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A lot of us live a major portion of our lives running the rat race, where all we’re doing is fiercely and blindly competing with our peers and associates. While having a sense of competition allows you to push your limits, having an understanding of what a healthy competition means is also important. Additionally, it’s also important to know who it is you really need to compete with.

Ernest Hemingway once said, “There’s nothing noble in competing with your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” This really puts things into perspective. Coming out of a debilitating life situation a couple of years back, I was left questioning my identity. With all those years that seemed wasted, stuck in a deadlock situation doing nothing seemingly productive, the feelings of being “left behind” and having lost control over my life started to take over. This is where I learned the power of self-improvement.

You see, self-improvement enables you to admit and embrace your shortcomings rather than being ignorant and sweeping them under the carpet. It also allows you to realize that you’re actually not made to compete with others but to compete with your own self – be a better version of yourself than who you were the day before. This is what inspires you to work on yourself – to face the demons that reside within you and fix them to change your tomorrow for the better. 

This article will help you internalize why personal development should be your priority and ultimate inspiration in life. 

1. You get to explore and figure out your life purpose

The truth is that when you’re living a directionless life, you’ll keep wavering from one direction to another and never be satisfied. As humans, we’re always looking for ideas and inspiration to improve our personal and professional lives. However, this can only happen if you know yourself first.

Being on a “journey” of self-development allows you to see what your beliefs and values are, what you’re passionate about, and what you want out of your life. I call personal development a journey because it takes years and years to discover your inner strengths and capabilities.

While being inspired by others is okay, it’s equally important for you to find your inspiration within yourself. This will enable you to navigate through your existential crisis effectively and bring true meaning to your life.

“Personal development is a major time-saver. The better you become, the less time it takes you to achieve your goals.” – Brian Tracy

2. You will have the motivation to take control of your life

Once you become more self-aware regarding your strengths and weaknesses, you’ll have more control over your life. The cliché that every individual is gifted with something unique is, in fact, true, if we make the effort to know what our special gift is. For me, knowing myself more gave me the motivation that I was trying to find in others.

When you know what you’re capable of doing that will change the world to be a better place, it will give you a sense of direction to achieve your goals. Many times, people want to do so much but don’t know where to start. 

Self-awareness will give you that starting point based on your passion. For example, if you’re an empathetic individual and are concerned about the mental and emotional well-being of others, perhaps studying therapy or counseling is your calling. 

3. You’ll find contentment 

It won’t be incorrect to say that we’re all looking for satisfaction in one way or the other. Know that when you understand yourself better and work on developing yourself, you’ll embrace your weaknesses with courage and own your strengths too. You won’t keep beating yourself up for your mistakes. Being on the journey of self-development and analyzing your progress will give you the happiness of being better than yesterday. 

Also, observing how far you’ve come and how you impacted the lives of those around you by improving yourself will give you contentment like nothing else. Whether the change you bring is big or small, witnessed by others or just by your own self, it will be something cherishable for you as it adds value in some way.

4. You’ll become more resilient

Experience shows that it’s not what happens to you that shows your true self, but how you respond to it. When you’re on the journey of self-improvement, your life will not automatically turn in your favor – the obstacles and unfavorable things will keep happening. However, being conscious of the fact that you’re trying to achieve a personal goal will make it easier for you to accept your circumstances and face them in a dignified way. It will build your resilience towards life’s curveballs – you’ll become a person who is emotionally more stable – and the resilience you build will be a key to a successful life.

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

5. Your relationships will thrive

Relationships are an important aspect of every person’s life. We cannot survive in this world without our sanity in place, and good relationships play a significant role in taking care of this. 

Personal development allows you to look inward and work on yourself first, instead of pointing fingers. If you have an anger problem and you’re also trying to fix it, you will become calmer, more patient, and forbearing with time. This change will show in your personality and will improve your day-to-day communications. As a result, your relationships will thrive.

6. You’ll have a positive self-image

Self-improvement will enable you to be more confident and build your self-esteem. Focusing on yourself takes you out of the vicious cycle of thinking less of yourself and despairing over what others have achieved. It allows you to feel good in a realistic way by improving your personality. It makes you love yourself for who you’ve become and pushes you to reach your highest potential.

Embark on the journey of personal development so you can live an enjoyable and purposeful life by continuously raising the bar for yourself. By doing this, you’ll live a worry-free, yet visionary life where you’ll be your own inspiration.  

How do you stay up with your own personal development? Share your thoughts with us below!