I suppose most people have a general idea of what it refers to.
Very technical definitions turn most people off, since they do not really care what it means, but what it can do for them.
Often the term "Personal Development" is used quite loosely. Then there are various facets of PD such as building specific skills like:
- communicating via public speaking
- conveying ideas clearly through writing
- improving one's character traits to interact with more appeal in the "business world"
- overcoming some personal inhibition - relating to others with an open mind
- learning how to present ideas from an appealing perspective
- etc.
Material such as how to become rich or how do to things better do not really fall under basic personal development.
These are more in the category of how to sell an idea.
It can be part of the activity one brings into one's personal development, but in themselves, the "how to"s do not actually develop a person, they merely 'add to' their knowledge base.
There might be some side effects in terms of developing character traits, or having more material to draw on in speeches etc.
Can you see anything more here?
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The radical view on personal development that came to mind goes something like this:
- What if we were to understand personal development as an unveiling and enhancement of who we are?
- Taking it from the other end. Who are we? -at the core-in depth -at the heart -in essence?
- We have been conditioned by environment, by circumstances, by society, to believe and accept our life situation in a certain way. That conditioning is always at the root of how we function in our relationship with the world (people, ideas, everything).
- Can we unveil, uncover, gain an understanding to see beyond those conditioned limitations that affect our activity and performance in daily life?
- Instead of chasing "cure-all"s, methods, formulas and the 'X' steps to success (which may work for a time, for some), can we see the truth of what our potential actually is?
- If there is a natural ability or talent within us, how will we find it or 'see' it?
- And then, how could we develop or enhance it?
Personal Development
- The discovery and enhancement of who we are!
Are you waiting for someone else to define who you are?
Or, are you ready for the quest of discovering who you are?
- Introspection, self-inquiry, relentless pursuit of the truth of oneself
- These are all key elements of the radical view of personal development.
- And then what will you find?
- "success as the world defines it"?
- or 'making your mark'?
- or to become "a somebody"?
You already are a somebody!
- What do you really know of the powerful depth of being that is you?
- Who will define you?
- Who will discover your true potential?
It will not happen without your insight, without giving yourself over totally to finding out what the truth of yourself is.
What is personal development? Who are you?
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Wow, I love this, and the far-reaching implications. Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBetsy,
DeleteThank you for your kind words.
'Personal Development' is only a beginning.
We are so much more than "persons". The word 'person' comes from 'persona' which in turn is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. So by extension, as William Shakespeare put it, we are "actors on a stage" of Life.
Thank you for visiting,
walt
thank you for the wonderful insights
ReplyDeleteThank you Farouk.
ReplyDeletejoy,
walt
Sometimes choosing our roles can take awhile to see where or how we can best serve life.
ReplyDeleteUsing self-inquiry as a tool one should ask oneself - "Who asks this question?"
DeleteBut do not engage the mind to rush out with an answer, because it will - and the answer will always be based on your particular conditioning and beliefs. The mind (thinking) can only produce relative truths based on experience and conditioning. To get beyond the "same old, same old" one must "step out of the box" of familiarity, of reflexive thinking, and dare to doubt everything you "THINK" you know. It is from that place of stillness and detachment that true creativity arises. That is the source from which refreshed personal development proceeds.
Another thing to consider is that you are life, not only part of life, but actually life itself. All is one. You are not separate from anything in the entire universe. Even modern day quantum physicists have come to that understanding. That is a depth of perception that the ordinary person does not even care to consider and thus they continue reacting to circumstances and behaving in whatever manner they have been "domesticated" (as don Miguel Ruiz - The Four Agreements - would put it).
Now, about your statement regarding "choosing our roles". This assumes that life is fragmented into MANY (the grand illusion or MAYA). If you are entranced by such a view of life - thinking that you are the body along with 7 billion other bodies on the planet, then you may believe that you have to make choices, choose roles, etc.
But, if you can perceive that you are actually that which precedes all phenomena (manifestations), including thinking (also a manifestation) - then a different perspective will present itself. The body and world (mental projections of how we perceive) are manifestations of who/what you really are.
To assume that a human can choose and determine how to serve life is also a bit arrogant. First of all one has to understand what life actually is in its multitudinous manifestations and non-manifestations (spiritual aspects) before one could even begin to comprehend enough to know how to SERVE this which we call LIFE.
These are just some immediate points that come up in response to your statement Betsy.
It is nothing personal. All is ONE and thus nothing should be conceived as personal.
The personal is the PERSONA (the mask of ancient Greek theatre). It is not who we really are. It is the roles we play. If we are choosing roles based on conditioning and beliefs then we suffer the unpleasant consequences that result from our ignorance (lack of understanding - not knowing).
joy,
walt