The first time someone told me that I needed a personal development plan, I probably looked at them like a labrador retriever looks at its owner when it doesn’t understand a new command. You know the look; head tilted slightly and confused.
I barely understood what personal development meant, let alone how I could go about putting together a plan to accomplish it. I spent a little time researching what a good plan meant and while there are lots of opinions most of them revolve around the same core conce
Personal Development Plan – Reflection
Reflect on what you would like to be better at. Give this some serious thought. Not a quick 5 minutes and you are done.
Really think about what you wish you were better at that would help you accomplish something. For me, I get better clarity when I surround myself with people who will force me to do better. Doing this makes me assess what I really want and what makes me happy.
That something you are gaining doesn’t have to be work-related. It can be all about your personal life. Maybe you want to be better at meal planning.
Your development may be something you need in your family, in your house, at church, or at any other time. Make sure you look at all aspects of your life, not just your career.
The great thing about personal development that many don’t understand is that it’s personal. YOU don’t have to do it just to get ahead at work. Personal development can help you with many things. Maybe you want to be better at yoga, eating healthy, or helping homeless animals.
Set Goals
Now that you know what you want to get better at, create some goals around that vision. You won’t know if you are successful at your personal development unless you know what you are working at. Your goals may be simple or they may be very complicated.
Concentrate on making sure they are short or simple enough in duration that you won’t quit until they are accomplished. Make sure once you know what they are, you write them down. It won’t do you any good if you forget what you wanted to do.
Make Time
One of my greatest life lessons has been that if something is important enough to you, then you will make time to do it. I wrote all about this in the Accept Your Priorities in Life to Manage Time Guilt-Free article.
People are quick to hand out excuses on why they can’t do things, but rarely just admit they didn’t want to. Own your priorities and use a method like Rock, Pebbles, Sand to ensure you are making time for your Self-Care and long term Personal Development plans.
Analyze
Once you have your development plan in place and you are well on your way to learning your new skill, make sure you take some time to analyze your goal.
Was this new skill something you really enjoyed and therefore want to learn more? Was it something you learned you hate? We need to be constantly analyzing the data around us.
Data tells us what we should be doing more of and less of. Kids react a certain way, coworkers, etc. You need to be able to take what you know – the facts and data of a situation and interpret that data. Reacting based on emotions will not help you in the long run. We all want to be doing the things we love.
Personal Development Plan Conclusion
Personal Development Plans are meant to help you determine and set goals towards the things you really love. If you are having trouble believing in yourself check out these affirmations that may help you clear your mind and discover what you want.
Do you want to start tracking your goals? I have got you covered! Get organized and know what you are working so hard for. Click the link to get your FREE Trello Template!
Additionally, I would love it if you followed me on my Facebook Business Page. On the page you will get tips on helping lead a life full of gratitude and setting goals for personal and business success.
