Personal growth is a lifelong process. It is a way for people to assess their skills and qualities, consider their aims in life and set goals in order to realize and maximize their potential.
Albeit, early life development and early formative experiences within the family, at school, etc. can help to shape us as adults, personal development should not stop later in life. Those who actively pursue personal growth enjoy so many advantages, but we will look at five.
Self-Actualisation
This refers to the desire that everybody has ‘to become everything that they are capable of becoming’. In other words, it refers to self-fulfillment and the need to reach full potential as a unique human being
The extent to which people are able to develop depends on certain needs being met and these needs form a hierarchy. Only when one level of need is satisfied can a higher one be developed. As change occurs throughout life, however, the level of need motivating someone’s behavior at any one time will also change.
Healthier Relationships
Relationships with your family, children, co-workers, lovers and even that primary relationship with yourself are the foundation of life. You can’t avoid them even when you may wish to. When your relationships are low-quality, your life is low quality. Conversely, when your relationships are healthy and vibrant, you will reap the benefits in different ways.
Less Stress
Given the killer that stress has turned out to be, and how quickly it negatively impacts our overall quality of life, anything that reduces stress should be worth chasing.
By making personal development a habit, particularly with regards to stress-reduction techniques such as mindfulness practices, you will be better able to identify, manage and even eliminate key sources of stress in your life.
Increased Productivity
People who engage in personal growth as a lifestyle, make a habit of digging deeper into issues, thereby increasing the likelihood of arriving at meaningful solutions. Self-development techniques improve your ability to focus and manage stress, help you get at hidden emotions and motivators, and allow productivity to rise.
Enhanced Self-Control
Self-control, that ability to regulate your emotions, thoughts and behavior in order to accomplish specific goals, is a cognitive ability that can be worked out and strengthened just as you would your muscles. By making self-development a regular and important part of your life, you bring to light those underlying beliefs and feelings. You strengthen your self-control ‘muscles’, making it easier to build new habits and achieve short and long term goals.