Creating a personal development plan can transform an individual’s life. It can help a person get in touch with their internal feelings, determine exactly who they want to be, and how they want to live their life. A personal development plan is often used by younger individuals that are constantly bombarded by peer pressure. However, adults can benefit greatly by creating their own personal development plan, to take the single step forward to transforming a life.

What You Admire

It is imperative to first decide exactly what types of characteristics you admire and other individuals, and would like to internalize on your own. These might be the types of characteristics that are easy to measure such as staying physically fit. It might include taking on a better and healthier diet, or living a life full of integrity.

Choosing the right types of characteristics that you find in other individuals that you admire should be on the top of the list. Decide which three characteristics you would like to incorporate in your own life, to begin the process of transformation. The types of characteristics you should focus on are the ones that are outside your personal comfort zone. However, they should not be so unattainable, as to become quickly discouraged.

Setting Successful Goals

To be successful, you will need to set goals. If the characteristics you selected above are tangible, like physical fitness, you will need to understand exactly what the goal looks like. It might include participating in a marathon, simply walking the neighborhood, or changing bad eating habits to healthier ones.

If the characteristics include living a life with high integrity, you will need to detail exactly what that looks like to you. It may mean ending bad behaviors, making better habits, or asking for outside help to achieve the goal.

Flesh It Out

Once the goals are firmly in place, it is time to flesh them out, to give them substance. It is time to expand the plan to add meat to the bones. It is impossible to skimp during this part of the process. Expanding the plan might include attaching some form of timelines or benchmarks where you need to reach a specific goal at a specific time. Be realistic, and flesh out the goals on a timeline that can be easily achieved.

Find the Support

It is much easier to obtain these types of goals in your personal development plan with support. It can be a family member, friend, therapist, physician or an exercise buddy that simply wants to take the route with you. With enough support, it is easy to achieve nearly any type of goal as long as it has been set in a realistic time frame.

The last portion of the personal development plan should include a way to celebrate your success. This can be done through by keeping a journal, or checking off a long list of necessary goals. Part of the celebration should also include a look back so that you can determine exactly how far you have come on the journey. Remember that slip ups are part of the process, and you will need to forgive yourself if you need to start the process over again.

I am an advocate of doing personal development daily. You should listen to motivational recordings on a daily basis to improve your mental outlook and your focus. You should read motivational books daily to strengthen you motivation using another modality. You should exercise daily to improve your body and your mind. Where are you going to find the time to do all of these things? The answer is combining your physical and mental personal development. Let me tell you about my favorite method.

I am a walker. My favorite form of exercise is to get outside and walk fast. It gets the heart pumping faster, the blood flowing freely, and gives me time to use my mind. Walking does not require intense thought. I walk approximately one hour every day. I use this same time to listen to motivational audio recordings. I take my MP3 player with me when I head out for my morning walk. I have the player loaded with recording from top motivational speakers like Tony Robbins, David Wood, Jim Rohn, and even Oprah. I get a dose of motivation while I walk.

Personal development is not limited to motivation, though. You need to expand your knowledge to help you fulfill your goals. I add audio books to my playlist that help me learn the skills to obtain my goals. This can include books on financial development, fitness, proper diet, memory improvement, or any other skill you need to learn.

I split my hour walk into two sections. The first 30 minutes I listen to motivational speakers to get my mind moving in overdrive. Then I switch into learning mode. The last 30 minutes of my walk is spent listening to teachers explaining ways I can improve my life using their techniques and systems. You cannot imagine the power of starting your day this way. You go from sleeping to physically alert and active in moments. You go from sluggish thoughts to excitement. You go from wondering how to solve problems to getting the advice you need to move forward. You do it all before you start your workday.

I have not forgotten about the reading time. I have an inexpensive exercise bike in my home. It is setup in the family room where everyone watches television. In the evening, I get on my exercise bike and pedal slowly while I read. This helps me wind down from the day and still get a little additional exercise. I am spending time with my family and reading inspirational words. I do not worry about the disruptions from the family or the television. I am reading to relax and absorb. The words flow into my subconscious where they provide the greatest benefit.

There is one last piece of advice I want to offer. Write down your goals and read them before you start your morning workout and after you finish reading your inspirational book at night. Plant those goals deeply in your mind while you continue your personal development quest. You will be surprised as you start seeing your goals moving closer day by day.