What is personal development? Wikipedia defines it as...
... actions or aspirations oriented towards any of the following aims:
* improving self-awareness
* improving self-knowledge
* building or renewing identity
* developing strengths or skills
* identifying or improving potential
* building employability or human capital
* enhancing lifestyle or the quality of life
* realizing dreams
* fulfilling aspirations
As I like to think of the issue, it is about developing skills, competencies and enthusiasm. For what reason? Well, as it says in our Mission Statement at White Dove Books, to lead a more meaningful, joyful and fulfilled life. However, from a personal perspective, I believe that the scope of the topic goes deeper. I believe that personal development is about finding your life purpose and then going on to actualise it; to make it a reality.
It is certainly true that I have not always thought of things in this way. I have not always believed that life might hold a specific purpose for everyone, but now, I am absolutely convinced that this is the truth. Personal development is, in my opinion, about finding and finally achievingwhat is written in your heart.
In addition, I believe that your life purpose is God-given. I understandthat such a declarationmay be to some extentcontroversial and that not everyonewill agreewith me, but coming to the point where we can even identify with our life purpose and quantifyit, in terms of a personal mission, represents quite a movementin itself. Just getting to this point is part of the developmentprocess.
Looking to the year ahead, I hope that you might consider thinking of it within the perspectiveof your whole life. When you finally "shuffle-off this mortal coil", what would you like to leave behind as a legacy of your existence? There is something! And it's written within your heart; though it may take you some time to realise what it is.
It takes contemplation, self reflection and the development of self awareness, but if you stick with it, you can come to discern what is fundamentally important to you. Such an awakening has the power to change your life because once you know what your life-purpose is, you can then dedicate yourself to achieving it; something you simply cannot do before you have the knowledge.
Understanding your life-purpose and defining your personal mission - essentially, what constitutes your own personal development - is absolutely the most important thing you will ever need to consider.
Author Resource:
We provide completely free Personal Development Books ...
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")