Do you feel success is eluding you? Are you stuck in a seemingly inescapable rut? Is there frustration building in you because you are not where you desire to be? If so, you are not alone, and this is very important for you to know: YOU have the potential to achieve greatness and be successful. Don’t believe us?

Let us explain…

All of us have a tendency to look at someone else’s successes and feel like the grass is greener on the other side. This causes us to pity our own circumstances and demotivates us from pushing through. However, we fail to realize that everyone who has achieved great success has gone through a disciplined internal process of self-development. So instead of focusing your attention on others, it’s time to take a close look at yourself.

Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”

There are around 7.6 billion people on planet Earth, but not one person is exactly like you. Not one. You are unique and have a unique potential to achieve great success. But, you have to be willing to go through the process of personal development and be patient with yourself.

The first step to pursuing greatness is personal development. This is hard work that requires self-control, discipline, and a determination to improve yourself.

This personal development action plan is a guideline to help you achieve greatness:

1. Establish your purpose

The first step is to know your purpose in life; this is absolutely vital. It is crucial to mentally imagine before you can physically accomplish!

Practical tip: Take some time to think about what your purpose in life is and write it down.

2. Identify development needs

Now that you have your purpose written down, you need to identify the broad areas you need to work on in order to achieve your vision.

Practical tip: Write down the major areas where you need growth and development, e.g., time management, better communication, self-confidence, etc.

3. Formulate an action plan

You need to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals. These goals will eventually lead you to achieving your purpose.

Practical tip: Break your goals into long-term and short-term goals; this will help you to track your progress; e.g. Your long-term goal can be to run a marathon in one year’s time. This can be broken down into a short-term goal of running a 10 K once a month for the next 3 months.

Read our blog on “5 Mistakes to avoid while pursuing a goal” to know more.

4. Take a disciplined approach

Once you have your goals set, it’s time for words and plans to translate into action. This is THE crucial step in this personal development process and it requires willpower, dedication, and discipline.

Practical tip: Set a dedicated time to work on your set goals on a daily or weekly basis. This time should be taken as high priority and shouldn’t be pushed for later.

5. Record progress

Use a sheet or mobile app to track and record your progresses and failures. This will help you stay on track.

Practical tip: Write it all down in a systematic way. This way you are able to evaluate your progress over longer periods of time.

6. Review and evaluate

It is important to assess your progress and failures regularly to determine areas of improvement and strengths/weaknesses.

Practical tip: Seek advice and guidance from people who have experience in your area and can mentor you. This will help you stay motivated and plan better. There are also several online resources that can help you in your journey.

At Ergos Mind, we have an online learning platform called the “Circle of Personal Excellence (COPE)”. This platform has webinars and resources that will help you grow in personal excellence. To know more click here.