Many people prefer reading personal development articles over books for a
variety of reasons. It’s a quicker read, often provides executive summaries and
pitches the bottom-line quicker. Articles are to be found all over. Originally
magazines were primarily bought from shops, but since the inception of the
internet, there is a staggering array of free articles available online.
Taking
the initiative to purposefully read “self-help” or “how to” articles are great tools for personal
development. Yes, it does require a time investment and yes anything of value
comes with diligent effort.
Without unpacking the history,
disciplines and academic frameworks of the modern self-improvement
culture, let’s try to formulate it simply. It’s the daily (or weekly)
discipline of reading any type of material with the purpose of growing as an
individual.
The
operative phrase here is “taking the initiative”.
All of us have strengths to discover,
weaknesses to improve and habits to change. It’s never easy and will take
determination.
Dale Carnegie’s 1936 book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” marks a
turning point in popularizing self-improvement. One of the most persuasive
books of all time, it sold over 30 million copies across the world. The latest
edition is named “How to Win Friends and Influence People in the
Digital Age”.
Popular series like “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to” and “Dummies” books share knowledge about every imaginable
topic ranging from stress management to mixed martial arts. Everyone is
familiar with “How to” concepts and there is no
shortage of information on pretty much any
subject.
Reading
can literally take place anywhere. The biggest priority advocated by most
articles on the topic is taking accountability for your own personal
development.
How the Reading of
Personal Development Articles Will Benefit You
1.
Heightens self-awareness
2. Magnifies empathy for people
3. Kindles hopes and dreams
4. Advances critical thinking
5. Stimulates creativity
6. Establishes professional credibility
1. Heightening Your Self-Awareness
Avid
reading of personal development articles will help you to understand yourself
better.
All of us are different. Growing in
self-awareness means a better understanding of your own unique personality,
emotional make-up, beliefs and so forth. It is a sense of who I am and how I
relate to other people.
Terms like “emotional intelligence”
have entered the popular lexicon in this space. Here is something to understand
about yourself right off the bat: “Self-help” does not imply that you do not
need other people.
It can be said that by getting to
know yourself better, one will actually realize how much you need other people.
Realistically there is not something like a “self-made man”. Self-improvement does not happen in a void and neither
does success.
All of us need other people as part
of a bigger cooperation effort.
There
is a need for feedback, advice and even to be steered at times.
Without relationships, very little
progress will take place – neither personally nor professionally. If you
believe that you can go to the top on your own, maybe you should read another
1000 self-improvement articles to get rid of this erroneous notion.
Or bring out a big gun and read the
book “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell to assist in self-reflection.
His compelling book looks at the
success of business magnates, professional athletes, geniuses and even rock
stars. He explains: “… success is not exceptional or mysterious. It is grounded
in a web of advantages and inheritances, some deserved, some not, some earned,
some just plain lucky – but all critical to making them who they are.” [1]
Rational
thinking is often pitched against emotional thinking – as if one is more valid
than the other.
There is a growing understanding –
especially in the workplace – that not only are both types of feeling and
expression valid, but that both drive
success. An integrated approach between the two is meaningful.
There is a growing voice for the
expression of authentic feelings in the world of business, as long as it is
constructive of course. A healthy combination between the emotional and
rational approach is vital for the growth of any individual. It can and should
operate side-by-side.
The feeling factor and “emotional
intelligence” have been getting a lot of publicity in recent times and not a
moment too soon. Emotional awareness will make your career more effective,
according to many studies.
Reading
is valuable beyond measure. You can learn more about your behaviours,
weaknesses and strengths. It can reveal very interesting blind spots.
Be open to change and stay
approachable. Make it easy for people to level with you and to give feedback.
2. Magnifying Your Empathy for People
Empathy is in short supply when it gets
to the workplace or life in general. It means, in essence to put yourself in someone’s else’s shoes.
The
more you read, the more you will understand people and recognize the need to be
sensitive towards them.
There is good reason why this article
kicked off with self-awareness – a simple, but powerful dynamic is at play. If
you don’t have a handle on yourself, then there is little hope to have insight
into or empathy for others.
When you have no understanding into
your own thinking, feelings and behaviour, then the same will be true of your
insight into other people.
Recognizing what someone else is
going through is what empathy is
about. It’s being in touch with another person’s emotions, thinking, and the
situation from their point of view rather than how you see it, to
paraphrase Psychology Today [2].
The
human dynamic in business can very easily be neglected in the chase towards
results.
Achievements at all costs often get
priority above the human factor.
The neglect of empathy is sometimes
found in the most unlikely of places, like the domain of “positive thinking”.
A person experiencing challenging
times would attempt to articulate their feelings. Rather than finding a
sympathetic ear, they get bombarded with all kinds of “positive” solutions. The
more they yearn for some form of empathy, the more they get infused with calls
to see the bright side.
It leaves them feeling more dejected
with the added bonus of overwhelming frustration. All that they hear is
“positive mantras” and hollow over-simplifications.
A
centuries-old proverb compares a person who sings light-hearted songs to
someone that’s anxious as taking your jacket away on a cold day. Or pouring
vinegar onto a wound.
The lack of empathy was already
recognized in antiquity.
In a pressurized milieu with tough
expectations, a little empathy goes a long way. Be compassionate towards the
suffering and pain of people and they will respect you. It’s a great
relationship builder as well.
No one puts it more succinctly than
Stephen Covey with “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.
3. Personal Development Kindles Your Hopes and Dreams
Reading
articles on personal development stimulates the mind, activates the heart and
can get you out of a rut. Most people have dreams and hopes for a better
future. Some verbalize it, others don’t. Reading can prompt, guide and
crystalize your own dream in life, whether professional or personal.
Exchanging thoughts on life
and career dreams, John C. Maxwell writes that “Dreams
are valuable commodities. They propel us forward. They give us energy. They
make us enthusiastic.” [3]
A dream might strike you like
lightning and you will know what you want in an instant. In most cases, we will
have to unwrap our heart’s desires little by little over time. Explore options.
What
makes you get out of bed in the morning excitedly even if you are dead-tired?
Maybe your career is at a crossroad.
Remember that dreams can shape a career, as opposed to just going through the
paces like a robot. What would your ideal future look like?
What dream will make your heart beat
faster? How does fear of the unknown impact you?
Does your current
experience match with where you want to go?
Personal
development articles can show you where to start and how to define goals in
order to get there.
The tipping point between intelligent
dreaming and actual break-through might be far apart, but diligent action will
make it happen. One’s dreams paint a vivid picture of how things can be, but it
is the implementation that will plug the gap to make it true.
Reading
ignites long-term vision, but also motivation for the short term. It humbles
you to discover how little you really know in the bigger scheme of things.
It is never too late to dream but get
out of the pyjamas as soon as possible. Ray Kroc was 52 when opening his first
McDonald’s franchise and the rest is history. Establish future-oriented and
measurable goals. Don’t ban yourself to outer space if you make mistakes along
the way. Each failure is a stepping stone for future success.
Keep your dream alive.
4. Advancing Your Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is not limited to
academic research or corporate boardrooms.
Regular
readers of personal development articles frame their own critical thinking over
time. They start to grasp complexity faster. Reading stimulates the intellect,
boosts brainpower and improves memory.
The assumption in some circles is
that critical thinking has something to do with people that are negative with a
consistent pessimistic outlook. This indicates a rather ignorant
misunderstanding.
A tutorial on critical
thinking puts forward the correct interpretation: It “can help us acquire
knowledge, improve our theories, and strengthen arguments. We can use critical
thinking to enhance work processes and improve social institutions.” [4]
Here is a simple example of how this
type of thinking can be encouraged as it relates to planning an event
with motivational speakers and the steps to be taken.
Socrates is credited for putting
critical thinking on the map. He was famous for dialogue and posing questions
to people. In doing so, he exposed illogical reasoning and ignorance.
Today
it is still used in different formats and known as “Socratic Questioning”.
Critical thinking features a host of
angles and advantages. Here are some:
·
Approaches situations in a thoughtful
and flexible manner.
·
Uses logical reasoning and objective
breakdown of facts.
·
Weighs up other alternatives without
bias.
·
Never ignores the big picture.
·
Avoids speculation and independently
assesses facts.
·
Reduces the risk of implementing the
wrong assumptions.
·
Analyzes both the theory and
generally accepted practice.
·
Puts interpretation of information to
the test.
·
Advances open-minded rationality and
a reasoned approach.
·
Led by evidence and objective
analysis.
·
Challenges traditional beliefs.
·
Self-corrective in nature.
·
Double-checks own assumptions.
·
Reaches a well-considered
understanding with coherent conclusions.
5. Stimulating Your Creativity
Never
underestimate the eye-opening potential of personal development articles to
spark creativity. It is a process, starting with a deliberate initiative.
Imaginativeness ebbs and flows. In
order to heighten creativity
and innovation, time must be taken periodically to
sharpen the senses according to Daniel Burrus [5].
People can be sensitized towards
originality. Put yourself in inspirational environments.
Creativity and optimism positively
feed one another. Take a deep dive into content that is conducive to creativity
and there are unlimited reservoirs available.
Like the old cliché, creativity can
be likened to a muscle, the more you practice, the stronger it gets.
Every
article presents a piece of the creativity puzzle. Sometimes it’s an exact fit,
other times it takes a little longer. It might even be a piece of the wrong
puzzle. But that is how a beautiful picture ultimately gets completed – through
trial and error. Just keep on reading.
A quote attributed to Pablo Picasso
has an interesting take: “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them
like an artist.”
The problem is that creativity is
commonly seen to be limited to artists or super-talented people. Based on this
wrong premise, imagination won’t even get off the launching pad. Anyone can
learn creativity and practised over time, a whole new world of possibilities
will open up.
You will start seeing opportunities
that colleagues can’t see.
This will be the time to connect the
dots and jump out of the vacuum. You will bring fresh perspectives to the
table.
Creativity is about creating
something new or combining and redesigning something that’s already there.
Break new ground. Allow yourself to create something that will NOT be
considered as a masterpiece. It will craft your skill.
Don’t make creativity a New Year’s
resolution, just get started right away.
6. Personal Development Establishes Your Professional Credibility
Unsurprisingly, credibility is
established in part through sharing your knowledge.
The
regular reading of personal development articles expands your influence. Formal
education, degrees and diplomas undoubtedly contribute to professional
credibility. But it doesn’t have to start or end there. There is something
that’s even more important over the span of a lifetime or career. People who
display a thirst for learning, who are known as avid readers and continuously
improve themselves build a very strong personal brand. It’s a brand called
“Me”. Individuals with great general knowledge make an impact unfailingly.
Learning translates into capability.
If followed through with consistent implementation and integrity, it
conclusively leads to professional credibility. Add strength of character to
the formula and the message will be that you can be trusted.
In fact, this has become so important
that platforms are developed to measure
credibility and trustworthiness. Rob Peters makes it clear that the
advent of standards for professional credibility is a “force that will continue
to grow … Employers need something more than a resume and a few short
interactions to assess a candidate.” [6]
Make
sure to relentlessly execute opportunities for growth and before long you will
enjoy more credibility at work.
In Closing:
Reading Personal Development Articles and Technology
Technology is often blamed for a
decline in reading, but that is simply not true – or at least it shouldn’t be
true. Technology is not the undermining enemy as some would claim. It actually
opens up endless learning possibilities.
Devices
such as a Kindle or a mobile phone are libraries in their own right these days.
They are much smaller in physical
size than an actual book or the spread of a magazine article. But they are
virtual libraries and can store more personal development reading resources
than what you and I can consume in a lifetime.
It remains mind-boggling that a
simple modern device has more computing power than that of the computers which
put the first man on the moon.
Whichever
way or method you prefer, keep on reading personal development articles and
books. You will reap the benefits. It is a given.
References:
1. Outliers
– The Story of Success [Book] / auth. Gladwell
Malcolm. – London : Penguin Books Ltd, 2008.
2. All
About Empathy / auth. Psychology Today. –
[s.l.] : Psychologytoday.com, Accessed on 6 November 2018.
3. What
Is Your Dream? / auth. Maxwell John C. –
[s.l.] : Success.com, Accessed on 6 November 2018.4. [C01]
What is critical thinking / auth. Critical thinking web. –
[s.l.] : Philosophy.hku.hk, Accessed on 6 November 2018.
4. Creativity
and Innovation: Your Keys to a Successful Organization /
auth. Burrus Daniel. – [s.l.] : Huffingtonpost.com, Accessed on 6 November
2018.
5. The
Emergence of Professional Credibility Standards /
auth. Peters Rob. – [s.l.] : Medium.com, Accessed on 6 November 2018.