How to Develop a Personal Development Program

culled from:wikihow.com

Steps

1

Identify your life goals. Picture yourself as an elderly person who is looking back on a life lived to the fullest. Reflect on the various aspects of a rich and fulfilling life. A loving family life, admirable career achievements, and significant contributions to community developments or societal advancement are just a few examples.

• Categorize your life goals. You may have separate categories for academics, career, family, community, health, recreation and more.
• Write down your life goals under each category. Your goals may include contributing to the advancement of science, running a marathon or becoming a wealthy person. Create a detailed list of all life goals.

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   Determine which personal strengths will aid you in your pursuits.
   • Consider the relevance of your strengths for your life goals. For example, your highly developed interpersonal skills will advance your goals as a salesperson. Your technical skills might enable you to create a product for solving a particular societal problem.
   • Connect each personal strength with a specific development activity. For example, you may be naturally talented in playing a musical instrument. You might continue to develop that strength by taking classes or performing in a band.
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   Reflect on your weaknesses. Determine which personal qualities can be strengthened to advance your life goals. For a socially reserved person whose goal is to get married and have children, excessive shyness may be a personal obstacle in attracting and getting to know potential life partners.
   • Create a plan for strengthening your weaknesses. For a shy person, being open to attracting a life partner may mean consciously engaging in social activities that push the boundaries of the comfort zone. If physical fitness is the goal and lack of discipline is a weakness, hiring a personal trainer and committing to a daily exercise regimen with a motivated friend might be solutions.
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   Assign a time frame for goal achievement. You might allow yourself 6 weeks to lose 10 pounds or 6 years to complete an undergraduate degree while attending part-time.
   • Decide on a reasonable time frame for regular check-ins. For example, you might give yourself 6 months to improve your public speaking skills by attending weekly workshops. Establish a periodic check-in halfway or one-third into the completion of your goal to determine if you are asserting yourself enough or need to adjust your time line.
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   Share your personal development program with others. Trusted friends, relatives or colleagues may have insights about your strengths and weaknesses. Ask them to share their insights and to help keep you on track. Loved ones can remind you of your ultimate goals and keep you accountable on days when your motivation is low.
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   Consult with a personal development coach. Work with an experienced life coach to gain greater clarity about your personal characteristics and to brainstorm ideas for actionable steps to achieve your life goals.