Countless times you have heard the word “self-development” it’s not a strange word.
If you are familiar with motivational books or you watch a lot of inspirational videos. You have heard one or more writers/speakers talk about self-development.
Before you continue reading, let’s take a break to answer a simple but important question;
What does self-development mean to you?
When you hear the word self-development what goes through your mind?
Oh no! This is not a rhetorical question! It is something you need to answer.
Take a few minutes to answer this question before you proceed with this article.
Self-development can mean different things to different people.
To one person it can be engaging in exercises to keep a fit body, and to another, it might be building your mind to achieve goals and visions.
You might argue that each other’s definition is wrong but there is a major similarity.
“Self” is personal, it refers to you as an individual, not anybody else.
Thus, self-development is all about you.
Self-development has different stages which must work together, personal brainstorming sessions are one of them.
If you engage in self-development without a meaningful thought process, it can lead to frustration.
A personal brainstorming session is the first and most important stage of self-development.
It is the stage of diagnosis, self-dialogue, analysis and discovery. It is the perfect headstart for any self-development process.
What is self-development?
Self is you and development is growth. Therefore, self-development is the necessary steps and actions you take to improve your skills, personality and traits to achieve greater heights.
Abraham Maslow, an American psychiatrist, created a scale of preference on human needs.
The hierarchy of needs portrays different needs that every human requires including; love, security and self-actualization.
According to Maslow, self-actualization is the highest form of need a human requires.
This may not sound like what you need right now, I’m sure you are wondering how is self-actualization even important?
Can it pay the bills? Would it feed my family?
You are right and wrong at the same time.
Self-actualization is the innate desire in you to become everything you are capable of becoming.
Why do you think some wealthy people who have all the money and can get anything they want are living sad lives?
Their most important need “self-actualization” is deficient.
Self-actualization asks the following questions
Who are you without material things?
What do you care about?
What is your life purpose? Have you achieved it?
Self-development is a necessity that you need to engage in to avoid being obsolete.
Stages of self-development
In life, growth has different stages. You need to go through these stages to become an adult.
That’s how the cycle of life is.
The process applies to self-development; it has different stages you need to pass through.
You can’t start life as a teenager then back to a child before you become an adult.
It’s the same with personal development, you need to start from the first step, then slowly move up the ladder.
1. Realisation
This might not exactly be a step but it is the starting point.
It’s the point you realise that things aren’t how they should be.
You look back at all your achievements and all you should achieve and wonder why things aren’t working.
This is the point you realise that you need to have a brainstorming session with yourself.
2. Personal brainstorming session
“I am 28, I squatting in a friend’s house, I’m not in any relationship, my job pays #30,000 monthly, I can’t even afford to foot my bills”
If this is what your life looks like then you need to ask certain questions;
What should I do?
Am I doing something wrong?
What could be the problem?
Do I need a new job?
What kind of skills do I have?
Am I passionate about anything?
What do I envision my future life to be like?
How do I achieve my future?
In the brainstorming session, you need to be truthful. Ask yourself personal questions that might hurt and even bring tears to your eyes.
The goal of this session is to figure out – what the problem is and what next.
A lot of motivational speakers make this statement – “once the cause of a problem is identified, you are closer to solving it.”
Find the cause of the problem and next the solution.
How to engage in a personal brainstorming session?
i.Find a quiet spot
ii. Get a book and pen
iii.Get rid of other people’s flaws and focus on you
iv.Be authentic and thorough
Benefits of a personal brainstorming session
a. A chance to judge your deeds -you can rate your strength and flaws.
b. Let’s call a spade a spade – Sometimes, you long to criticise yourself, now it’s time.
3. Make a decision
You can find the cause of a problem and the solution but do nothing.
I have heard someone say- I know the cause of my problem, I know what to do but I have no idea how to do it.
Most people are stuck in the position of “how do I start”
Here is my advice for you…
“Start afraid, start without much knowledge about everything, make mistakes, learn from your mistakes and grow”
Stop waiting to be perfect, start with the little you have learnt.
4. Take the necessary actions
Write down the goals that you hope to achieve on a vision board(it could be cardboard paper).
On a smaller book, journal or planner write down what you have to do everyday for the next 2 months that can give you great success.
For example;
I want to be the biggest YouTuber in Africa- Goal
Consistent plan
Post 2 videos in a week
Read and learn about YouTube algorithm
Create an Instagram account to redirect my followers to YouTube.
Don’t sleep on your goals and dreams, get started now!
5. Persist against procrastination
The journey of self-development cannot be complete without mentioning the robber “Procrastination”
Nothing destroys personal development plans faster than good ole procrastination.
I don’t need to tell you what it is but…
If you want to pick up a book to begin your brainstorming session but something says let’s do that later.
That’s procrastination right there.
Treat procrastination like an enemy that’s coming to take all the good things you have and you won’t surrender to it.
Conclusion
Growth is beautiful, it brings smiles to our faces and joy to our hearts.
To understand growth search for videos online that displays how kids learn to walk…
First, they crawl, then they take one step…
Of course, they fall but they still get up.
Sometimes they get support from their parents and other times they do it alone.
Self-development is a growth process, the journey might not be all candy and ice cream but the future goal is worth it.
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks.