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What is a personal development plan? - A personal development plan (PDP) is a way to focus your goals into achievable steps and keep track of your overall personal development.

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Characteristics of a PDP - A PDP should be relatively short and succinct. It should provide a quick reference or point of discussion, and always be regularly revised. In the next slides, we'll look at why you should create a personal development plan.

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Clear focus - Your plan may be focused on education, career, personal goals, or a mixture of all three. Regardless, the plan will help you map out a path.

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Mental well-being - Clear plans also support positive mental health and general satisfaction, as they provide a sense of direction and purpose. Next, let's look at examples of when a PDP is especially helpful.

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Starting a new job  - If you’ve just started a new role, personal development plans can prove especially helpful in setting you up for success and measuring progress.

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Getting ahead in your current job - A PDP can help you identify areas of opportunity and allow you to potentially capitalize on resources that are already available to you as an employee.

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General personal growth - Whether you're currently employed or not, a PDP can still be very useful. It helps you define what’s important in your growth journey and sets steps to accomplish them.

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How to write a personal development plan - There is a specific framework used in PDP development where you set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals. Structuring goals like this makes them easier to manage and track.

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S: Specific - Specific goals answer questions such as, "What needs to be accomplished?" "Who’s responsible for it, and what steps need to be taken to achieve the goal?"

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M: Measurable -

Quantifying your goals makes it much easier to track progress and know when you’ve crossed the finish line.

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A: Achievable - It’s time to do a quick reality check. Goals should be realistic, and it’s important to ask yourself, “Is this something I can actually achieve?”

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R: Relevant -

Making goals relevant challenges you to ask yourself why you are setting these goals in particular. Do they tie in with where you are looking to go, or your vision of growth?

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T: Time-bound - To be properly measured, it's crucial to know when these steps will start, when they’ll be finished, and when you can reevaluate and potentially set new goals.

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Step 1: Set goals for yourself -

Thinking about, and deciding on, what you want to achieve can be the most difficult part. This step provides clear direction and a structure for the rest of the plan.

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Step 2: Prioritize those goals - Now that you’ve defined the goals, prioritize them by what's most important and then set mini goals that enable you to make the big ones happen.

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Step 3: Set yourself deadlines for when you want to achieve them - Knowing when you want to achieve a goal is crucial, as it helps drive your motivation to achieve them. You can work backwards from your due date and strategically plan for when different tasks are needed.

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Step 4: Recognize threats and opportunities - Consider your strengths, weaknesses you can develop, opportunities available to support you in achieving your goals, and any threats that could hinder progress.

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Step 5: Develop yourself - Once you know what could help or hinder you, you can make an action plan on how to best achieve your goals, including improving skills or increasing your knowledge.

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Step 6: Use your support network - You don’t have to do everything by yourself. Your friends, family, colleagues, and other individuals are there to help. Community is a valuable asset, so be sure to use it.

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Step 7: Measure your progress - Taking time to reflect on your progress, whether big or small, is a great way to boost your motivation and keep you focused.

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Can personal growth be professional development? -

Personal growth can definitely be professional development. As you continue growing personally, you’ll gain confidence and be able to use new skills to further your career.

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Be open to constructive feedback - If you're doing your PDP in a professional context, be open to constructive feedback from a peer or manager. This will help maximize your time and effort.

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Ensure you have the headspace -

A PDP can truly change your professional and personal lives. Set aside specific time for this exercise, and don't just squeeze it in somewhere randomly.

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Tracking your PDP -

A PDP can be tracked over time as you stop and see what you’ve accomplished, and if this falls in line with your SMART goals.

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Formal development -

Online workshops led by knowledgeable instructors can be one tool to use alongside your PDP in order to advance your skills and understanding of new concepts.

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Social development -

Another tool to use alongside the PDP is joining industry associations and connecting with others in your field in order to network and gain support.

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Experiential development -

Challenge yourself with skill-based practice. By putting your new skill to the test in a real-world scenario, you’ll learn what works and what doesn't.

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Don’t get overwhelmed with the PDP -

A PDP might seem like a large undertaking, but by breaking it down into small steps and appreciating the journey along the way, it becomes much more manageable.

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Celebrate your personal growth! - It’s important to celebrate your successes (and even the failures) in this process, as there will be both. Taking time to acknowledge your growth is a key step in developing a PDP.

Sources: (Indeed) (Atlassian) (The Predictive Index) (Medium) (High Speed Training)

See also: Easy ways to support local businesses 

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