Stages of self-development. The beginning of self-development

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The psychology of self-development is a continuous process associated with the formation of personality and character, with the development of habits and social reactions. Without him it is impossible to imagine a person of the “new world” who entered the era of information.

Self-development means not standing still, going in different directions, achieving your goals, setting new tasks for yourself. In this article you will learn about what self-development is from a psychological point of view and what factors influence the formation of a person’s personality and his comprehensive development.

The psychology of self-development is a complex topic that cannot be understood in just a few hours or days. Sometimes it takes years to realize the experiences that other people have had, to understand and accept the personality within oneself.

In order to correctly assess situations and take the path of development, it is necessary to understand the basic mental processes that help a person perceive the world around him.

Basic mental processes:

  • memory;
  • sensation;
  • perception;
  • thinking;
  • attention;
  • imagination;
  • speech.

These processes are characterized by the reflection of a person who is in interaction with the outside world. Development depends on its level. They can be used to judge how strongly or poorly developed a person is. The main such process is memory; it has the ability to remember important information that the individual may need in the future.

There are people who have well-developed memory and do not need medications. There are a different number of techniques that can improve memory quality.

Personal development is an important component of life success in family and career. And acquiring additional skills that help you achieve your goals helps you improve your level.

Another situation arises when a person is completely phlegmatic towards everything around him and has no personal growth. He becomes boring not only for those around him, but also for himself. No one is happy with stagnation, even people who are deeply convinced that development will not be able to give them anything new, and even more so, no one will expose themselves to the risk of this “newness”.

Psychology of self-development

Each person has his own character, he can be strong or weak. The psychology of self-development lies in development and even characteristic evolution, which, subsequently, will lead a person to his intended goal or secret dream.

The main enemy of personal development can be poor health, both physical and moral. It’s not for nothing that they say that in a healthy body there is a healthy mind, because our problems, breakdowns and minor troubles affect the condition of our internal organs.

Without health there is no self-development. Apathy inhibits the development of personality; during illness, there is a refusal to communicate with the outside world. Such problems must be eliminated; they will lead you to the zero point of your segment, or take you far beyond the border of self-knowledge. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to define the concept of self-development from a psychological point of view and understand it.

Self-development is a process, it is constant, any inhibition of it can lead to irreversible consequences, including: loss of life guidelines, apathy, melancholy, frustration, depression.

A person who is dissatisfied with his life tries to compensate for his shortcomings by constantly making fun of others. In a large team one can observe the formation of such personalities as gossips, klutzes and eternal sufferers. An unpleasant sight, isn't it?

Therefore, in order to fully disclose the topic of a person’s internal happiness in the context of the psychology of self-development and prevent possible unpleasant consequences, it is worth highlighting 4 main points.

1. Motivation

Without it, a person will not be able to achieve his goals, but will simply sit and wait. If there is motivation in a career plan, in relationships, it will lead to positive results.

2. Result

This point is worth paying special attention to. Without it, new goals will not appear; without it, a person will be limited by his own beliefs or the opinions of others, which ultimately results in general delusion.

3. Self-development plan

If compiled correctly, it will become a step-by-step instruction on the path to happiness. Going towards your goals without paying attention to obstacles in life is what the correct systematization of desires and aspirations along with motivation will allow you to do.

4. Ideology and perception

Correct perception of information, a constant flow of ideas and the struggle for the introduction of all sorts of know-how that will make housework or clerical work easier. Constant analysis of the acquired knowledge, as well as the ability to abstract from the mental garbage that clogs our consciousness every minute.

The main stages of personal self-improvement

Experts identify six stages or stages of self-development. At the first stage, a goal is identified for self-development. To achieve it, you need to draw up a clear action plan. At the second stage, it is necessary to set strict time frames, and secondary goals are also drawn up. And the remaining stages are aimed at self-knowledge, work on oneself, personality control, etc.

The simplest, but very important condition is to have a notebook, tablet, or regular pocket notebook with you in order to record unexpected information. You need to determine the most important topic for yourself, and set yourself up to extract useful information on this particular topic. You need to write down everything that comes to mind related to this topic. Reviewing your documented thoughts will provide some insight and direction for improving your life. As soon as a person understands that it has been used to the end, he needs to move on according to the plan to another topic.

It is necessary to act “right now”, without delaying until later, this habit should be developed. In order to achieve your goal, you need to act a little every day. The easiest way to explain this is through the example of sports. After all, to have a toned body, you need to perform certain exercises daily.

When you come to psychological training, you are necessarily given a set of rules or recommendations that you must follow, developing correct and useful habits.

All self-development tips can be systematized and grouped so that you can present a clear picture in your head of forming your own individual development plan.

The psychology of self-development in practice has a stepwise form, where you slowly rise, starting from physical needs and ending with spiritual inspirations.

Less time to sleep

Experts have checked many studies and proven that for a healthy rest you need only 6 hours of sleep. The main thing in rest is the quality of sleep, and not the number of hours allocated to it. The most important thing to do is create a daily routine. You need to go to bed before 9 o'clock in the evening, from nine to one in the morning the most useful, healthy sleep lasts, this is a special phase when the brain rests to the maximum.

Favorite morning

You need to develop the habit of setting aside about an hour of time for yourself every day, in the morning. This time does not include brushing teeth or preparing breakfast. This hour should be after waking up, you need to lie down, think about your plans for the coming day, set yourself up for a successful, productive day. You can turn on calm music, the main thing in this matter is not to fall asleep!

As soon as a person learns to sleep less, he will have more free time. Gradually, he stops rushing, begins to live calmly, and enjoy the moments of life. This is considered the first, main step towards self-improvement.

Setting priorities

Every person has important things that cannot be postponed, and those things that can be put on the back burner. There are often cases where a person swaps these concepts and does not devote enough time to really important situations. As a result, the result is not at all what was expected.

Positive thoughts

Positive thoughts always play a big role, especially on the path to success. For example, you can imagine a meeting after a long separation, how a person is looking forward to it, even the thought of it makes a person happy. He, unnoticed by himself, begins to act quickly, with success, with a positive charge.

Therefore, it is necessary to learn to think positively regardless of the situation. Psychologists have the “Eraser Band Method,” where you put a simple rubber band on your hand, and as soon as a person has bad thoughts, you need to pull the rubber band and let go. This helps prevent a person from focusing thoughts on the negative. After a certain time, the brain simply gets used to thinking only in a positive way.

Smile

You should always smile sweetly, this lets the interlocutor understand that his opponent is positive about the conversation. A smile can save a person in the most unforeseen situation, and will also contribute to a general improvement in mood, not only individual, but also collective. In addition, smiling people live much longer.

Design

At the end of the week, on Saturday or Sunday evening, you need to pay attention to the past week, analyze what you did right, and what still needs to be worked on. You need to be able to praise yourself for the successful development of affairs over the past week. That same evening, draw up a rough plan of action for the next 7 days.

Conclusion

The psychology of self-development underlies any human achievement, whether it is a brilliant discovery or the introduction of a new style in painting or music, it does not matter, the main thing is the opportunity to realize oneself as a person who was able to leave a mark, and not be forgotten in the archives under a serial number.

The psychology of personal self-development is becoming increasingly popular. It allows you to achieve your goals, find harmony with yourself and the world. An improving individual is open to new things and easily finds a common language with other people. He feels confident in any situation and always knows which direction to move in order to find the path to success and happiness. What do you need to do to constantly develop and at the same time feel comfortable?

Basic mental processes

It is difficult to understand the psychology of personal development without an understanding of basic concepts. These include the following mental processes:

  • thinking;
  • sensation;
  • perception;
  • speech;
  • attention;
  • imagination;
  • memory.

The psycho-emotional state of an individual depends on the level of development of personal qualities. Thinking, memory, speech are considered key. But it is important to pay attention to the development of other qualities.

The main stages of personal self-improvement

Self-development in psychology is an individual process that each person goes through in his own way. However, in psychology there are general stages of self-improvement:

  • need for change;
  • idea of ​​the ideal “I”;
  • searching for your strengths and weaknesses;
  • drawing up a plan to achieve the goal;
  • direct actions.

Need for change

Everyone comes to the understanding that change is needed in their own way. The higher the level of awareness, the easier it is to do this. How to understand that you need to reach the next level:

  1. It seems to you that life has lost its logic, the behavior of others has become strange. Perhaps you are not a model of adequacy. You are thrown from side to side.
  2. Feeling like a stagnant swamp. You don't feel the taste of life. Routine and everyday life cause apathy. It seems to you that you are falling back and losing your skills.
  3. Procrastination is the constant putting off of necessary, important things. Instead of working, you hang out on your phone and are constantly distracted from the task at hand. It is difficult for you to start and complete any business.
  4. A vague feeling of dissatisfaction with oneself, the environment, life. At first glance, everything is fine, and you should be happy, but something is constantly oppressing you and doesn’t suit you.

It’s not easy to immediately realize that it’s time to reach a new level, but our subconscious mind actively helps with this, signaling in different ways.

Idea of ​​the ideal "I"

The next step after realizing that change is overdue is understanding what exactly you want to achieve. At this stage it is necessary to set goals.

It is important to understand what you really want. It’s not just a big income, but the purpose of obtaining finance is to buy a car or a house, travel, or open a business.

Finding strengths and weaknesses

When you decide on the “ideal”, sort yourself out. What do you need to achieve your goal?

It is important to understand that the presence of deficiencies is considered normal. You should not consider yourself worse than others. Consider this stage as a kind of revision that helps you understand what is preventing you from being happy.

Any disadvantage can be worked out and turned into an advantage. Critical thinking will allow you to understand how you can use personal qualities. You are too meticulous and slow; there are many areas of activity where this is a key skill. Don't be afraid to change yourself, your lifestyle, your job, your hobbies.

Drawing up an action plan

Having decided on your desires, strengths and weaknesses, make a clear plan. What exactly needs to be done and how long it will take. Break the path into small sections, this will make it easier to move forward.

Trainings, video lessons, and psychotherapy sessions will come to your aid. Find out more about people who have achieved success.

Active actions

When you have a complete understanding of the goal and methods of achieving it, do not procrastinate. Active actions are the key to success.

Study more materials on a topic of interest, communicate with like-minded people, and turn your plans into reality.

Without practical action, knowledge will not be useful. Ignore people who discourage you or doubt your success. If criticism from others interferes, try to change your social circle.

Avoid envious, constantly complaining, angry people. They will try to “pull” you back. Communicate with those who have already achieved what you want or have moved further along this path. Charge yourself with positivity.

Most advice related to personal growth comes down to a new organization of personal time, space and attitude towards oneself and the world. They can be reduced to the following universal scheme:

  1. Normalization of sleep. Quality sleep is the key to energy and desire to live. To feel comfortable, an adult needs 6–9 hours. It is important to go to bed earlier, since the most productive rest occurs from 22.00 to 2.00 am. Healthy sleep is very important, because your well-being and strength directly depend on it.
  2. Making time for personal interests. Coaches advise setting aside an hour of morning time for yourself. You don’t need to spend it on cooking breakfast or showering. Spend this hour thinking about the day ahead or doing yoga, going for a morning run to your favorite music, reading an interesting book - activities that bring pleasure.
  3. Positive thinking. Don’t dwell on the negative, don’t chew the gum of bad memories, anger, resentment, envy. You have a right to these feelings. They are natural, but they need to be forgotten and transformed. You need to draw conclusions from any unpleasant situation and leave it in the past. It will take 21 days to develop a new way of thinking. It takes so long to form a habit. Psychologists advise wearing an elastic band or bracelet on your wrist. When you start to get stuck on negative emotions, lightly hit yourself with them. Start a new 21 days without anger report. For convenience, you can set small goals for three days or a week.
  4. Smile. Smile at the reflection, your interlocutor, and the people around you. This increases the level of endorphins in the blood and facilitates communication.
  5. Prioritization. A very important point in the process of personal development. Only by separating the wheat from the chaff can you direct your strength in the right direction. Determine what is more important at this stage. What needs to be done now and what can wait. Understand what you are striving for. Break a large goal into several small ones. Take your time to reach each of them. Without knowing yourself, your true desires, it is impossible to move forward and develop. Keeping a diary and meditation helps you understand yourself better.
  6. Planning. Make it a rule to devote your weekend evening to summing up the results of the week. Praise yourself for your successes and deal with your mistakes. Plan for the coming week. Set yourself small goals and the same deadlines.

How to develop critical thinking?

Critical thinking means the ability to independently analyze information and form your own opinion based on it. An individual is capable of thinking critically and is able to calmly argue his position; he respects the opinions of others even if they do not coincide with his.

This type of thinking allows you to analyze the situation more fully and make independent decisions. People with an open type of thinking are more difficult to manipulate and impose views and values ​​on them. To develop critical thinking you need to:

  1. Metacognition. In other words, self-knowledge is the ability to look at yourself from the outside, analyze your actions and feelings.
  2. Deduction. It will help you make decisions, analyze actions and situations. Treat the problem like a math problem. Take indisputable facts as axioms, logically reasoning, refute or confirm arguments for or against. Consider the opposing point of view.
  3. Check sources of information. Having received information, strive to find confirmation of it in authoritative sources or through practical means. Don't take everything you read or hear for granted.
  4. Make lists or block diagrams of all possible scenarios. Visualization helps to quickly understand controversial issues and find a solution.
  5. Try to get rid of fear, it prevents you from looking at the situation objectively.
  6. Follow the rule that there are 5 universal steps to solve a problem - preparation, studying the problem, identifying solution options, choosing one of them, evaluating the results.

The ability to look at a situation objectively and form an objective opinion about it is an important stage on the path to self-improvement. Critical thinking is useful in solving business issues and social relationships.

High and low self-esteem

A person who has embarked on the path of self-development and self-improvement must be able to objectively evaluate himself. Normal self-esteem allows you to look critically at the situation, find weaknesses and strengthen them. People with low and high self-esteem are like two sides of the same coin. They are united by fear of criticism, dependence on the opinions of others, and envy.

Inflated self-esteem is characterized by:

  1. An arrogant attitude towards others, manifested in isolation and detachment.
  2. Such a person considers himself right. He imposes his point of view as the only possible one. He loves to teach, educate, and assert himself.
  3. It is difficult for such an individual to ask for help or apologize.

No matter how a person positions himself, it is important for him what others think about him - parents, neighbors, friends, colleagues. He needs to stay at a high level and not lose face. This leads to setting inflated goals. If results are not achieved, depression develops.

Low self-esteem is characterized by:

  1. Inability to make decisions, shifting responsibility onto someone else's shoulders.
  2. Constant dissatisfaction with oneself, appearance, mental abilities. At the same time, the person does not strive to change anything and rejects advice and help.
  3. Such people like to press on pity and demonstratively engage in self-flagellation if it brings dividends.
  4. An individual with low self-esteem blames others and the state for his troubles.
  5. Frequent attacks of non-verbal aggression, attempts to take revenge on the weak.

A person with low self-esteem needs approval; he constantly focuses on the opinions of others. He is ready to give up his own interests for the sake of approval from his environment.

How to increase self-esteem?

Working on yourself also means increasing your level of self-esteem, if required. First, make a list of advantages. Try not to be too critical of yourself. Let there be few points in it.

Re-read it regularly, reminding yourself of your strengths. Try to supplement it regularly.

Remember that there is no specific standard that must be met. Look for what is truly good for you. Spend more time on introspection and reflection.

Visualize a situation that makes you nervous. Play it out in your imagination in the smallest detail. This technique helps you feel confident before important meetings.

A confident person is full of strength, he does not fuss or get nervous over trifles. Take care of your health, try to get enough sleep, take a course of multivitamins. If you have difficulty coping with stress, take anti-anxiety medications.

Set priorities, do not sacrifice time and energy to please others. You have the right to manage your life independently.

Try playing actor. Act confident, even if you feel differently.

Useful video

For those who want to learn more about self-development, how to develop and improve their skills, it will be useful to watch the video:

One of the simplest analogies that comes to mind when describing a person’s inner world is a garden or simply a space planted with plants.

Some people have a well-kept garden, where only the necessary and useful things grow, while others have it overgrown with weeds (envy, fear, deception, laziness, etc.) that stifle useful crops (talents and abilities that we have) , some people just have a dark forest (everything is so overgrown that you can’t even understand whether there is anything necessary and useful there at all), while others have a whole world full of colors, enthusiasm, calmness, tranquility and other useful things .

In fact, each of us is our own director, creator, gardener and many other things, and each of us is responsible for what he planted, what he grew, what he created - and who he ultimately became.

Three stages of self-development - caring for your “garden”

1. Weeding and cleaning up unnecessary things (we remove stereotypes, bad habits, emotions and thoughts that interfere with life, etc.).

2. Maintaining a comfortable state of our inner world.

3. Cultivation, growing useful and useful plants (development of those qualities that we need and useful).


To put it another way, the system of self-knowledge and self-development, in my opinion, looks like a path up a mountain in a spiral, step by step. Having risen to a certain level, we go through the following 3 stages:

1. We remove and uproot unnecessary qualities.

2. We fix the state.

3. We develop and develop what is necessary and useful.

And we get to an obstacle, which, in fact, is the beginning of a new stage, to which we need to pull ourselves up, rise and... again 3 classical stages, but at a new level of perception.

Please note the following: what was necessary and served us at the previous stage often becomes unnecessary at the next one - this detail is worth keeping in mind.

One more thing - the path to Yourself must be done with the thought of Being-I. In other words, to consciously think and Be Yourself - a Personality, and not a social appendage. That is, live consciously according to your own principles and laws, which should be above social norms and stereotypes.

Sometimes it is possible to independently realize oneself and understand where the social-stereotypical is (though this often takes decades, or even several incarnations); sometimes, if you find a Mentor of Soul and Heart, everything happens much faster, but that’s a completely different conversation.

  • What is self-development
    • Willpower
    • Motivation
    • Memory
    • Time planning
    • Discipline
    • Psychology
    • Self-esteem
    • Self confidence
  • Relationship
    • "Secret"
    • "Pay someone else"
    • Bruce Lee "The Way of the Leading Fist"
    • Lao Tzu "Tao Te Ching"
  • What is self-development

    A person’s personality is an unstable quantity. Over the course of life, it undergoes many changes depending on what tests we withstand and what tasks we set for ourselves. And even living in the same rhythm and adhering to a stable schedule, we change. Often – not for the better, since lack of development almost always leads to degradation.

    Many people experience an identity crisis at the age of 30-35. At these moments we understand that simply living and working is not enough. That we want something deeper and more global from ourselves, that minimums do not suit us, and that not everything can be measured with money and other tangible measures.

    Some people come to this earlier, some later, and some don’t come at all. For some people, the trigger is shock; for others, insight occurs naturally and gradually. As a result, there is a desire to take the path of self-development, stop making demands on the world and start working on yourself, engaging in self-development.

    What is self-development? This is a constant and comprehensive process of working on oneself, developing one’s positive qualities in different areas - physical, intellectual, creative, emotional, spiritual. Self-development is characterized by voluntariness and self-control, when a person learns new information and applies it in practice without any external coercion.

    Why is it important to engage in self-development?

    Really, why all this torment? Learning new information, tiring sports, constant stress... After all, you can calmly relax on the couch, watch TV series and enjoy “doing nothing.” But idleness is imaginary happiness, the other side of which is fraught with depression and disappointment in life.

    Man is designed this way: he needs constant growth, searching for something new. Stopping moving (not only in the physical, but also in the mental sense), he begins to degrade. Swimming can be used as an example - in order to stay on the water, we must make an effort. Having relaxed and lost control, the swimmer immediately goes to the bottom.

    Look around and compare happy and unhappy acquaintances. What is the difference? Happy people open a new business, attend training courses, play sports, travel constantly, and learn something new. Unhappy people work at the same job for decades, have fun only with the help of beer and are constantly looking for someone to blame for their failures.

    The answer to our question is simple - you need to engage in self-development in order to become happy. Anyone who has set foot on this path understands that both the process itself and the results bring pleasure. And that this resource is inexhaustible, because the upper level of perfection simply does not exist.


    Where to start self-development and self-improvement

    The very, very first step that precedes any action is thought. Desire, idea - call it what you want. They are individual and formulated differently for everyone. From the vague “I don’t want to live like this anymore” to “I plan to learn five languages ​​and earn at least one hundred thousand a month.”

    The first thing you need to do is want it. Moreover, you need to want it long, persistently and continuously. At first, you won’t understand how to even get down to business, doubt your abilities, wander in the dark due to a lack of guidelines...

    Then the answers will start coming. They manifest themselves in a book that someone gave, in an unusual person, in new opportunities (for example, going on a multi-day camping trip).

    At this moment, you need to accept all constructive suggestions and all unexpected challenges. But you yourself need to constantly look for these answers, strive for them, and not sit idly by. Read articles on the Internet, watch videos on self-development, look for books, try some of the recommendations in practice. From all this, a methodology will begin to emerge, the first results will appear, and you will see your path.

    This may take a lot of time - it all depends on the person himself and his starting position. For some, a month will be enough, while others will be searching for a year or two. The main thing is not to give up and remember that the search will definitely be crowned with success.


    8 reasons why people don't develop

    It would seem that everything is simple - you take it and develop. You bought a book and read it. Or go to the gym, pick up a barbell, and lift yourself whatever you want. But no! If everything were simple, there would be a lot more people involved in self-development.

    There are many factors, the absence of which prevents us from improving.

    Willpower

    Psychologists have long argued about what willpower is, why some people have it and others don’t, and what to do about it. We conducted a ton of experiments and research and came to the conclusion: willpower is a personal quality that can be developed like a muscle. And its presence is mainly determined by upbringing and habits established in childhood. Lucky were those who had disciplined and strong-willed parents who developed these qualities in their children. If this is not the case in the family, well, the path will be long, but everyone is capable of going through it.

    What is important in defining willpower as a concept is this: thanks to this personality quality, we can follow our decisions and do everything necessary to achieve our goals without succumbing to laziness, reluctance or procrastination.

    How to develop willpower? There are two main methods: doing and not doing. Doing is performing unpleasant or boring, but useful actions, for example, exercising in the morning. Non-doing is the conscious refusal of actions that cause harm. For example, from smoking or overeating.

    By the way, church fasting is precisely a practice aimed at training willpower: through refusing certain foods, we learn to control ourselves. If you dig even deeper, you will find that all religions have similar practices of renunciation - food, comfort, property, certain thoughts or actions. This is because the technique of not doing strengthens willpower much more strongly.

    Willpower is a spiritual quality of the highest grade, one of the most important for a person. By developing it, you can radically change your life. Have you heard the phrase: “I know what’s right, but for some reason I do the opposite”? This is what people with undeveloped willpower say.

    Motivation

    Motivation is a powerful force. When a person wants something very badly, he is ready to move mountains. Did something go wrong? That means they didn’t want it well. After all, when you really want a cake, are you ready to walk three kilometers to a late-night supermarket to get it?

    So, it turns out that you need to teach yourself to want correctly? Exactly! Our cunning brain is aimed at saving energy, as Mother Evolution ordered. And he will come up with excuses to dissuade his owner from unnecessary work: “Well, why is this necessary? We're already doing well! Oh look, there's a new message in the messenger! Look, look, there are kittens in the picture!”

    Therefore, you need to use cunning against the attitudes of your own subconscious, which is lazy and only wants to have fun.

    How to motivate yourself to work? First of all, you need to set the right goals, because even the best motivation will not work when you do not understand what you want or set false goals imposed by society. For example, money or status. By listening to yourself, you may suddenly discover that what you really want to do is hitchhike or volunteer in Africa, and not spin around like a squirrel in a wheel to satisfy other people's needs.

    So, having set the right goal, we concretize and visualize it. Business - what? What will you do, target audience, idea, team, slogan, theme colors? What kind of house? How many floors, is there a garage, basement, sauna, how many rooms?

    For example, you want to start your own business, but have never done business. Create conditions in which you can understand how suitable this activity is for you: for example, register withfree business game"Your start" . This is a business simulator where you can start and develop your business in a fun and safe way, gaining a lot of useful information about entrepreneurship in the process.

    Once concretized and visualized, we must remember our goal and its positive emotional components. Constantly imagine yourself doing interesting projects in your business or choosing curtains for the bedroom in your home. Think positive.

    Do not doubt your abilities, believe in victory and do not assume other options. People who have achieved high results in life are often asked: “How were you able to implement such a complex project?” In response, many of them say: “I made the decision that I must follow this path to the end, whatever it may be.”

    Memory

    Memory is very important for a harmonious personality. We constantly need the ability to remember information and operate with it: in study, work and even entertainment. You can only carry on a conversation if you have something interesting to say. How can you do this if you don’t remember the plot of the book you read or the ups and downs of your own journey?

    For successful work, memory is one of the main tools. The more a person achieves, the greater the flow of information rushes through him. How to deal with it if the flash drive does not hold large volumes? Write everything down? Well, no, this is not an option. Try it take the “Reflashing” course in which you will improve your thinking speed, memory and reading speed.

    Memory, like all other qualities, can be developed through exercise. For example, readhow to become smarter in 15 minutes a day, and apply this information in practice.

    Time planning

    It is impossible to complete complex and multi-stage work without planning all its steps. This also applies to self-development. Anyone who wants to change their life for the better must have a plan for the year, month, week and day.

    But you also need to be able to plan. Not everyone is able to make realistic and feasible plans the first time. Therefore, we recommend studying25 rules for planning timeso that this skill makes the job easier, not more difficult.

    There are planning secrets that optimize work so much that you wonder - where did I spend so much time before? To learn how to use all 24 hours wisely, go throughfree course to help improve productivity.

    Discipline

    Discipline is another pillar of self-development that you can’t do without. All practices aimed at improvement require constant and routine repetition. Anyone can go for a run once, every third person can last a week, and only a few can turn running into an integral part of their schedule.

    Discipline is necessary both in order to give up bad habits, and in order to adhere to a daily routine, and to accustom yourself to proper nutrition.

    Discipline is also needed in order to fight one of the worst enemies of development - laziness. Finding the answers to the questionhow to overcome laziness, we become closer to our goals.

    Psychology

    Our results depend greatly on our mindset and attitudes. If you think “I won’t succeed anyway,” then that’s what will happen. If you consider all rich people to be thieves and scoundrels, you will never become rich - we don’t want to be bad. If you are sure that “all men are assholes,” then you will meet such a companion.

    How to think and what to think is up to us. Find out,how to think effectively- and you will save a lot of time and effort that you spent on soul-searching, worries and destructive emotions.

    Self-esteem

    A person accepts only what he considers himself worthy of. Everyone sets their own level of income, attention from the opposite sex, and other life criteria.

    Unrealistic self-esteem (overestimated or underestimated) prevents its owner from realizing himself in life. We do illogical things and choose to lose, subconsciously believing that this should be our fate. Failures, suffering, communication with toxic people - these are all the choices of a person with unhealthy self-esteem.

    To correct the situation, you need to understandreasons for low self-esteemand try to eliminate them. Often they are hidden in deep childhood, associated with parental divorce or bullying at school - letting go of such things is very difficult, but necessary.

    Self confidence

    I will succeed, successful people tell themselves. They are confident that they are capable of achieving more, and even in case of failure they continue to believe that they will succeed, but next time.

    A person’s most important resource is himself. You need to trust yourself, believe in yourself, respect yourself and love yourself.

    But how many people hate themselves... They don’t even want to buy themselves beautiful clothes because they “don’t deserve it.” Before you start developing, you need to find the answer to the question:how to love yourself? Self-improvement without self-love is impossible...


    A harmonious personality is strong in all planes of life at the same time. To develop yourself evenly, you need to draw up a step-by-step plan that will include all the main growth vectors.

    This plan is individual for everyone. One solves integrals in his head, but has not yet learned how to build relationships with the opposite sex, the second throws a two-pound weight with one left hand, but has read only one book in his entire life. And the third may even come to the understanding that he doesn’t really know how to do anything and has not developed any of the vectors.

    When building a plan, you need to take into account all areas, but at the same time carry out supporting work where you have already achieved success (so that there is no bias in the opposite direction) and devote more time to those aspects that have not yet been developed.

    Spirituality is a complex and multifaceted issue. We will not talk about religion and philosophy now, these are too complex topics to discuss now. Let's talk about those aspects of spirituality that make a person happy.

    Gratitude. By learning to be grateful for every little thing, we always experience joy even in difficult times. A grateful person will be able to find a ray of hope in the fluttering of spring leaves and the games of a kitten. He easily forgives the shortcomings of his loved ones, remembering that they were there when he needed help. Gratitude is wealth.

    Love. Loving unselfishly, without possessive manners, of course, without demands - this is a high art. It brings joy, just like playing your favorite instrument or looking at the ocean. True love knows neither fear nor pain.

    A spiritual person always feels responsible for his actions, lives consciously, and strives to be better. He does not lose faith and does not allow himself to fall into despair, he strives to explore the world and be free from passions, addictions and negative thoughts.

    What do you mean by “personal growth”? This is the improvement of indicators responsible for intellectual activity and the richness of the inner world, improving the quality of life at the mental level. Achieving goals, positive thinking, developing memory and intelligence - all this is included in the concept of personal growth.

    To make it completely clear, I will say that the results of personal growth remain with us forever, even if we find ourselves completely bankrupt without a roof over our heads. A mature person will have enough knowledge and skills, fortitude and motivation, determination and self-confidence to withstand the most difficult situation. A person with low personality indicators is dependent on material possessions, and therefore lives in fear of losing what he has.

    People who have gone through illness or lost their ability to work understand the importance of health more than anyone else. You can work, study, develop, love and explore the world only if you have the strength to do so.

    Young people often neglect their health. It seems to them that they will always be strong, no matter how they eat, drink alcohol or smoke. In adulthood, feeling the consequences of their frivolity, they grab their heads and bite their elbows. Some people come to their senses in time and manage to restore their health, but it is often too late.

    We have enough information and understand wellhow to be healthy. We know very well that we should not indulge in bad habits, overeat, work until exhaustion, or be nervous a lot. But how often do we use this knowledge in practice?

    The problem of modern busy people is especially common - they do not know how to relax properly. But rest is the key to productive work. Breathing exercises, meditation, relaxation in nature, voluntary solitude, quality sleep - points that need to be given enough attention.

    You definitely need to introduce physical activity into your life, at least walks in the park. We’re not talking about professional sports – it’s more of a traumatic activity than a useful one. But light physical activity puts the body in a state of vigor and gives energy. Let it be dancing, badminton, cycling - whatever brings you pleasure. The main thing is that they should be regular.

    Relationship

    Each has its own type of relationship. They are different, but equally require constant work: building frameworks, expressing love, caring, spending time together. Unhappy is the one who earns a lot of money but does not see his children grow up.

    The relationship with one more person is very important - yourself. In fact, it is from them that the building of all other connections begins. Anyone who respects and loves himself knows how to respect and love others. Anyone who cannot find a common language with himself will never make friends with others.

    All people need to realize their potential at work, make a difference to others, and do something they are proud of. This is such a deep-seated need that ignoring it makes a person unhappy, even if outwardly everything is going well for him.

    Therefore, it is important to choose a business for career development that is fun and enjoyable to do. When you wake up with the thought: “Hurray, there is so much interesting work today!”, the issue of money and promotion will be resolved by itself. Or take a free marathon "Awaken the Reactive Brain"

    Of course, not everything in this world can be bought with money, and in general, their role is too exaggerated. But it’s impossible without them. Having financial freedom, we feel calm and confident, we can afford to travel, spend money on cultural and mental development, eat right, provide for our family, and help our parents.

    You will only need 7 days to get your life out of stagnation.
    financial situation after reading a book "The Path to Financial Freedom."

    Most of us are employed. You can earn a good income from such a job, especially if you are a good worker and are constantly moving up the career ladder. But this is not always the case, and many specialists, having reached the career ceiling in some organization, come to the conclusion that it is time to go free. You just need to understand how to start correctly.

    To do this you can gofree training to help you start your own business. By working for ourselves, we can achieve much more financially.

    How are you spending the New Year? I’ll try to guess: put up the Christmas tree, set the table, buy champagne and ring your glasses as the chimes strike, making wishes. There are brave souls who break the system to smithereens - they do not cook Olivier salad and herring under a fur coat.

    Why not order a quest for the whole family? Or go to the forest, light a fire and decorate a real Christmas tree? Or do something else crazy?

    And we would like to, but we don’t know how, right? So it turns out that our imagination is enough to refuse Olivier at the New Year's table.

    Many interesting adventures and unprecedented undertakings do not require serious expenses, physical training or a lot of time. We just don't have enough ideas. In order to turn into a person rich in inventions, you need to know How develop creative thinking.

    Making your life bright is not as difficult as it seems. This is not a whim or a luxury - our soul and brain need emotions, impressions, joy, delight. All this makes our personality richer, nourishes us like a sweet elixir.

    In the process of self-development, not only the mood is important, but also the quality of information. We mainly get it from books and films, which we will discuss below.

    10 best films for self-development

    Films useful for development can be divided into three categories: feature films, where deep philosophy and motivation lie; documentaries, where you can learn more about the world around you, human psychology and the path of civilization; and biographical - about people from whom you can take an example.

    You can bring a wholelist of biographical filmsabout outstanding people, but I will remember only one thing: this is a BBC documentary about the greatest scientist who discovered many physical laws. He unraveled the nature of light and gave us the law of universal gravitation. But what kind of personality was Newton, what allowed him to become the most enlightened mind of the era and what secrets did he hide?

    A film starring the unsurpassed Jim Carrey. This story is about a loser named Carl Allen, whose life passes him by. Karl always answers “no” to all proposals and is content with the existence of a hermit, because he is afraid to even leave the apartment. But an event happens that forces Karl to say “yes” to any, even the most insane proposal. And this is where his new life begins.

    A comedy film about life priorities and how important it is to be attentive to your words. The main character in the role of Eddie Murphy brings a special charm - he’s the one who can chat endlessly and with great speed. Successful literary agent Jack McCall, who knows how to persuade even the dead, pushes family and love into the background, devoting all his time to his career and money. But after learning that there are only a thousand words left in his life, and that after saying the last he will die, Jack begins to think about what is more important to him.

    - a French comedy about two completely different people who meet each other at the most difficult moment in their lives. He tells viewers that in dark days we can be helped by those from whom we did not expect it, and that there are no chance meetings.

    is both a feature and a documentary film about planet Earth, our Home. Its author is photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who once became interested in videography from a hot air balloon and was able to capture many beautiful and unexpected views. Director: Luc Besson.

    We can see the beauty of wild nature in all its scale, and the traces of human exploration of the planet - so small from a bird's eye view, but so globally changing the appearance of our Home forever. Who are we, and what is the role of each of us in the destruction or creation of the Earth? Are we ready to take responsibility for preserving our monastery?

    "Secret"

    "Secret" - a documentary interview about how a person attracts events with the help of thought, about the power of desire and the materiality of information. The film consists of a series of interviews with different people who outline the philosophical basis of the “law of attraction” using examples from their own lives.

    - a feature film-parable with handsome James Marsden in the title role. The hero of the film, Neil Oliver, makes a wish for his birthday “to get the answer to your life,” and it is miraculously fulfilled by a nearby wizard. From this moment on, a series of amazing events unfold that go beyond the usual understanding and perception. Everything that the hero goes through forces him to rethink his attitudes, learn to trust himself and make the main decision: who he should be.

    - a film about goals. In the face of death, when there is nothing to be afraid of, when all conventions and attitudes turn out to be just dust, a person can achieve any goal he sets. We live as if we are immortal, constantly postponing life until later. But in reality, we have very little time, and we need to realize our dreams right now.

    "Pay someone else"

    "Pay someone else" - a touching film about a boy Trevor, who came up with an interesting system of mutual assistance. He did good deeds absolutely unselfishly, but at the same time asked to “pay someone else,” that is, to do good to a stranger. So the chain of good deeds grew and went not only beyond the city, but also beyond the state. One child changed the lives of many, and this makes us think: after all, we too can change the world, we just need to want to.

    This mystical and deeply psychological film is based on the book of the same name by Stephen King. It tells about the final place of prisoners, where they are prepared for execution. Death is in the air, everyone becomes real in front of its face: someone demonstrates nobility, someone demonstrates baseness of spirit. Staying true to yourself and helping even your executioners - only a strong person is capable of this. It is he who changes the worldview of everyone who meets him.

    10 best books for self-development

    It is known that the most successful people read a lot, mostly specialized literature - on psychology, self-development, and their profession. Fiction books also need to be read - they enrich our vocabulary and develop our imagination.

    You need to read a lot and regularly - it is advisable to create a schedule for yourself and set reading standards for each day so that the work moves in the same rhythm. Your schedule should includelist of books on meditation, psychology, business and finance, history of the country and the world, biographies, philosophical literature and motivational books.

    And so that you can cover large amounts of information without much stress, we recommend taking a free course"Reactive Brain" . Its developers took speed reading techniques as a basis and enriched them with exercises to speed up thinking and structure information.

    The author of the book independently walked the path to success from scratch. Even without finishing school and starting his work as a laborer, he became the vice president of the company. By exploring his own experiences and the stories of others, Brian Tracy became a famous psychologist and wrote many books about success and how to achieve it.

    Mark Manson " The subtle art of not giving a damn: A paradoxical way to live happily"

    Have you ever wondered how much resource we spend on being nervous, worrying, suffering from failures and worrying about the future. Our nerves and emotions also require energy, and by ceasing to worry about the inevitable, we free up a lot of time and energy for work. Books by Mark Manson teach us how to achieve goals without slowing ourselves down with unnecessary emotions, and to move on even after the most epic failures.


    Carlos Castaneda"Journey to Ixtlan"

    A long time ago, in the 1960s, in the vastness of Mexico, anthropologist Carlos met the Yaqui Indian Don Juan, who turned out to be a magician. He passed on all the knowledge to his new student, and Castaneda wrote it down in the form of field notes, later published in ten volumes. We don’t encourage you to read all ten, but here’s volume three, "Journey to Ixtlan"- we recommend. It contains a summary of don Juan's philosophy - the path of the warrior, relationships with the world and oneself. An important concept is the sense of self-importance that slows a person down in achieving goals. Advice: think of the book itself as a fairy tale with a moral, since the main thing in it is philosophy, not plot.

    Regina Brett "God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons That Will Change Your Life"

    Autobiographical book an American journalist who managed to change her life and make her dreams come true in a situation from which there seemed to be no way out. A girl from a family of 11 children, Regina went through difficult trials in life and managed to cope with them. These tips are about learning to live with your past and let go of grudges while moving forward.


    Robert Kiyosaki: "Rich Dad Poor Dad"

    It's always interesting to read books by people who have lived colorful lives. Robert Kiyosaki was a marine, a pilot, a sales agent, a businessman, and a teacher. Today he is a successful investor and writer whose books have become bestsellers. He teaches not how to make money, but how to change your thinking, because it is the main key to wealth. We highly recommend reading his book "Rich dad, poor dad" to change your life for the better.


    Bruce Lee "The Path of the Leading Fist"

    Who hasn't heard of the legendary Bruce Lee? We know that he was a martial artist and a famous actor, but we forget that he was also a philosopher and reformer in the field of martial arts. His notes were published in 1975, after the author’s death. They seem to be dedicated to martial arts, but in reality they are full of deep reflections on the development of the warrior’s personality.


    Kelly McGonigal " Strength of will. How to develop and strengthen»

    We have already talked about willpower and its importance for development, and now let’s pick up a book about the method of cultivating this property in ourselves. Psychologist and teacher Kelly McGonigal I carefully studied this issue and came to the conclusion that in attempts to develop willpower, we are often guided by false ideas and are captive of stereotypes. This book talks about research, experiments, people who put Kelly's advice into practice and the results they were able to achieve.


    Lao Tzu "Tao Te Ching"

    It is not for nothing that this book is placed at the very end - it is better not for weak minds to mess with it. Lao Tzu is an ancient Chinese philosopher who is credited with authoring a treatise on the two principles of life: Tao and Te. It's better to read it little by little, several offers per day. You can study Lao Tzu all your life, but never fully understand it. Therefore, do not be alarmed if at first his sayings seem like sheer rubbish. Even one meaningful idea from the treatise will bring a lot of practical benefit to the reader - for example, about non-action as an important component of activity.

    book, Tao Te Ching

    What to do right now:

      1. Read another article "How to get rid of obsessive thoughts"
      2. Read at least one of the books listed, as well as other books on self-development.
      3. For those who constantly do not have enough time for everything, study course “Anti-time management”

    If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

    Self-development is an independent process of self-improvement, conditioned by a set goal, which is realized mainly by acquiring new and developing existing skills, as well as by overcoming bad habits.

    Thus, self-development (self-improvement) is the path that leads you to a happy and healthy life.

    Self-improvement helps you develop your personality in such a way that even the people around you become happier.

    If you do decide to change your “I” for the better, you should be prepared for various grueling physical and emotional stress.

    In order to walk your path and begin to live the life of your dreams, the life that you are proud of and enjoy, you need to become the best version of yourself, the person you are meant to be.

    The starting point of self-development is the choice made.

    Then you need to perform the steps discussed below that will contribute to self-improvement.

    As you move forward, your priorities and ways of personal development may change.

    For example, at first you decide to train in one type of activity, but as you deepen and gain professionalism, it is quite possible that you will realize that in fact you have a passion for something else.

    When you embark on the path of self-development, you will notice that people who are dissatisfied with themselves will confront you, dissuade you from your plans, or try to confuse you. Don't let them do this.

    1. Decide what you want to achieve in life

    What do you want from life? Perhaps this is one of the most important questions that every person should ask themselves.

    All people want something, but only a few have conscious goals and make meaningful plans.

    However, the reality is that if you don't decide for yourself what you want to achieve in life, someone else will do it for you.

    There are always people next to you who will try to impose their own vision on this issue.

    But only you can decide which direction to move in and whether to implement the advice of others.

    These people will include everyone around you, but the greatest influence on you will be, firstly, your parents, whose advice is most often based on their own experience.

    Secondly, your friends, many of whom do not even know what they want, and very often can only lead you astray from your intended path.

    In general, of course you need to listen to the words of your surroundings. But do not forget that only you are the person who has the right to lead your life, and therefore no one should be allowed to reshape your destiny according to someone else’s scenario. It's your choice and your life.

    If you really do not want to go to university for the specialty proposed by your parents, having well-founded reasons and a sincere reluctance to engage in this type of activity, then you should not do this.

    If you know what your inclinations are, and you can imagine at least in general terms how you will be able to realize them, then be sure to move in a direction close to your heart.

    If you can imagine it, you can do it.
    Walt Disney

    It is very important to understand that “We become what we think about,” and this expression is so true that it is even difficult to imagine.

    This is the fundamental secret of the universe, which can be described in other words: “To receive something, you must first give.”

    The basis in this case is the focus of your attention. If you focus on negative thoughts, you will get negative results. By focusing on positive thinking, you will achieve positive results, at least sooner or later.

    So be very responsible and find out for yourself what you want to achieve in life, what do you want to do, what do you want to become?

    2. Identify your problems and shortcomings that can be eliminated

    Identify those negative or missing points in your life that you would like to improve.

    For example, you can conclude that you go to bed late every day, smoke, drink alcohol, earn little money, are overweight, ill, etc.

    Face the truth, make a list of your problems and shortcomings. This list can include anything you like, but try to only consider issues that are truly relevant, not just those that other people have mentioned.

    To begin self-development, you should understand what, in fact, you should develop in yourself.

    For each item on your list, jot down a short plan and a reason for fixing it.

    As a way, you can mark the need to sign up for a gym or swimming pool, doing physical activity at home or street jogging.

    Your mind can rationalize anything. Having explained to him the true state of affairs and the validity of the tasks that have arisen, he will become your faithful servant on the path of personal development.

    Ask yourself the following questions:
    1. Is there anything I would like to change?
      I don't have my own apartment, I don't like my job, my relationship with my girlfriend is on edge, I'm stressed or anxious, etc.
    2. Is there anything I would like to have?
      I don’t have any loved ones, I haven’t traveled for a long time, there is no advancement in my career, I earn little, I feel unhappy, etc.
    3. Is there anything I should give up?
      I drink too much alcohol, eat unhealthy food, treat my parents poorly, spend too much time on social media, I have a short temper, etc.
    4. Am I doing what I like?
      Start planning your life, learn to prioritize, play sports, create a hobby, read books, find a better job, etc.
    5. Do I want to change?
      Change your bad mood, low self-esteem, dependence on others, your own laziness, anxiety, existing negativity, your fears, etc.
    6. Am I not fulfilled?
      I'm not successful enough, I'm not smart enough, I'm overweight, I'm a loser, etc.

    The answers to these questions will allow you to formulate your goals that need to be realized.

    3. Make a self-development plan

    At this stage, you begin to detail ways to move towards your goal.

    Creating a self-development plan may seem like a daunting task, but there is nothing overly complicated about it.

    The most important thing is behind you, because you have already realized your life guidelines. Once you know what you want, allow your mind to identify ways in which you can achieve your goals.

    If you clearly imagine a ship of self-development leaving the harbor with a crew on board and choosing the course of its voyage, 99 percent of the time out of 100 it will be able to reach its destination.

    Along the way, your conqueror of the ocean of life's problems may encounter unforeseen obstacles, such as depletion of fuel reserves and the need to replenish them.

    He may have to anchor for a while and provide the crew members with proper rest.

    Despite all this, the ship's captain will not forget about the laid route and eventually the destination will be reached.

    To create an action plan, research information about possible ways to achieve your goal. And the first thing you can do is find the necessary information using search engines on the Internet.

    Whether you want to start a business in your niche, create an at-home exercise plan, or develop a sense of style, do some research in your area of ​​interest.

    Include in your plan the actions that you must take every day, every week or every month to achieve your goal.

    4. Start moving towards your goal

    You have already defined your goal, and now you know how to realize it, so start taking actions every day that will bring you closer to it.

    Along your journey of self-development, you will find that you want to change other qualities in yourself, and this is wonderful.

    For example, as you improve your ability to dress stylishly, you may notice that your hairstyle also requires changes.

    The process of self-development will most likely be a difficult undertaking, but almost any innovation in your life initially leads to some confusion and confrontation with the usual foundations of your life.

    Still, remember that as long as you are focused on your dream, nothing else matters.

    5. Stay moving

    A self-development plan will help you expand your knowledge, develop new skills, or improve important areas of your life.

    So what elements does a self-development plan include?

    1. Define your goals

    The first step is to identify the goals that really matter to you.

    They may be related to career, personal life, health, or the desire to acquire a new skill (for example, learn a foreign language).

    What is important to you? What new skills do you want to learn? What achievements will make you happy? Do you have unfulfilled dreams? Do you want to get a better job?

    Write down 5 to 10 goals that matter to you.

    2. Prioritize

    Of all the goals you wrote down, which one do you consider the most important? This will become the main strategic objective on which you should focus your attention.

    Perhaps you want to develop your career, get in better physical shape, or learn new skills.

    Think about skills that, in addition to their immediate benefits, have a positive impact on other areas of life.

    19. Learn to deal with “difficult” people

    There are times when it is not possible to avoid unpleasant people, for example, due to duty.

    Learn to deal with these “difficult” objects because this people management skill will be a very useful tool for you throughout your life.

    20. Learn to let go of the past

    Is there some kind of resentment or unpleasant memory from the past that just doesn’t want to leave you? If so, it's time to let him go.

    The stranglehold your brain has on this negative yet intense emotion prevents you from moving forward and becoming a better version of yourself.

    Forgive yourself, forget about past events and continue on your way.

    21. Rest

    Have you been working too much lately? In this case, you should take a break, you are not a robot with a perpetual motion machine.

    Take some free time for yourself every week. Relax, take a break, as a result of which you will receive a boost of energy to move on.