Five things you need to know before Starting your personal development journey

I thought I could never work again…

My self-esteem and self-confidence were utterly shattered.

Why does this keep happening to me???

I was in my early 20s, and after a terrible experience at a work placement, it felt like I had hit rock bottom.

I couldn't take it anymore.

While it was not the first time I had been discriminated against and deprived of the opportunities I deserved and worked so hard towards, the pain of experiencing it all over again became unbearable.

At that moment, I knew that something had to change! I realised that I had no control over my external circumstances. The only thing I did have control over was myself.

My awakening moment was the realisation that if I don't change, nothing will change.

This was the beginning of my journey of self-discovery and personal development.

Embarking on this journey has been the most eye-opening, enlightening, and enriching experience ever.

If you are planning to begin your personal development journey, here are five things you need to know before starting:

1) The best investment you can make is in your personal development

I know I have said this before, but I can't emphasise this enough, the most valuable investment you will ever make is in your personal development.

Why?

Because YOU are your greatest asset.

While it most certainly will require time, energy, and commitment. This investment will enhance the quality of your life. It will transform all aspects of your life, such as relationships, careers, wealth, and mental and physical well-being.

2) It's a journey, not a destination

It's important to understand that personal development is a lifelong journey, not a destination.

There is no specific eligibility criteria or a milestone. While having particular goals is essential, the journey of self-evolution is not like a get-rich-quick scheme; it's a lifelong commitment.

You improve, grow, and evolve for as long as you live.

3) Your tribe matters

"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with"

- Jim Rohn

Choose your people wisely. Not everyone who talks nicely to you is your friend. Who you surround yourself with is who you become.

4) We rise by lifting others

While personal development is a very "personal" journey, you don't have to go it alone.

Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals willing to support your growth and wanting to grow with you is the best way to keep each other accountable.

When you help others get better, you get better.

There is great power in being part of a community. You can learn so much from other people, and I believe that no amount of information can top human experience.

5) The more you know, the more you know, you don’t know

The more you learn, grow, and experience, the more you realise that there is so much that you don't know, so much to learn.

The journey of personal development is a very humbling experience. As you learn more about yourself, others, and life, you realise you are just a tiny speck in this vast Universe.

It also makes you realise how insignificant all our problems and concerns seem in the grand scheme of things.

Remember, you are the best project you will ever work on. The more you develop and grow, the better the quality of your life becomes.

Whoever you become is entirely up to YOU. Every choice you make will take you closer or further away from the person you were meant to be.

I will conclude this with a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson,

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."