14 Keys to Personal Development - Your Springboard to Success

Personal Development is the great springboard to further your career and life. As Jim Rohn the great business philosopher said “Work harder on yourself than on your job.” He also said success is something you attract by the person you become. These are wise words indeed.

Here are some simple steps on the path to personal development which have helped me.

Get up early - I have read everywhere that the most successful people are people who get up early. They use the extra time they get to plan for the day, exercise, read and meditate. Of course not everything is possible but I think getting up early offers options to do something for yourself. This is also the common thread among all masters like Benjamin Franklin, Ernest Hemingway and many others. Of course this also depends on the work you do. Some artists are more creative in the night. One example is Bob Iger CEO of Disney and he wakes up every day wherever he is by 4:30 am.

Eat ultra-healthy - This is not easy to adopt but with practice it is possible. The first thing is don’t skip breakfast; eat lots of fruits and vegetables which we have heard a million times. If you have to eat in between meals then fruits are the best to have rather than any oily items. Yogurt is also a good option.

Set goals –This can be work goals, personal goals like running a marathon or getting certifications. Goals inspire people to productivity. I have been setting goals for quite some years now and it does work. Of course goals have to be the ones you set for yourself and not someone else. It is not the pursuit of happiness but the happiness of pursuit that is the key to success.

Switch off – Every week switch off sometime from work or social media and focus on something else. This has become increasingly difficult as we are connected 24*7 but it is worth the effort. I don’t have apps like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn on my phone instead I have to log in every time I want to check which reduces the times I check. One example is Padmasree Warrior the former Chief Technology Officer of Cisco systems who takes a digital detox every Saturday. This is a day is where there is no email, no voicemail, and a day dedicated to personal pursuits. I guess that is the secret to happiness and productivity in the 21st century.

Read books - that are inspirational, informational and motivational. Some of the books that can make a difference are Peak, Grit, Originals, Smarter Faster Better, The Industries of the Future, Third Wave, Wired to Create and Rising Strong.

Reflection - Maintain a personal journal on personal mission, vision, goals and daily learning. Over the last 10 years I have more than 20 journals to show for my effort and I go through them once in a while and it is funny to see what we did some years back.

Track your accomplishments - Celebrate little wins like if you do a certification give a pat on your back. If you followed through on your exercise program congratulate yourself. Don’t wait for others to appreciate you instead appreciate yourself.

Never compare yourself with others- You are unique and comparing can lead to unnecessary disappointment. There is always someone who earns more than you, smarter or fitter than you.

Keep positive in challenging times. The keys to optimism are to treat each setback as temporary, learn from it and take purposeful action towards your goals.

Continuous Improvement - Pick up a new skill to master and this will keep you engaged. School is never out and with the abundance of information available none of us can learn everything we need to learn in another 3 lifetimes.

Associations - Associate with people who are like minded and positive about life. Associate with people who respect you and uplift you. It has been said that your reference group is a very important determinant of your success. Avoid company with people who bring you down or don’t respect you.

Welcome Mistakes -  Failure is never final. As Winston Churchill said “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” Check out my article on this topic.Failure is Never Final.

Warm Personality - Develop a pleasing personality and ensure people like to be around you. The number one skill needed in the workplace is to be a team player. Your ability to get along with everyone will determine how far you go in your career.

Relaxation - Make time for relaxation by taking an absolute break from all your worries and problems. This is really critical as all of us are time starved and we really need to take this time to be ourselves. One simple tactic is to just take one day at a time. If you just take whatever needs to be done for that day and do that only you will be happier. Check out my article on this.Simple Strategies to be Relaxed. 

These simple 14 strategies can help us to grow as a person and become all that we are capable of becoming. I hope you enjoyed reading this. 

The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.