The Secret of Goal Setting and Personal Development

Personal success happens when we make the right decision at the right time. Most of us have an idea of the type of person we would like to be, but few of us take the time to turn this into a reality. A lack of perspective is often the biggest reason for this. People tend to take their lives for granted, which is a shame when we think about the good we can do for our lives when we think about them. Having a goal is great because it injects purpose into our lives. You may already have a broad idea of a goal you would like to achieve. If this is the case, then now is the point to turn it into something specific. For instance, if you are looking to lose weight think about how much weight you would like to lose and in what time. The brain works best when it receives clear instructions. If you were asked to do something vague by your boss at work you would ask them to clarify what they mean. A specific goal is a clear instruction. A measure of self awareness is essential in critical decision making. After all if we do not feel in control of ourselves then how can we expect to take control over our own destiny and circumstance? As with any other extreme though an extreme amount of self awareness can be detrimental. It can cause us to be too fearful of the consequence of tasking action. In addition, what we shall call 'extreme self awareness' can lead us to being overly judgemental of our experiences and actions. So how do we get the balance right? Well fortunately help is at hand. Self awareness is the key to taking the correct initiative. If we are confident and honest with ourselves, then naturally it follows that we will take action that is balanced between knowledge and a desire to get things done. Rash decision making should be replaced with calm rational and decisive action. The difference between success and failure can be made in a snap decision. By being self aware you are conscious of your own skills and your limitations. It is important to not confuse confidence with arrogance. If you are planning a new business venture make sure you have done as much research as possible. Make your goal a calculated risk. Ignorance is the enemy of success. What is even worse than ignorance is self enforced ignorance. This is self induced ignorance brought about by a reluctance to challenge existing knowledge and look for alternatives. Being able to find an alternative solution to a problem is what creates innovation and competition. Without this key asset we wouldn't have different companies or products. This is why you must maintain an open mind combined with self awareness to get your goal setting spot on. There are unhelpful character traits that will inhibit a successful outcome to initiative taking. One of the first things you need to eliminate is any elements of procrastination from your character. If you are the sort of person who says 'it can wait till next week 'frequently then this applies to you. The reason why this is so important is that your mind set directly effects your behaviour and daily habits. Even being lazy towards somewhat trivial things in a business can have a corrosive effect on your overall attitude. Taking control of your life is the key to securing long term success. Regardless of whether we were born rich or poor we all have the ability to manage our lives in a way to ensures we reach our true potential . The refrain 'It was due to circumstances beyond my control' is a commonly used excuse among people. The problem with excuses such as these is that they are defeatist. Rather than getting us to look for solutions to our problems, they encourage us to accept our fate as if we were helpless. The truth is that when it comes to dealing with the circumstances that affect us in our daily lives, that we are happy to deal with the good but not so content to deal with the bad. This might seem an obvious point but the most successful people are not only able to triumph over adversity but are able to draw strength from it. Personal development will help you to become like this sort of person.

Personal Development For Change and Success

The significance of change and personal development in its effects on mankind is not to be underestimated. It has been our ability to change and adapt that has made us the most successful animals on the planet. If we were not capable of change there would be no houses, cars, aeroplanes or computers . In times of need Human beings have effected change in their behaviour in order to save lives. The power of change extends to the external world around us not just to our personal development. We continue to shape our environment in order to make life more safe or comfortable just as our ancestors did. The radical changes of the 20th century have changed our lives so profoundly that it is hard to imagine any other way of living. It is the rapid pace of change that creates new challenges to overcome. It is also true to say that the rapid pace of change also creates new opportunities for us to embrace as well. The successful person is always willing to adapt and change with the world around them. The really successful person is one who is able to create change in the world around them. An aware and inquisitive mind is a must have for personal development. Therefore, the successful person must be sensitive to the goings on in the world around them. A top businessman, for example, needs to be conscious of gaps in the market that they are ready to exploit.
A positive frame of mind will form the base of a can do attitude. People who think positively are far more likely to see challenges rather than problems or opportunities rather than difficulties.. The positive mental attitude of the successful businessmen means that opportunity becomes a reality ; because they also have the drive and motivation to succeed and make their dream come true . So as you can see there is much to be gained from developing a state of optimism in your personal development about change. The problem for a lot of people is in developing it and overcoming bad habits.

One of the reasons top businessman are able to adapt and change so readily is because they remain optimistic in their appraisal of change. Rather than running terrified of the unknown successful business people are eternal optimists. A change equals a fresh opportunity, it is no surprise that the most dynamic and successful people are those who change and adapt accordingly to the environment and the situation. It fits in with what Darwin called 'survival of the fittest' . The most successful species are those that have adapted to their environment and made adaption's to change when necessary. Therefore take confidence that change is part and parcel of persoal development and living. Without it we would become stagnant and boring. Therefore develop optimism - optimists are self-disciplined and persistent in what they want to achieve in their life. Optimists plan and take action to move forward. They constantly learn about how to get better at their skills. Their self-confidence helps them to look for solutions and lead them to success in their goals. If you are pessimistic it is time you shed your pessimistic attitude and develop optimism in its place. There is no place in the world of success for negative attitudes. Think about what you can do rather than what you cannot. It is certainly true to say about humanity that we tend to regard what we are not good at as more significant than what we are. Appraisals at work tend to provide feedback on areas that require improvement whereas school reports may be full of praise but are always encouraging growth and development in other areas. Focusing on deficiencies is certainly important for self improvement. But being overly critical and analytical is not. The trick is to find the balance, it is important for personal development to remind yourself what you are good at if you are to have the confidence to tackle other things. Having the courage to learn and change may not necessarily make you a happy person, but it will help you negotiate hard times more smoothly and successfully as well as learn from these experiences. Knowing how your brain works helps you know when and how to intervene in managing your mind to make the process of adaptation happen more smoothly and perhaps more quickly. It also helps you monitor both the conscious and unconscious spheres of your mind and gives you feedback about whether you are adapting successfully.

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Ways to Develop Your Mental Toughness

Your general mental health stems from how mentally equipped you are to deal with setbacks. Even the most hardened people have , at one time or another, suffered from a mental collapse. If you feel that you find it difficult to cope with the way the world is, you are not alone. There are many ways we can develop stress and depression because of the sensitive nature of being human.
Sadly there is still a lot of stigma surrounding issues around mental health. If we fall ill with a physical disease, we are a lot more open to telling others. Feeling down is often seen by the individual as a sign of weakness. If you fall into this category please take these feelings seriously.
What is it that gives us mental strength? Well, some of it seems to be genetic. Mental health is well documented to be partially attributable to hereditary factors. Experience is also very important when it comes to mental strength. If we are happy with our current lifestyle, we also feel more confident in who we are. If you feel that you need to build up your mental toughness, there are a number of things you can do.
You should talk to people who can help you when you encounter problems. Too many times, people bottle up their emotions from others. Sometimes what we need is a friend who can be there for you. If you develop low feelings that become overwhelming, you should speak to a doctor or other professionals.
A reality check is needed every now and again when things get on top of you. You need to think whether you are taking too much on your plate. Try to keep a focus on your priorities. It can be tempting to try to take on more and more things to forget about feeling low, this is a self defeating strategy. Be smart in the choosing the extra activities you take on for instance, take up a sport or hobby that builds your emotional strength up.
If there is one word you should remember when it comes to mental strength, it is balance. Balance means that you have a sense that all the important parts of your life are working together in harmony. Each individual has a different concept of balance. This is because we all lead individual lives with different needs. Your sense of balance may change at different stages of your life. You may work longer hours than most, but if it gives you the financial rewards you crave and the time to do them then you are likely to feel stable and balanced. However, when we are feeling off balance the slightest thing can tip us over the edge. Once we become overwhelmed we are unable to make clear decisions.
The secret to balance is to remain in control of yourself and your goals, to keep moving forwards.
Your sense of balance will change along with your life priorities. As a young adult you may find balance through your social life. When you get older, other things such as job security may become more important. Once you reach the middle of your life , you may have become financially secure and want to rediscover yourself again. Taking some time out regularly to consider where you are and where you come from is important. Think carefully about what is important to you in respect of balance and stability.
We make many assumptions about what we ‘need’ to be happy in life. Some of this is because of intimate social pressures such as family, friends, and wider social pressures such as the mass media. The truth is only you know what is best for you. Learn to trust your instincts more and listen to your inner voice. Think hard about whether there is too much going on in your life at the moment. Are your family suffering because you have taken too much on at work? Ask yourself what you would be doing in an ideal world? Then try to implement a strategy that allows you to get as close to it as possible.
Never underestimate the importance of balance in your life. Getting the balance right will improve your quality of life beyond your wildest dreams. Remember to seek help when it is necessary, but don’t lose sight of the responsibility you owe to yourself.
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The Power of Positive Thought to The Mindset of a Leader

How can we measure success? One way is to look at your bank balance. Of course this is fine if all you care about is money but this is just one part of the jigsaw. Some of the richest people who have ever lived have been among the unhappiest. Wealth without spiritual or personal fulfilment is a very shallow state of being. To be respected, to be looked up too, to give happiness to others, in short to be a leader. One of the best ways to measure personal development and success is to look at ourselves through the eyes of others . Some of us are leaders, others seem happier following. The higher levels of success we spoke about above come from becoming a good leader. To get to the top we need the respect of others to perform our will. No one has ever reached the top solely by relying on themselves. That is why we need to look carefully about the type of relationship we decide to form with others .

Of course it would be naive to assume that the majority of leaders in the world of business are motivated by helping others. Yet the best companies to work for have something in common with the best people to do business with, they both have an atmosphere of mutual respect and decency and include sound and just morals among their most important guiding principles. Being a good leader requires hard work. But it will be worth it, because people will be far more likely to go the extra mile for you if they respect you and your principles.

It is important to recognise that this doesn't mean you should be a pushover for that is just another extreme. If you are seen as too soft then that will be taken as a sign of weakness. Never should business be allowed to become too cosy. A good leader is able to command respect with out being a tyrant or a push over. A good leader finds that people and opportunity attract themselves to him like metal fillings to a magnet. This is because the good leader has struck the right balance of being just and fair but firm and hard headed when necessary. In the same way that the first priority of any captain is to put the interests of the ship as a whole before anything else, so too does a successful businessman or manager put the interests of their enterprise or project before anything else.

So what are the other secret ingredients of personal development to leadership. Among the most important is self belief. It should be pretty obvious that you are unlikely to get others to follow you if you do not have confident in your own abilities. The display of confidence is crucial for several reasons. First of all, it gives a clear physical presence of leadership , a rallying point for others. Secondly, it inspires confidence in others knowing that there is a strong hand on the tiller. No finer example of this can be found than the tradition among 19th and 18th century captains to remain a visible presence on the deck of a ship right in the heat of battle. A tradition that cost the great Lord Nelson his life but inspired his men to victory and beyond. Thirdly, confidence creates an aura of invincibility in negotiations and other high pressure situations . Keep your cool, and enjoy the benefits that confident, clear decision making will bring.

They say that the devil is in the detail and that is why as a leader you must become a jack of all trades in every aspect of your profession or business . There must be not a single aspect of your organisation that you do not know anything about. You must be prepared to ask questions, read and do research . Stay abreast of all the most topical issues. Make sure that there is no part of your role or organisation that you can not advise about or comment on. A wise man once said knowledge is power and it is true. With knowledge you gain leverage among others. The experts you liaise with will respect you for the trouble you have taken in getting to know things you are not expected to understand. The more strings you add to your personal development - the more confident you will become in all of your daily activities. This also sets an example to everyone else you are connected with. It should inspire others to confound expectation and become greater.

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How To Understand Confidence And Build Personal Development

Confidence is a word that we hear a lot of these days. Success in work and in our desire to build personal development is said to stem from it. Indeed there are very few situations in life where a lack of confidence is considered to be an advantage. It is through confidence that we manage to assert ourselves in the world. You might find it strange then to know that such a crucial part of our personalities has had very little in research made into it. If you stop and think about it a second – if we are to build personal development we need an understanding about what makes us tick then knowing about the things that affect our confidence is pretty important.The world you live in is obviously going to be a major contributor to your level of confidence. Of course in our modern fast paced world there are many factors involved in our confidence levels. Anyone who tells you that they are ‘their own person’ is not being strictly true. The truth is that we react to the world around us according to the belief we have in ourselves. Personal development and self belief comes through the gaining of knowledge.
Think of your first day in a new job for instance, to begin with you were likely to be hesitant , unsure , looking for confirmation from others that you are doing the right thing. Fast forward 6 months later and think of the difference in outlook and attitude. You have grown into the role, you are more assertive because you have gained the necessary knowledge to complete your tasks according to a set standard. In short, you have become more confident because you believe in your ability to get the job done. Now you might think confidence gained in one area of your life can not be applied to all areas. This is a common misconception because it fails to grasp the principle of gaining confidence. Lets think about where confidence comes from. Like most of our personal development – confidence seems to stem from our biological make up and our experiences in childhood. In the same way some kids seem to be born to be top golfers or footballers . Others are naturally pre disposed to being confident out going people. Yet there are also many many things that impact on us as kids when we grow up.

Parents can be a major contributor towards us acquiring confidence. Good parenting should be about teaching their child to build personal development and explore their own individual potential. Unfortunately , some parents do quite the opposite – perhaps with the same good intentions but often with disastrous consequences for the child’s personal development . For instance, rather than examining their childs potential they instead seize upon their limitations. By directly focusing on these negative aspects to the extent that they over shadow everything else the child can grow up with little self belief and confidence. Another key contributor to our personalities and levels of confidence is our experiences in school. So many people who have an unhappy childhood do so due to their experiences in the play ground and the classroom. Being accepted by our peers can make or break our confidence levels.

Then of course there is the role of the mass media and advertising. However, in this case we are dealing with something a little different to what we have discussed before. Let’s face it we as a society are addicted to buying stuff it is in our nature. Yet why do we buy? More often than not it is to make up for shortcomings we feel we have in our selves. For decades ,marketing folk have been aware of the power of placing a brand with the idea that it will instil confidence. The fact is that this is not selling confidence but exploiting a lack of it. A distinction we should all remember the next tim we are out shopping!

These are just some of the ways confidence and our ideas of confidence are formed. If you are not a very confident person then perhaps you have seen some things in common between your own upbringing and some of the examples we have looked at. Examining the how and the why you are not confident will put you on the first step you need to build personal development and begin tackling it rather than just accepting it as ‘part of who you are’ . After all you cannot see where you are going in a dark room unless you put the light on first!.

I hope you found this information helpful. For your free weekly newsletter and free video showing you step-by-step how to overcome negative thinking patterns please visit http://www.buildpersonaldevelopment.com