who didn’t really understand what “personal development” was. A bit flabbergasted, I responded, “What do you mean, it’s the idea of improving yourself.”

They, of course, were not the first person to look at me weird and wonder why I would fly to another state for a five-day conference to gain understanding on human psychology or physiology…multiple times each year…year after year.

“You pay for that?”

I’m making light of a conversation that really threw me for a curve when it happened. I was shocked to discover, even in my professional corporate America work environment, personal development isn’t understood by a lot of folks.

You’re probably like them in a way and have thought, “When you’re not in the clouds, Jarrad, what is personal development and why does it matter to me?” Fair question. The truth is, personal development is vital to your growth as an employee or a boss, as a mom or a dad, as a husband, wife or partner. If you feel that a part of you isn’t being fully expressed, or that you could “make better decisions” then personal development is exactly where your focus should be.

If you’re like me, though, this whole idea of “personal development”, or PD, can be a bit overwhelming. Should I go on a diet? Should I start my own business? Should I read more self-help books? And then, if you make it past all of that, you start down the ‘don’t haves’ journey. I would, but “I don’t have enough time.” “Don’t have enough money.” “Don’t have enough support.” And, just like me, you stop right there, dead in your tracks. The overwhelm is exhausting.

Today I’m here to encourage you to take another look! We’re going to break down the idea of PD and put it in terms that everyone understands, then I’m going to walk you through a super simple process to get you started on your own journey creating the life you desire. If this sounds like a winner, read on!

Let’s start with a good ole definition: In its most basic form, personal development is the act of enhancing one’s business skills, increasing consciousness, and building wealth. Sheesh! Has anyone ever explained something to you and when they finished you weren’t sure if they ever explained anything at all? That’s kind of how I feel when I read that. I’m from the country, so we’re going to use a language that makes a little more sense.

In order to understand PD fully, we must look at it from a place of “what do I want in my life” and “what am I willing to do to get it.” This looks more like “enhancing my skills and the way I behave in order to create the life I dream of.”

1. The first step in understanding your need for personal development is becoming honest with where you are.

Most people, myself included, do not like having the ‘lack’ conversation, or the one where you describe all the things you desire in your life. It can be challenging to embrace aspirations while at the same time choosing humility and gratitude for everything you already do have in life. I implore you, still, seek higher things. Do you truly have all the time you desire in your schedule? What would a little more income do for you? We don’t have to be ungrateful to want greater abundance in our lives.

2. The second step is generating the necessity to move you forward into the things you want.

Now that you have admitted there’s room for more, you must associate a need beyond yourself in order to deepen your willingness to do what is necessary. If you had more time, what would that mean for your kids? If you had a little more income, what does that do for your overall well-being? Would you make healthier food choices if you had a little more help in understanding what nutrition was? Whatever that thing is for you, this is the space where you give it a meaning deep enough that it moves you into action. Look beyond your lack and choose to see the needs of others.

3. The third step in understanding your need for PD is the literal movement into action.

There’s ancient text that reads a little something like “faith without action is dead”. Loosely translated here, we know nothing happens without forward movement and progression. In this final step, you begin the planning and mapping of your dreams, your ambitions, into reality. You want more income for your family so you can live in a better home, so what are you willing to do to get that? Does that require you to learn a new skill or strategy in your business? In order to have more time with your family on game night, are you required to get up earlier one day and do the laundry in the mornings instead of waiting until the evenings? The thing of this step is, you already know exactly what’s needed. It probably came to you in a whisper just now as you read this paragraph. And if you choose to listen to that voice you begin to raise your consciousness (which would be like step 4…but maybe another blog for that!). Only you know what this action step is but if you’ve done steps one and two correctly this part will be obvious.

The beauty of personal development is its simplicity. In stage lights and email chains it often sounds daunting, but PD is so far from that indeed. All you need is two questions:  “what do I want?” and “what am I willing to do to get it?” If you remember these two questions and implement the three steps I’ve listed above, you will begin to process your life through your own measuring cup and thereby create room for transformation to happen.

I hope this content inspired you today. My hope for you always is that you would be inspired and choose to aspire for greater things in your life. If you like this and want more great content, be sure to hit the subscribe button below and share this with a friend who needs it.

Until next time…

Be purposed,

Jarrad