A Personal Development Journey: 6 Tips to Become the Best Version of Yourself

Personal development has always been a challenge for me.

It used to feel like the world was running away from me, and I couldn’t keep up with it. At one point, I was so frustrated that I dropped out from everything, feeling like I just needed a break from the world around me.

Days went by. It was probably the hardest time of my life. But now, I consider them as the most helpful days of my life! The break from the world made me realize how important it is to focus on my positive traits rather than drowning in sorrow like I was doing.

From rock bottom, I started my personal development journey. Years later, I am here to share what turned my life around. You will find hundreds of courses online on development skills and whatnot, but I think my first-hand experience might help you just a little.

Why is it Necessary to Pursue Personal Development?

Before I jump into the ways you can become the best version of yourself, you need to understand why you are trying to improve.

The push you need to turn your life around doesn’t come from anything, it comes from inside you.

• Think of your current situation in life.
• Think of the areas you can become better.
• And think about how becoming better would help you in the long run.

The best thing about a personal development journey is there are no boundaries. Whether you want to pursue a technical skill or an emotional one, it’s all part of the journey. And each milestone you achieve will take you closer to what you want to become.

When done the right way, you’ll be amazed at how much further you’ve come. Your newly acquired skills or emotions will allow you to grow like never before. While all of it sounds like a motivational jumble bumble, you’ll start to notice differences in both your personal and professional life.

For example, if you’re not so good at communication, it might hamper your performance at work. You might spend sleepless nights thinking about what you could have said instead of staying quiet.

Another example is your self-confidence. If you feel afraid before you start to do anything, chances are you won’t be able to complete the task. And the vicious circle will devour you internally if repeated.

So, you can understand what I’m trying to explain here, right? Before anything, find the goal you want to achieve. And think about how it will turn your life around. This will work as the motivation for your journey.

How to Accelerate Personal Development

This is the section where I start to share my experiences with you.

You might find yourself in the same situation as I was years ago. If not, you’ll at least get a general idea.

1. Be More Open-Minded.

This was probably my biggest mistake. I couldn’t positively look at the world around me. I always thought that everyone thought less of me. And part of the blame goes to my lack of self-confidence.

I couldn’t bear it when someone tried to teach me something new. It seemed to me that they were trying to humiliate me by showing off their skills.

If you do the same, your first task is to change your perspective.

• Not everyone is trying to harm you.
• You might not realize it, but you have many well-wishers.
• It might be someone in the family or a very close friend.
• Drop your wall just a bit and let them in.
• Explore the possibilities that come with learning new things.

Even if you feel inferior, if you let them teach you something, you’ll become equal. So, technically you won’t be inferior anymore, right?

Try and apply the same principles in all different aspects of your life. Things that used to seem negative to you, try to look at it from a different angle. There are exceptions, of course!

Some people actually want to harm you and make you feel bad. But the percentage is definitely lower than what you think!

2. Get Rid of Your Fears

Fear is one of the biggest, if not the biggest obstacle in your personal development journey. And I’m saying this from my own experience.

For example, if you have an important meeting with a client, you might want to present an incredible idea. But you’re afraid what will happen if the client doesn’t like it. And as a result, you don’t propose it at all.

It’s a classic example of how fear can interfere with opportunity. Don’t let unnecessary fear impact your growth. Personal development is all about exploring uncharted areas. Express your mind without any fear.

As a byproduct, your self-confidence will grow. You won’t feel like you’re lagging behind. With time, it’ll become easier to be yourself. And finding yourself is the biggest achievement in personal development.

3. Learn Something New By Yourself.

Don’t rely on others to learn.

Whether it’s your teacher at school or your boss at work. Make time to learn something that you’ve always wanted to. And learning new things automatically puts you in a better mood!

If we dissect the term ‘Personal Development’, it means your own development. Now, what does ‘development’ mean to you?

For me, when there is betterment in something, it’s a development. So by learning something new, you are automatically developing yourself.

For starters, you can read books. Books are one of the best sources of knowledge and vocabulary. You are bound to get some new information from any book you’ve never read before.

But if you’re not so much into books, you can start reading blogs. Just go on the internet and search for something you want to know. There are hundreds of blogs that you read from. Enhance your inventory by yourself.

The Top 10 Books to Help You Start Your Personal Development Journey

4. Observe Those Around You.

One of the reasons behind your frustration is the people around you, right?

You think they are better than you and that’s why you want to pursue the personal development journey. Then, why not learn from them?

It’s not necessarily true that the people around you are better. And you need to observe them closely to understand that they are just normal human beings like you. Just as you have some limitations, they have them too!

When you observe people closely, you get better at analyzing their behavior. You will easily understand the good and the bad in them. Let go of the bad and adopt the good if possible. Learning from your environment is one of the easiest things to do in personal development.

5. Get Feedback on Your Development.

By now, you are already deep into your personal development journey. But you need to validate your progress, right?

So, why not go to a family member or a close friend to ask for feedback on what you did?

It might be a school project, a presentation, communication material on a meeting, improving any of your behavior, or just anything.

When you get positive comments on your progress, you get an extra dose of motivation. And you can use their constructive criticism to improve your approach as well.

Don’t fear feedback.

Embrace it and understand that it's for your own good!

6. Organize Your Thoughts, Work and Time.

One key element in any personal development endeavor is organization. You must try and maintain everything as efficiently as you can.

The first step would be to keep your personal and professional life separate. Don’t bring the work home. Home is your safe space and it’s the best place to accelerate your journey.

If you practice meditation, it can help calm you down and get deeper with yourself. Set aside a time for meditation.

The bottom line is, organize your day in a way so that you get to do everything. If you work in a stressful environment, it’s even more important for you. Because stress is another big reason why my growth was hampered.

• When you’re at work, make a to-do list at the beginning of the day.
• Tackle the challenges one by one.
• Be a good listener.

Don’t forget that your personal development is going to benefit you in your workplace too.

Final Words

Destiny only helps those who help themselves. And you need to help yourself in becoming the person you want to be. Actively starting a personal development practice is one of the best gifts you can give to yourself.

Remember, no matter how good you are, there’s always room for improvement.

Editor's note: This article was originally published Mar 22, 2021 and has been updated to improve reader experience.

Photo by Vlad Bagacian on Unsplash