by admin | Jun 6, 2022 | Health, General
The Stages Of Personal Development
Personal development is a vast topic, which has many stages and involves a lot of continuous effort through time. There isn’t really a thing that will set you for life through a short burst (well, maybe there is but just financially). In the context of character growth, personal development is a life-long quest with no end point.
We learn, as long as we are alive and curious enough to absorb more and grow.In this article, we’re going to talk about the stages of personal development and how to recognize and work with them.
Don’t Look For Shortcuts
The vast majority of people want to have it easy in life, without realizing that proper personal development is a system that has many stages, which require a certain amount of time and effort.
Shortcuts for short-term goals are the usual mindset for many people becoming more aware of their personal development, while in reality, it is nothing but a long-term process. Now, the main concept of personal development and growth is to acquire new knowledge, new skills and to go out of your comfort zone.
Think about it, no one achieved something great by being warm and cozy, right?
The Stages Of Personal Development
As we already mentioned, personal development is a process that goes through different stages, all the time.
Stage #1 – Self-awareness
For the most part, people act in a predictable way, repeating the same actions, feelings, thoughts and emotions. Once you become aware of those though, you have the opportunity to start analyzing yourself.
That exact self-analysis is the fundament of personal development, as it helps you learn more about yourself, your needs and interests. Think of this as your inner compass.
Stage #2 – Comparison
Once your personal development starts giving you results, you may find yourself being more social and observing/analyzing other people. From that analysis comes the comparison between you and your peers, making it easy for you to differentiate between the different types of behavior, which produce certain results and outcomes.
More often than not, such social behaviors and interactions, may lead to a good value exchange – You learn something from someone and vice versa.
Stage #3 – The point of no return
When you eat the fruits of your labor, you are in stage 3 of your personal development process. During this stage, you break through the mental barrier and start thinking about all the things you can do to make your life better, along with the life of others around you.
During this stage, you start learning new knowledge and skills exponentially fast and get a burst of inspiration.
Stage #4 – Acceptance
Once the curtain of your limiting beliefs and thought patterns is pulled away, you are in a limitless mindset.
In your head, you can achieve anything and everything, but you now know and accept that even though sudden bursts of inspiration do happen, the process requires discipline and dedication. This is where you have to further look through your priority list, modify it, set short and long-term goals and plan everything out, pen on paper.
End Quote
If we had to summarize the essence of this article in one single quote from a person who’s been through stuff, it would be this one:
“When you focus on being the best person you can be, you draw the best possible life, love, and opportunities to you.”
― Germany Kent
by admin | Jun 6, 2022 | General, Mind
The 6 Signs Of Maturity
Being mature doesn’t mean sitting alone all day, not talking to anyone, and being aggressive if someone does. In fact, maturity is somehow different from what we think of it. Although mature people have the ability to absorb society and work pressures without being surprised by the final results, it doesn’t mean they are emotionless.
Also, it isn’t a hard and fast rule that an older person is mature. Emotional maturity isn’t determined by our age but by the circumstances we face and how we learn from them.
To make things more clear, let’s have a look at the 6 most common signs of maturity!
#1 You Accept Your Mistakes
If we don’t have the courage to accept our mistakes, we can never improve ourselves, and we cannot be called mature people too. The first step to a proactive lifestyle is admitting mistakes and learning from them instead of feeling ashamed.
After all, the challenges of life and our mistakes are two things that carve us into better human beings if we take them positively.
#2 You Spread Love
Maturity isn’t associated with a grin on the face all the time, but a sweet smile that can make anyone’s day! No matter what life throws at you, being harsh and shouting at others can never be the solution. In fact, patience and humbleness can do wonders for you and others.
As life is completely unpredictable, we cannot control circumstances at all times.
Mature people understand this point and happily accept what’s coming their way. A smiling face and showering love on children and elders not only makes their day but is also healthy for your emotional growth.
#3 You Don’t Become Disrespectful On Disagreement.
With over 7 billion brains in the world, not every mind needs to stick to your opinion. People have different experiences and thoughts, and just because someone disagrees with you at some point doesn’t mean they’re disrespecting you.
If you cannot interact with others in a humble way, you’re not a mature person. Besides positive thinking, mature people can also express their emotions with excellent communication skills without leaving a negative impact.
#4 You Don’t Make Excuses.
Why make excuses when you have responsibilities to take?
Well, that’s the mindset of mature people! Instead of making excuses and putting all the blame on others, they step forward to take responsibility for their actions, accept their mistakes, and make things better.
After all, running away from problems isn’t a manly thing! But, facing and fighting them definitely is!
#5 You Are Passionate To Learn
With the wide plethora of information and jaw-dropping discoveries this universe has for us, mature people are always ready to indulge in it and learn.
They understand that learning is a never-ending process, and the more you know, the less you know.
Taking pride in yourself as you know everything isn’t the trait of mature people. Instead, they are down to earth and always welcome creative thoughts and new learning opportunities.
#6 You Don’t Try To ‘’Fit’’ Everywhere.
If fitting into the crowd doesn’t make a difference, it’s better to stand out. We often try to mold ourselves under the pressure of society, not knowing whether we’re doing things right or not.
But, when it comes to mature people, the pressures of society have no influence over them. They set their own limits, and even if they have to stand out from the rest, they don’t hesitate to do so.
Final Words
The way mature people mold their minds and personality helps them become great people in society!
Although they may face backlash from others, that doesn’t have too much effect on them, not because they’re robots, but because they know how to cope with situations without being confused and disrespectful.
If you notice these signs of maturity in yourself, you’re surely becoming a better person and have a bright future ahead of you!
Resources
by admin | Jun 6, 2022 | Life
The 80/20 Principle
Naturally, most of us experience life as if the results we accomplish are coequal to the work we put in. Focusing on volume, sometimes we tend to overcomplicate things. However, there’s an Italian Economist named Vilfredo Pareto that was dabbling in his tomato garden when he discovered that maybe that’s not how things really are.
He discovered that roughly 20% of his plants were yielding 80% percent of the fruit, and so he took it further… This is exactly what we nowadays refer to as the “80/20 principle,” so let’s go in depth on this topic to see the exact implications!
What Is The 80/20 Principle?
The Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule is a description of input versus output and mainly how roughly 80% of consequences stem from 20% of causes. It’s not always the exact number for number percentage but the proportion generally stays true to around those ballpark figures.
The most interesting thing about this law is that it applies to pretty much everything.
Some key examples might be:
– 20% of a company’s customers are responsible for 80% of the sales
– 20% of (inexperienced) drivers cause 80% of all traffic accidents
– 80% of all end users generally use only 20% of a given software’s features
How Does It Affect Our Lives?
So, how does this statistical proportion affect our lives? Well, the fact that this law exists everywhere means that we as individuals are not excluded from it. This law dictates some random statistical facts, but also the outcome of our efforts and the outcome of our lives. The 80/20 rule also goes by another name – ‘’The Law of The Vital Few’.’
The tricky part is identifying the vital few. However, it might be easier than you think. All we need to do is ask the right questions. The right questions depend on where you’re trying to apply the law. You need to ask yourself ‘’What am I trying to improve?’’, and from there, the main concept is this:
Which 20% of my efforts lead to 80% of my outcomes?
Once you honestly answer those questions, you will be a step closer to identifying the real drivers of progress. The same question can be turned around, and you can ask Where do 80% of my problems come from?
Once you learn to identify the things that can be ignored and to concentrate effort on moving the crucial components that drive you forward, something amazing will happen.
You’ll begin to notice how even small amounts of effort concentrated on the important and cardinal can move you closer to your goals more than whole campaigns of uncoordinated actions that focus on volume rather than quality. Doing a lot, in itself, is a form of procrastination.
Most likely the majority of your problems branch from a small portion of your behavior and habits. And again, most likely, the bulk of your prosperity comes from a sparse number of things you do in your day to day life. Ever been short on money and felt like your whole life has been derailed, or at least the majority of it? There’s your vital few.
Ever had a tough breakup and felt immobilized and discouraged to participate in the other 80% of activities life brings to you? There’s your vital few. Ever suffered an accident or a health issue that left a powerful stagnation over your life? There’s your vital few. We tend to think big changes stem from big ideas… However that’s usually false.
It’s a small concentrated node that usually drives (or derails) your progress. Say, for example, you’re looking to learn a new language. A common approach might be picking up a textbook on the given language and starting from your A B C’s.
You learn the alphabet. You learn to say Hi, you learn how to ask for milk in the supermarket, and so on. But, does this approach really bring you any closer to being fluent in the language apart from being able to utilize it in a few scripted situations?
The answer, most probably, is no. The vital few approach will look something like this: You go online and look for the top methods used by successful polyglots that allowed them to learn a lot in a short amount of time. You identify the 1000 most used words in the given language, and you start learning them.
Once there, you start researching which language learning method actually has delivered the best results and is favored by.
Focusing on high volume isn’t always the capital choice.
After all, it’s natural to think that the more work you put in, the more results come in.
Sometimes, we even deceive ourselves while adding task after task on our agenda, thinking we’re being productive and effective only to look back and see that there were a few critically important actions that propelled the results we’re looking for.
How To Prioritize Using The Law Of The Vital Few
The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity.
– Bruce Lee
Slow down and keep in mind that most things don’t make an impact. Constantly put the things you do under the magnifying glass and look for the small things that make a huge difference. There is no lack of time. There is a lack of prioritization.
The only way you can get better at using this law is by testing. Do different iterations, remove stuff from your routine, see what makes a quantifiable difference.
Remember, while you do this kind of analysis cutting things might be difficult. You’ll know you’re doing it right if the answers to the questions you ask yourself make you uncomfortable.
Sometimes, we lie to ourselves.
You might have friends that cause the majority of your problems or insecurities. It might even be family members.
There might be a few particular customers that are causing you the most problems at work or in your business while bringing you the least profit. Look for uneven distributions like that, honestly look for them. Chances are it won’t take too much time before you see that the world is grossly uneven.
And then… you can start using that to your advantage.
by admin | Jun 6, 2022 | General, Health, Life
The Areas Of Personal Development
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us”, says Ralph Waldo Emerson. Almost every successful personality has given utmost importance to personal development and growth.
They have depicted personal development as a pathway leading to skills, attributes, and qualities needed to live an efficacious and prosperous life. Personal development is defined as a lifelong process. The Business Dictionary defines it as, “The process of improving oneself through such activities as enhancing employment skills, increasing consciousness and building wealth.”
Personal development involves self-care which includes all those activities that help us to evolve in our self-best. As George Bernard Shaw once said, “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” Personal development is not something that can be achieved overnight; rather , it’s an evolving process that includes several steps.
Starting from establishing our personal vision of life to understanding where we are now. Once we are able to comprehend our current standing then we can move ahead, and identify the areas where we need to work.
The Areas of Personal Development
There are several areas where we can start grooming ourselves for personal development. These areas are: physical, social, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Let’s go over them one by one.
Physical Development
A healthy body and a healthy mind, two essentials to ensure before taking on an expedition/journey, whether it’s an actual, physically-demanding journey, or your life journey!
Our physical well-being is an important ingredient in leading a blissful life. It’s not only about doing exercise, rather it’s about having a balanced diet that includes proper nutrition, getting proper 7-8 hours of sleep, and maintaining body weight and BMI levels.
When we are physically fit, we tend to have more energy and we can utilize this zealous energy in achieving our life goals, seamlessly.
Social Development
Smiles are contagious, so are positive vibes. Living in a society that demands social interaction and effectively communicating with people can help boost our self-confidence and self-esteem. Talking to different people not only helps in enhancing our confidence but also awareness of worldly scenarios.
People we connect with play a vital role in our lives as they implicitly impact our thought processes and moods. Therefore, interacting with the right people, learning new languages, and active listening can be helpful in our own development and growth.
Mental Development
When we learn something new, our brain tends to generate new neural pathways to hold onto the information. Mental development is most important in personal development because it helps to create a cushion for new skill sets and qualities to develop.
Mental development activities include reading a book, taking online courses or training, or watching informational and motivational YouTube videos. Not only these but also relaxation, keeping our mind tension-free can help in boosting our mental activity.
Emotional Development
Many people nowadays are more focused on Emotional Quotient (EQ) rather than Intelligence Quotient (IQ). This is perhaps, because people with high IQ might not be able to survive under high-pressure situations whereas people with high EQ are seen to be more stable, focused, and better achievers.
In today’s fast-paced environment, it’s necessary to be emotionally stable and not be hyped by unanticipated circumstances. Emotional development can be done via having a counselor/therapist, journaling things down, or even, talking to a friend!
Spiritual Development
People often confuse spirituality with being religious, whereas one’s religion has nothing to do with being spiritual. Spiritual development involves being fully connected to all five senses of our body. It is about synchronizing our doings with our thought processes. It is about creating coherence between our body and soul.
Spiritual development can be achieved through yoga, meditation, or praying if you are religious. A deep connection to your soul is a deep connection to your awareness, which enables you to recognize and take on the correct actions towards achieving your ultimate personal development.
Take-Home Message
You are not just a body, nor a brain… And quite frankly, you are not just a soul. In fact, you are an intricate mix of all those things, and this is perhaps why you, as a human, are able to do and feel so many things.
Personal development is a life-long journey that simply represents the goal of improving your mental, physical, spiritual, emotional and social development, thus enabling you to achieve the best version of yourself.
And so, are you ready for your new, best self?
by admin | Jun 6, 2022 | General
The Artist Versus The Scientist
Are They Really So Different
If we answer without thinking about it, artists and scientists have almost nothing in common. Or so would the most widespread stereotypes suggest. The first sort of people are like vibrant thunderstorms – they are impulsive and colorful and don’t conform to boundaries.
The second resembles a very complex building – sturdy and secure and reliant on the laws of the world. In this metaphor, both would even actively oppose each other.
However, what if we said that these two mindsets while having their differences, share some common traits and are definitely far from structurally opposite.
So, are you ready to learn more about these two mindsets? Let’s go!
The Two Mindsets
Now, after you have the basic premise, let’s have a deeper look at these two seemingly unrelated mindsets.
If You Are An Artist…
- You are innately curious.
- Your curiosity brings you the inspiration to create something new.
- You are open to change.
- Creation is never a straight path – it’s full of twists and turns, and you love every bit of it.
- You are passionate about your craft.
- You wouldn’t be yourself if you didn’t do what you do best – create.
- You are independent.
- No one else can truly be like you or understand every part of what you do, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
- You thrive when you are creative.
- Everything else feels as if it’s not enough, as if you are not your best self.
- You feel best when you have the flow.
- This mystical power that makes everything work is your best friend and sometimes your worst enemy.
- You seek an audience.
- No artist can say they are one if no one has seen or heard even just a single piece of their work.
- You rely on your inner feelings.
- Whatever your emotions may be, they are your most significant source of inspiration and the reason why you create.
If You Are A Scientist
- You are innately curious.
- You want to know everything about the subject that interests you.
- You are open to change.
- Sometimes hypotheses don’t always work out, but that only makes the problem more interesting and your methods of research more diverse.
- You are passionate about your craft.
- Every puzzle must have a solution. It’s just a matter of how diligently you look for it.
- You are independent.
- If you are really certain of a statement, you would go to the edge of the world to defend it.
- You thrive when everything is practical.
- If everything is done correctly, only the truest outcomes will be left, and that’s what you aim for.
- You feel best when you are sure.
- Certainty is the best feeling in the world – if you’re sure of something, nothing can stop you.
- You don’t care about fame.
- As long as your discoveries are real, who knows about them makes absolutely no difference to your feeling of fulfillment.
- You rely on the truth.
- It doesn’t matter who or if someone is opposing you, the absolute truth is the biggest motivation for your diligent work.
The Comparison
- So how do these two types of mindsets compare?
- Let’s have a look at the differences and similarities!
Differences
Let’s start with how these two mindsets differ.
While one actively searches for an audience, the other doesn’t require other people’s opinions or fame to feel accomplished. Another thing that’s a major difference is that one type (the artist) relies on their inner feelings while the other only cares about the objective truth.
The way they complete their work is also quite different – artists have their sacred flow, while scientists depend on their senses of certainty and objectivity.
Finally, but equally important, one type thrives when they let their creativity roam free, while the others prefer for everything to be practical and orderly. (Guess which one’s which…)
Similarities
Now that we have the differences clear let’s see what these two mindsets have in common. For starters, they are both extremely curious – it is in fact their driving force most of the time. Following from that is the fact that both types not only don’t mind change, but they also welcome it with open arms.
Change means that their work has had an effect, and there’s no bigger recognition than that. Of course, that’s only true if they have another thing in common – that they are passionate about what they do. As long as they care deeply about their field, they are unstoppable in pursuing what they set out to do, and this is the main focus of their lives.
However, living this way is not easy.
This is precisely the other vital thing in which they are similar – both types of people are very independent – they can take care of themselves and can pursue their dreams alone should the need arise.
Because what they do is just that important – this is the only way they feel true to themselves.
To Summarize
When you really put your mind to it, it turns out that while artists and scientists have their differences, they also share a lot of their respective mindsets. Now which part tips the scales is entirely up to the individual’s ideology and strength of emotions.
However, one thing is certain – it’s never black and white when it comes to comparing these two mindsets.
Which one do you support more?
