Now that you’ve decided to establish a personal development growth plan for this year, and you’ve finished your book reading plan, the next step is to determine the other reading you intend to do as part of your growth plan.
For me, the sources for reading other than books fall into four major categories:
- Blogs
- Magazines
(In your world, you may want to read newspapers, certain magazine columns or other sources of written information.)
You may wonder how much one can learn from these non-traditional sources of information.
A lot.
If you are intentional in searching out great blogs or the right people or organizations to connect with via social media, you can find great information to help you in the area in which you are aiming to grow.
Your development as a person has two different categories:
- Personal
- Professional
While the two may intersect, most of the time we should approach them differently.
I see professional development as gaining knowledge and skills specific to our area of our profession. Consistently gaining knowledge in that area is paramount to our success.
For example:
As a lawyer – you should read about new laws, cases, etc.
As a teacher – you should read on methods of teaching and how to improve your teaching skills.
As a wine maker – you should read about new advances in vine growing and fine art of making wine.
For me, as a family doctor – I should always be updated on new medications and research.
More important than professional growth, personal growth focuses on making us better people – improving our character, discipline, attitudes and habits; becoming more effective with people by improving our communication, leadership and relationships.
John Maxwell teaches that personal growth precedes professional growth! What a profound statement. So true!
Too many people are not intentional about growth. While some may seek to develop themselves professionally, few seek to grow themselves personally.
So decide how many blogs you will read per week and how much time you will dedicate to reading that subscription magazine. Decide how much time you will spend looking at social media daily to glean information for growth.
Remember that what you write in your growth plan has to be specific and measurable. Make sure to write it down.
However, that is exactly where we must begin: with ourselves!
I challenge you today to make this your best year yet! Purpose with me to be intentional about your personal growth!
Your Friend,
