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How can we define personal development and how does it relate to human potential? Personal development is not measured by financial, social or external success. According to Z. Hereford, it is determined by our efforts to develop our intellectual, physical and spiritual aspects in order to reach our full human potential. In the process of developing ourselves, we also strive to express our talents and abilities for the enrichment and benefit others [2].
Unfortunately, in today's instant gratification culture there has been an unhealthy trend towards 'get rich quick' (substitute thin, beautiful, fit, etc.) schemes gaining ground. It implies that if you are rich enough, thin enough, or beautiful enough, you will be happy. Instead of encouraging legitimate personal growth and development, these schemes and false claims work against it. Most of us have read, or heard the woeful tales of lottery winners who attained massive fortunes only to be broke soon after their windfalls. We have also seen beautiful, rich, and influential entertainment stars end their own unhappy lives in spite of their outward success.
Personal development is a deliberate, disciplined process achieved by reflection, introspection and self-awareness.
The emphasis on personal development began to rise in the 1960's with the Human Potential Movement that had its roots in existentialism and humanistic psychology. Its purpose was to promote the idea that humans can experience an exceptional quality of life filled with happiness, creativity and fulfillment when they strive to reach their potential.
Abraham Maslow, a humanistic psychologist, put forth the idea that self-actualization is the highest expression of a human's life. In his research Maslow found that self-actualized people were those who are creative and spontaneous, possess a good sense of humor and are able to tolerate uncertainty. They have an appreciation for what life has to offer, a deep concern for others and are able to enjoy close. He advocated a list of behaviors that he felt lead to self-actualization [1].
The modern psychologists say that the question of spiritual development of a personality is linked with the problem of the well-being and the health of society as a whole and each of its members separately. Whatever has been done in science, everything will depend on the person, who will open the world of new regularities of life. A man is the measure of everything. All depends on a person [3].
There are many causes to develop yourself: the need for living and provide for own life, the need to occupy a certain place in society, the need to understand the world, aspiration to an ideal. In other words, human beings define their needs. To stand still means to become degraded soon. To sum up, I'd like to say that every man can be perfect, beautiful, harmoniously developed, and the path to this is open to anyone.
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1. Maslow A. H. A Theory of Human Motivation (originally published in Psychological Review, 1943, Vol. 50 #4, pp. 370396) [ ] - : http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Maslow/motivation.htm.
2. Hereford Z. Essential Life Skills [ ] - : www.essentiallifeskills.net/humanpotential.html.
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_development.
