JD Roth has written (quite effectively) on the different stages of personal finance that we all seem to go through. I can’t help but wonder if there’s any correlation with personal development. Do we all go through phases or levels as we strive to reach personal development goals?  If we do, what would they look like?

Phase One:  Follow the Conventional Wisdom with Vigor

In this phase, a person is ready to make some positive changes in their life and starts looking for information. The most common advice is taken as gospel and immediately applied. A person in this phase might be trying to wake up earlier, eat healthier, exercise more, meditate, and read regularly.  In their desire to see results, every personal development method in the book is tried, and every standard goal is thought to be worthwhile.
The results are (as you might realize if you’ve been through this phase) pretty dodgy.  Attacking 10 habits at once is a recipe for disaster. While the immediate results (think 3 to 10 days in) might be great, it’s pretty much impossible to maintain that level of energy and enthusiasm. It’s also hard to try to turn your life upside down while maintaining your relationships, responsibilities, and personal tastes.

Phase Two: Drill Down to Specific Strategies

After an across-the-board personal development sweep turns out to be unrealistic, this person might focus on one or two key areas to improve on. In this phase, they drill deep and learn about multiple approaches to the same goal. They may experiment, complete 30-day trials, and read tons of information on their particular issues. Some methods are found to be lacking, while others fit their life and goals ideally.  Phase Two is about going beyond the surface of personal development to make it more, well, personal.

Phase Three: Personal Development Has Become Truly Personal

Ready for SunshineBy phase three, this person has uncovered enough self-awareness to know what works for them, what doesn’t, what has a big impact on their lives, what matters, and what can be tossed by the wayside. The advice of personal development gurus is merely a suggestion, a way to start thinking about how they would attack a problem or goal themselves.
In this phase, the experimentation and discovery that characterizes phase two has become natural, nearly automatic. The drive and urgency of phase one has mellowed into an almost invisible urge. Problems crop up less frequently, since the person has much less tolerance for unbalance and dischord and tends to address small issues before they become life-consuming.
Is life perfect at this phase? Sweet cracker sandwich, of course not! Life is never perfect, and there’s always room to grow and learn. But at phase four, the individual has enough knowledge of methodologies and personal preferences to attack problems that have built up without having to go through as much trial and error, and with the awareness of the best places to start from.
I’m sure there aren’t any absolutes when it comes to personal development, but are there any general phases that ring true to you? What phases and commonalities have you observed?

Photo courtesy of AussieGall

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