It is said that the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. If you want to become a better version of you then you will have to do something about it on a daily basis. Don’t wait for something huge to happen, just take it a day at a time.

Here is how to better yourself, one day at a time.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses

First, to better yourself on a consistent basis, you have to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you are awesome at working out or getting some exercise everyday, but your eating habits need a makeover. The idea here is to look at yourself realistically. Only from a realistic outlook can you create new habits and small changes in your life that will eventually stick.

Pick a topic to work on

Now that you have a list of things that you are strong and weak at, go through the list and choose one simple thing you want to get better at. I suggest something that won’t take too much effort or time at first. This is because you want to set yourself up for success, at least initially, when it comes to bettering yourself.

A few good “starter” topics would be:

  • Do a light workout 3 times a week for 20 minutes each
  • Cut out one or two bad foods in your diet in the next 30 days
  • Drink 8 cups of water every day

Sourced from: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/how-to-better-yourself-one-day-at-a-time.html

There are a lot of benefits to reap from personal development. You do not only become a person that people like but you also become a person that you love. You clearly know who you are and know where you want to be.

Benefits of personal development

1. Self-awareness

Personal development begins with self-awareness. You get to know who you really are; your values, beliefs and the purpose you wish to pursue. True fulfilment can never come from chasing other people’s dreams. If you want to achieve lasting happiness, you need to design your life based on who you are. Then you can chase your own goals and objectives. When you are chasing your own goals, there is as much pleasure to be derived from the journey as there is to be derived from reaching your destination. Self-awareness is the first fundamental step in the personal development process.

2. A sense of direction

Once you have raised you self-awareness, you are clearer on the things you wish to achieve from life. Decision-making becomes a lot easier. Tasks which used to take a great deal of your time, no longer make it onto your to-do list. You now realise that they do not move you towards your objectives and therefore are not worthy of your time.

Sourced from: http://www.coachingpositiveperformance.com/6-core-benefits-personal-development/

Now that you know the benefits of personal development and possibly made up your mind to pursue it, it is time to walk the talk. You can do so by coming up with a personal development plan which will guide you in achieving your goals.

Personal Development Plan Template

I’ve designed this personal development plan template to help you structure your thinking and create a strategic plan for achieving your goals.

If you want to achieve anything important, you need to take time to make a detailed plan.

There are some important things to consider when creating a personal development plan. Here are 9 steps that can help you to create a good personal development plan:

  • Define your goals
  • Prioritize
  • Set a deadline
  • Understand your strengths
  • Recognize opportunities and threats
  • Develop new skills
  • Take action
  • Get support
  • Measure progress

Sourced from: http://www.mindofwinner.com/create-personal-development-plan/