Personality development is not as difficult as people have made it appear. Just like mathematics where you learn one formula, understand how it’s applied and apply it whenever the problem is similar, Personality development is also similar. The only difference here is the problem or situation is dependent on your surroundings, people’s emotional intelligence, the connection you have with people, and all such softer aspects. The importance of Personality Developement can also be assessed when India’s UGC makes Personality Development a norm in today’s colleges in India (Read how Habbinson in shaping this initiative – LINK)
The role of softer aspects makes personality development difficult, but once you understand the nuances involved, it’s as easy as 2+2=4. You don’t have to think about it. It just comes to you.
The first step to Personality Development is knowing yourself. If you don’t know who you really are, how can you improve?
How to understand personality?
When we talk about personal identity, we’re not talking about knowing your resume, your job, and education. But, it’s more about knowing YOU. What makes you YOU? There are several methods to understanding self, a few of them are given below:
(I also came across this article on India Today that outlines crisply how to improve personality via self awareness)
Identifying your core values
Every individual has certain values that they hold very dear to them. These are like your guiding light in life. Something without which you aren’t YOU. Reflecting on few questions helps you identify the values that matter most to you, such as honesty, kindness, or creativity. Asking yourself a few questions like below can help you identify your core values:
- What satisfies me the most?
- What are the qualities I admire in people?
- Who are my heroes?
- What would I not tolerate? No matter the cost.
- What kind of impact do I want to leave on the world?
Reflecting on your life experiences to understand your personality
You are what you are now because of your past. A past that you cannot change but only reflect upon and learn. Using the below questions you can identify the moments that define you, these moments then can also be used as subsequent talking points
- What moments challenged me?
- What obstacles I overcame and learnt from them?
- How have these experiences shaped my beliefs?
- Are there any experiences that are recurring?
How Cultural and Social Influences transform personality
From childhood you have been shaped into some form because of the culture around you. That culture has then created a social influence in you and the people around you because of which your personality is what it is now. It’s imperative to understand what is that culture and how can you leverage it to stand out, you can use the following questions to understand that culture:
- What are my values and beliefs now and how is it similar or different from my parents?
- What do I do after waking up till I go to sleep again and how is it similar or different from the people around me?
- How was my upbringing – location, friends, family gatherings, etc
Highlighting your Passions and Interests
Your passions and interests are a byproduct of yourself. Knowing them enables you to understand yourself better. You can deep dive into them using the following questions
- What are the activities I do during my leisure time?
- What is that activity that makes me lose track of time?
- What are those topics that spark my curiosity?
- What hobbies have I been pursuing consistently over the last three years?
Conclusion
Introspection via self-description is a tool that helps you identify YOU. If you don’t know yourself then who will know you better? Doing this activity will not only benefit you in making valuable social connections but will enhance your decision making at crucial life stages like choosing yourself a partner, family planning, career progression. Also, it will help you keep your finances in check by planning the right holiday and investing in only those things that matter to you the most.
