7 Benefits of personal development and how to benefit from it

On several occasions, while talking to some of the people around me, I have been told that a personal development approach is selfish or self-centered. The argument that came up was that personal development was precisely "personal" and therefore self-centered... Easy, isn't it? I understand the point of view, but I will explain in this article what the benefits of personal development are and how they benefit more than one person.

 Indeed, the benefits are numerous, for oneself, for one's entourage, or for the world. By becoming better (in different aspects of one's life), one's power grows. Thus, our field of possibilities widens. As a result, it is then easier to help others or to create a better world. To change the world, we must first change ourselves. In this article, you will discover the benefits of personal development and how to take advantage of it.

What does personal development mean?

The term personal development is difficult to define in a unique way. Thus, from my perspective, personal development is a conscious process of seeking to become better and to progress in one's life. The fact that it is done consciously is important. Indeed, once such a process has begun, one can then use tools to begin one's life and develop one's potential. Personal development admits that we are in control of our life and that we are responsible for our own situation.

By accepting this responsibility, we can then begin to act and make changes. This is what makes it personal. Acting on ourselves, in ourselves, by ourselves, for ourselves, to live a human experience that corresponds to us. In this way, the benefits of personal development are numerous on our mood and our level of happiness.

Why is this important?

Personal development is important because it transcribes and allows us to exploit what I like to call the creative power. We are creatures of creation (whatever your beliefs may be) but we are also capable of creating. Indeed, we can create our life and this is made possible by the fact that we can start a process of personal development. I use the term approach, but I could also say path or quest. In fact, it is a process of improvement and elevation in which we create our circumstances. It is important to take a step back from one's situation to welcome the benefits of personal development. In other words, becoming aware that life is short and miraculous at the same time, invites us to become better.

Moreover, it is by no means selfish to act on oneself and on a personal scale, because our inner world determines our outer world. Thus, by rising up and taking one's life in one's own hands one seeks to honor life and to offer "a quality product" through the person we offer to the world. Of course we have personal motivations, but along the way we realize that they are only mirages because the path is more important than the destination. At least, that's how I see it. So to say that not to seek to rise, to develop, and to create would be to deprive the world of its light, and that would be more selfish in my opinion.

7 benefits of personal development

Taking one's life in hand and undertaking it makes us enter into a process of learning and progression. This allows us to welcome the benefits of personal development and to enter a virtuous circle. However, this does not mean that everything is rosy, but since there will always be problems, we might as well choose them and go to their meetings. So, here are the benefits of personal development:

The benefits of development for you

While personal development is personal and will bring many benefits in your life, it is also beneficial to others. First of all, here are the benefits you can see for yourself.

1) Makes sense

Giving meaning to one's life and daily routine is perhaps one of the most important benefits of personal development. Indeed, once the primary needs have been satisfied, new needs emerge such as the need to be fulfilled and accomplished. Undertaking a personal development process makes it possible to meet these needs. In this way, we give meaning to what we do and who we are. On the other hand, when we stagnate, we tend to regress and this is not always good for morale...

2) Strengthens self-esteem

The self-esteem is the perception which one makes of oneself and the way in which one feels in his body and his head. It includes self-confidence. Self-esteem is a real ally in everyday life for our mood but also for our performance. Thus, to have a good self-esteem and to be confident makes it possible to undertake and to dare more.

3) Helps us to know ourselves better

Getting to know each other better is one of the most useful benefits of personal development. When you work on yourself, you get to know yourself. Indeed, nowadays everything pushes us to distraction and we have our head in the handlebars too often. Our attention and thoughts are scattered by all the disturbances that come our way. Taking the time to listen to each other and to get to know each other is a real asset. Knowing who we are and getting to know each other is beneficial because it allows us to adjust our behavior and improve what needs to be improved.

4) Reduces stress

The benefits of personal development are manifold, and among them are the reduction of stress and better management of emotions. Whether it is for our personal well-being, our relationships or our professional enterprises, stress harms and destroys us. Stress slowly kills us and irritates us. Therefore, reducing stress is a need that is no longer relevant.

5) Reduces regrets

Who likes to accumulate regrets and suffer his life? ... Yet many people accumulate regrets and give up their dreams in the course of their lives. This is one of the risks when one does not accept one's share of responsibility. But with personal development, you take matters into your own hands and the feeling of regret diminishes. Indeed, doing your best and moving towards your goals is one of the benefits of personal development that reduces the feeling of regret!

6) Increases productivity and motivation

Less monotony and more spirit! We all have ups and downs, but we can do something about them. Indeed, one of the benefits of personal development is that it literally boosts us. It makes us more productive and more efficient. Moreover, all the benefits feed off each other. Ideas become clearer and motivation is increased.

7) The benefits of personal development for others

The goal of becoming a better version of yourself, a better person, is to benefit others. However, you have to help yourself first and then help others. It's a bit like the oxygen mask on a plane, you put on your own first before helping your neighbor. In this way, all the benefits of personal development can radiate to those around us and to the world around us. This includes inspiring, transmitting and motivating others. In other words, leadership and altruism come next. At the end of his life, Abraham Maslow, made famous by his pyramid of needs, added one last need that surpasses all others: the need for transcendence or surpassing oneself. In this ultimate stage, the being seeks to devote himself to the service of others, of an ideal or a cause that he defends.

Do not fear to be slow, only fear to be at a standstill.

Where to start?

To start enjoying the benefits of personal development and change your life, you first need to want it and decide to do it. It may seem trivial, but the level of involvement plays a big role in the results you get. Here is what I have identified as different steps to take control of your life.

1) Awareness

This step is necessary before initializing. It can be progressive or prompt, like a click. Awareness is about accepting responsibility for our lives. Personally, I saw a lot of information that was upsetting me and I myself did not feel fulfilled in the life I was leading, then I became aware that if I waited for it to change, nothing would happen. It's up to us to create change, and that starts with awareness.

2) Decision Making

Then, we must decide and commit to change what we don't like or what we want to improve. Deciding to take action and take charge to create the life you want is an important moment. There is a before and an after. The benefits of personal development and positive results come to us as soon as we decide to take action.

3) State of affairs

To know where to go, it is better to know where you come from and where you are. Are we on the right track? A change of course of only a few degrees has a big impact in the long term. So, will the situation we are in today, which is not right for us, work itself out? What is our baggage: emotional? professional? relational? What are our strengths and weaknesses? These questions are not obvious, but asking them helps to initialize the reflection.

4) Define your priorities

To reap the benefits of personal development and to embark on such a process, it is important to consider your priorities. The objective of such an approach is to choose one's life. In other words, to embark on one's life, as I like to say. To do this, it is essential to set priorities. However, these priorities can change. Nothing is fixed. Thus, depending on your situation, your priorities may concern your life as a couple, your children, your personal success, your health, etc... etc.

Here we are talking about what matters most to you. If your family life is the most important thing in your life but you are absorbed by your work and never see your loved ones, there is a discrepancy. If your health is your priority but you never keep in shape, there is also a paradox. Therefore, defining what really matters to us and prioritizing it allows us to make better decisions to honor our values. It is an alignment between the inside and the outside.

5) Define your objectives

With all this work done upstream, you are now able to set yourself coherent objectives. Indeed, goals are more easily attainable when they are consistent with your situation because you will use an intrinsic motivation to reach them. In other words, you know why you are doing what you are doing and it motivates and motivates you. It is a motivation that comes from you, not from an external factor. Defining your goals is very important and will allow you to fully enjoy the benefits of personal development throughout your journey.

6) Establish an action plan

The action is getting closer. To achieve your goals, establish an action plan. With an action plan, you know what to do and how. Many people plan and schedule their vacation but forget to do it with their lives. If you don't take the time to plan your life, what you want to achieve won't happen. This is common sense, but we forget too often.

7) The magic of action

Take action and let the magic happen. Indeed, the magic of action is a concept that illustrates the fact that action liberates. Like dominoes, you have to focus on the first little domino to fall, and then it all happens. A force of inertia unfolds and your creative energy is expressed more and more. On the other hand, if you keep everything to yourself and don't act, you deprive the world of our light and you stagnate.

Whatever your aspirations, I invite you to take action. There is no such thing as the perfect moment with the ideal conditions. There is no need to wait for it. However, it is not always easy to take action because it is risky. Going to talk to someone, registering for a course, applying for a new job, moving, etc. Fear inhibits our actions and limits us. Moreover, limits and blockages are often psychological and we need to overcome them. So, this is what I try to do for myself and for others in order to reap the benefits of personal development.

What to remember :

• If I were to summarize this article in a few key ideas, I would say:
• Self-fulfillment is a journey and it is made possible thanks to a personal approach.
• The benefits of personal development are numerous and are accessible to all.
• Seeing big and starting small is within everyone's reach.
• We must accept our share of responsibility and act on our destiny.
• There are those who act and those who suffer.

Hope this article will be of use to you. Share it if you liked it and if it can help people around you.

What are the benefits of personal development for you?