Self-development and personal growth: 7 simple steps in simple words
Every day we are immersed in everyday activities. We run in a circle of "work – home – work", and problems take over us. Anxiety and anxiety are on the rise. There is a feeling of emptiness and fatigue, which tend to develop into depression. And so you want peace and tranquility, to live in harmony with yourself. Self-improvement and self-knowledge can help to cope with all adversity and find peace. So where do you start personal growth and self-development? Let's look into this.
We were born to know the world and ourselves, so all activities that lead to raising awareness and developing critical thinking skills are among the highest forms of activity. A contemplative life devoted to the search for truth and constant reflection on one's own destiny brings a person the greatest joy.
On the other hand, the greatest suffering and grief are associated with a non-reflective life, the barrenness of which we often realize only on our deathbed.
where to start self-development
Success is inseparable from a conscious and fulfilling life.
In search of ways of personal growth and self-development
There are many ways for personal growth and self-development. However, there are two main activities that lead to personal success. These include:
- self-reflection, and
- Independent work.
self-reflection
Through three methods we can learn wisdom: first, by thinking about what is most noble; secondly, by imitation, which is the easiest; and thirdly, by experience, which is the most difficult.
What is not taught in schools, and what gets harder and harder as the years go by as we get stuck in the rat race?
The answer is simple – it is Self-reflection, manifested in the recording of one's own thoughts.
If a person does not develop the habit of introspection and contemplation at an early age, then the likelihood of subsequent reflective thinking is small. It is a pity, because without self-reflection we only drift through life.
As technology advances, it becomes increasingly difficult to think calmly about yourself. In the information society, perhaps the only place where people can experience self-reflection is in the bedroom. When we turn off the computer and lower the cameras, we can calmly wait for sleep. Inactivity is the best time to think, but in the age of smartphones, we do not allow ourselves to be bored. Before there are random thoughts leading to reflection, we get bored faster and turn on our Facebook, Instagram, VK, etc. We take away the chance for valuable thoughts to come from the abyss of our mind. Technology makes us better connected to others, but not to ourselves.
We lose a lot because of our current lifestyle, because self-reflection is the most effective tool for transformation. Self-awareness is a mirror in which we can see our thoughts, avoid the same mistakes and correct our behavior. Without a mirror that allows us to look at our lives, it is almost impossible to make changes.
So at least once a day, reflect on life, what works, and what needs to be fixed or removed. Think about every aspect that you can improve. Developing the skills of self-reflection will contribute to profound changes in your life.
Letter
Not every smart person is a writer, but almost every smart person writes. Why? Because writing is a skill that helps make our mind sharp and clear.
Writing is, in a way, like meditation. Both activities require some silence and concentration, but when writing, instead of focusing on breathing, we focus on word formation. Enumeration forces us to organize our own thoughts into a coherent structure, and this makes us smarter over time.
If we don't write regularly, our thoughts will start to repeat itself, creativity will be blocked, and our reasoning will become muddled. The letter is available to everyone and free of charge. So start writing at least a little and every day.
Independent work
Independent work is another important direction in self-development and it consists in reading books.
Reading is the main tool for self-improvement and personal growth for both men and women. It allows us to learn from the mistakes and experiences of others. Everything will be within our reach, it is enough just to want and find the appropriate book on the desired topic.
Reading
In life it is difficult to meet smart people who would not read useful literature at every opportunity. Many even set aside special time for this.
Most people don't get smarter over the course of their lives because they avoid the effort that comes with it. It's easier to sit in front of the TV and watch your favorite TV shows after work. However, there is an easy way to become smarter. Simple but not easy. Read a lot.
Billionaires Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett are estimated to spend 80% of their time reading – and they're not smart because they're rich, but they're wealthy because they have practical knowledge . When asked how to get smarter, Buffett held up a stack of paper and said, “Read 500 pages every week. In this way, knowledge is developed."
But one reading is not enough. We all know how to read from elementary school. However, can we read at a deeper level? Can we extract as much useful information from the book as possible for ourselves? Effective reading goes beyond what we learned in school.
reading is the best activity
We must know:
- How to Read Effectively
- What is suitable for reading
- How to read online
- How much time should be spent reading
- How can you read more
Only then can we see good ideas suitable for practical application.
Shallow reading is another useless form of entertainment. If you are going to read, do so only to gain an advantage. Gain the wisdom and knowledge you need to overcome everyday challenges. This is a difficult task, so watch your curiosity.
Simple ways to start personal growth and self-development
So where do you start personal growth and self-development? Here are 7 easy steps to get started on this journey.
Think about your destiny. Think about tomorrow, and preferably many months ahead. You can't foresee the unexpected, but you can always prepare for it. A person who has time to predict the course of accidents shows great foresight. It is better to avoid difficult situations than to deal with them later. Take care of the future, because tomorrow won't take care of itself.
Reflect on the past. If you want your future to be better than your past, then start learning from your own experience. The one who does not return to his past, but is lost in the whirlpool of everyday affairs, eventually loses the clarity of reasoning.
Become a fool It's easy to tell us: "I know what I think", "I know what will happen tomorrow", "I know what I like", "I know what the truth is", etc. However, if you change " I know" to "I don't know", you will stimulate your mind to an unconventional way of reasoning. You will begin to explore thoughts and ideas previously unknown to you. Many people would become a second Socrates if they believed that they knew little.
Learn faster. Science can be enriched when we not only "do" but think "about what we do". This means that we learn faster and better when we not only do something, but also reflect on the completed activity.
Do not be guided by the first thought, start thinking for yourself. Thinking is not about learning from other people or memorizing information. Thinking means focusing on one thing until we develop an idea about it. The most valuable thing is to think for yourself and develop your own ideas. The first thought is never the best idea, it is usually heard from someone else. Therefore, we should not focus entirely on the first thought that comes to our mind, nor on the first conclusion that arises in our mind. It is only by focusing on the problem for a long time that we can transform a thought into an original idea. However, this cannot be done in short periods of time interrupted by Facebook and Youtube. The brain needs time and space to create original connections and synthesize thoughts.
Lead your life wisely. A fulfilling life requires a certain restraint. We should spend more time thinking and not taking more action than is necessary. In the mass of tasks, we can forget what is really important to us. The only thing we really have is time, which we must use wisely. It is foolish to spend one's life performing mechanical actions. Many people open their eyes too late, realizing that all their lives they have done what they did not want to. Knowing that it's too late only brings sadness. Some start looking when only ashes remain. They found each other too late.
Compact your life. Take inventory of your actions, and then eliminate the many meaningless actions, replacing them with one very significant one. By changing the ratio of activity to importance, you will reduce the waste of resources and use your time more wisely.
Hurry up slowly. A wise person assumes in advance that rash actions end in failure. Some act first and then think, then seeking explanations for their own behavior. However, we often lose too much time. The great skill is to act optimally. Think about the possible obstacles and problems that may arise on the way to the goal, and then boldly get to work. The fault of wise people is that they are too tormented by doubts, which keep them from acting boldly.
How to make reflection a daily habit?
It is not enough to start self-development, it is important to make this process a daily habit and apply it in your daily activities. Simple rules can help with this.
Start writing a diary. Of course, you can get used to thinking without writing, but keeping your own diary will help you crystallize your thoughts. If you've been writing before but haven't been able to keep a consistent diary, then start by writing one sentence a day first. Then gradually increase the number of words. A good way to write more concisely is to simply write less than you want. Such a limitation will force you to weigh your words and avoid being too slow.
start journaling
Every month it is worth reviewing your own notes and summarizing the most important conclusions. Then you will see your own thoughts from a wider perspective. It is easy to identify the destructive habits and problems we face. If we notice that we are deviating from our goal, they will help us correct the course we are on. In the long term, such information about our lives will bring incredible benefits.
Know yourself, your character, mind and emotions. "Know thyself" is the most famous maxim, derived from the seven sages of ancient Greece, engraved at the entrance to the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. The ancient philosophers knew that perfection begins with self-knowledge. If you don't understand who you are, you will never be in control and never achieve happiness. Therefore, no one wants to be surrounded by a person who does not know who he is and what he lives for. There is another important aspect of self-knowledge. Man is a cosmos in miniature, reflecting the entire universe. This means that by examining ourselves, we can explore the fundamental laws. The goal of self-knowledge is not only to know your own personality, but also the laws that govern reality.
Practice self-reflection until you recognize your own natural talents (and weaknesses). The discovery of one's own talents is extremely valuable, because acting in accordance with one's own nature brings the greatest satisfaction. There is nothing better than working without hard work. Revealing our own weaknesses will save us from the suffering that comes from not knowing our own limitations.
Know your own shortcomings. The fight against defects begins with their recognition. You can achieve more if you identify your own shortcomings. Maybe you lack the speed of action, or you can't stop and think about your own behavior. Maybe you are cruel and say a lot of things without thinking about how people around you feel. If you noticed the flaws that cast a shadow over your life, you could deal with them.
Self-development in solving everyday problems
Find the best answer. No one can give you a better answer than yourself. Do you want to meet her? With a specific question to be addressed, ask yourself, “How do I feel?"
Eliminate the causes, not the consequences. Instead of building up efforts and multiplying temporary solutions, focus on the limitations and obstacles that need to be removed in order to cope with the problem. Think about what activities are working, and then eliminate everything that is preventing you from working, starting with the most important obstacle.
Just think about it. No one is smart enough to make decisions immediately without hesitation. If you ever have problems, stop and think. The bigger the problem you face, the longer you have to think it through.
The key to personal growth and self-development
You are worth as much as you know, and if you are smart, you can do whatever you want and achieve the heights you dreamed of. A person who lacks knowledge is a world devoid of the sun.
Self-education is one of the main tools on the way of personal growth and self-development of a person.
A person who knows nothing cannot live. It has to do with simple addiction. Access to information directs the course of our thoughts. An example from life is a Japanese soldier who, several decades after the end of World War II, continued to fight the enemy. A good illustration from literature is Don Quixote fighting windmills. Ignorance and, more broadly, lack of knowledge leads to wrong decisions and actions. This simple fact alone should make us realize how important knowledge is.
Formal education will teach us how to write and read, but we must acquire the knowledge necessary to fulfill our own calling. Most people find self-education an unpleasant duty. People start on the assumption that there is no need to learn anything new if there is some reason to avoid it. We like old views because they are part of what gives us psychological comfort. Therefore, we can put in much more effort to keep the status quo in our minds than to learn new things. And even if we need to change our lives, even if only slightly, in order to learn something new, we don't.
Life is change, and the stagnation of thought causes the world to flee from us, because what surrounds us moves and changes much faster than we do. We ourselves know too little things and must live by trusting others. However, borrowing the mind from someone else is a risky step, for good people are few and dangers are many.
Continuous learning is the best way to achieve better results. Therefore, a reasonable person sets himself the goal of going to bed smarter than he woke up. Reading a lot is the best way of self-education, because reading is the essence of the process of continuous education.
continuous learning and improvement
The best books on self-development and personal growth – TOP 7
The books contain the wisdom and experience of many generations. They help us avoid wasting time looking for answers and making trivial mistakes.
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
- “How to put things in order. The Art of Stress-Free Productivity – David Allen
- "To hell with all of it! Get it and do it.” – Richard Branson
- The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin Sharma
- The Psychology of Influence – Robert Cialdini
- "Awaken the giant in you" – Tony Robbins
- "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" – Dale Carnegie
We were born to know the world and ourselves, as well as to bring benefit and joy to this world. And, most importantly, find and realize your purpose. A contemplative life dedicated to the search for truth brings a person the greatest joy and recognition. Now you know where to start personal growth and self-development.