Personal development is being discussed to the length of exhaustion in terms of what are its fundamentals, the strategies, the rules by which one is to follow this ever growing philosophy.
This discussion has left room for self-proclaimed gurus to enter the field and start reciting one rule after another. But the truth is, as you will find out after delving deeper into this way of living, that personal development is quite easy to approach and is, and should be, very flexible and customizable.
In other words, you are the one who should dictate both the “rules” and the entire journey for that matter.
Here are the cornerstones that will guide you along.
Personal development recognizes no absolutes
There is not only one way in which personal development should be adopted.
Our potential is limitless and we are only to create the circumstances and surroundings in which it will flourish and develop furthermore. We are different, our drive is different, our talents, emotions, ambition, triggers… So in this context there cannot be a single manuscript and one-size-fits-all type of thinking.
The message and takeaway here would be to forget about “rules”, especially ones that are girded too tight and impose blind following.
Personal development cherishes diversity
The main idea about personal development is that it should slowly but unmistakably become a way of life. The basic premise is that instead of being limited to one area of your life, say work or looks, or fitness, it should be entirely dispersed in almost everything that you do.
Try to implement the same philosophy, and ultimately embed the picture of who you want to be in almost every segment of your life.
Personal development relies upon consistency
And we are not talking schedules here. Instead, try to think about being true to the idea you are trying to implement into your life. Think about it, talk about it, take action in regards to it…
You see, the more we penetrate this way of living, the more prominent and potent it becomes. Not only you will stop “forcing” yourself to improve, but it will become a habit of sorts; an addiction, even.
Pushing the envelope
Status quo is something that nature cannot recognize. In the way that everything moves, everything either progresses or retrogrades. Same applies to personal development- you either push the envelope further by the day or you get lethargic and start to accumulate conformity.
Pushing the envelope, though, is never meant to be translated into an obsession-like pursuit. No. It means finding new interests, finding new ways in which to improve yourself, introducing more diversity into your life, and being more by doing more.
The idea is not to surrender to conformity.
Start to set goals that seem partially unrealistic. What is real to you now in terms of goal setting is only equivalent to your present capabilities; and setting your goals depending on present capabilities, means that you don’t intend to change, to improve. My point is, that by challenging yourself to do more, you are only setting the bar higher – and the higher the bar, the wider the stretch; Therefore, bigger the improvement.
Personal development is the goal itself
Remember, personal development doesn’t have an end goal; it is rather the goal itself.
The journey is what ultimately matters and you should always try not to forget this fact. Goals can be achieved, but personal development lasts forever.
Looking back in retrospect, I cannot even count the goals I once set up my mind to achieve. They are all behind me now, completed, materialized, yet I still progress. That’s the power of a true personal development ideology- you are bigger than a single goal, a single task, idea… Your potential is unlimited and in that context it is bound to constantly express. And it seems that the more you embrace this philosophy the luckier you get.
You invest in yourself daily, and it accumulates over time, bringing you results that can only be measured on the bigger scale.
Such is the nature of all great things- small constant progress that becomes unintentional, hard to spot, though bringing massive results when it comes to painting the big picture.
In a nutshell, the basics of personal development stem down to these seemingly simple and rudimentary concepts. And the fact that we are all unique reinforces this urge to address personal development in a somewhat more personalized manner. That’s why reading tons of articles and following tons of sites can bring you only so far. These mediums simply forget the idea that it should all be customizable and diverse. They rely upon rigid structure and conformity to rules.
Instead, following personal coaches like Josh here, and what they have to say in regards to YOUR circumstances always produces more tangible results. Remember, in the vertical of personal development, you are the most important input.
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Slavko Desik is editor at Lifestyle Updated where he tries to address personal development as something broader and way bigger than day to day tricks and strategies for growth. Visit him at LifestyleUpdated.com
-share your biggest takeaway lesson in the comments below.
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