Preparing A Professional Development Plan

November 24, 2014

Success, as understood by most people, generally is a reflection of an individual’s personal development plan and how well they execute that plan. A number of studies have found that there is a correlation between having a plan, or a set of goals, and success. Do you have a personal development plan in place? I like to equate success with happiness and one of the definitions of success I’ve found is the following:

Happiness = Productivity + Peacefulness

So, in my interpretation, “Productivity” is about having the goals and actually fulfilling them. The concept of “Peacefulness” is my commitment to personal and career growth. One thing that I have found is that there is definitely something that links personal development to career advancement. That is to say, having a personal and professional development plan works simultaneously with a career advancement and career success. However, through the “daily grind” a number of individuals are not able to see how personal and professional growth is a crucial part of their individual success. So going back to the equation above, “Happiness = Productivity + Peacefulness” how does that strike you now?

Previously, I used to equate success with money and material possessions but, the closer I looked, the closer I found that that was not the case. “Stuff” was just the outcome of leading a peaceful and productive life. Those that I saw to be at the “top of the game,” not only did they have monetary compensation but they had a huge reservoir of inner strength. This “inner strength” was what they used in daily life to achieve and move forward.

Productivity + Peacefulness

For me, productivity is about achieving items; it’s the “to-do” list. In daily life, there are many things that need to be done which, if you nurtured your personal, inner strength and growth, would help you to achieve in a way that strikes a balance. This, to me, is what peacefulness is about. It’s almost like a Buddhist Zen concept, one in where it is almost effortless to effect change. And since a large part of the “to-do” list revolves around career advancement, creating this balance in your professional life will provide rich dividends in the months and years to come.

Some of the advantages of building and nurturing a professional development plan includes effective communication, identification of inner strengths around core values which ultimately will result in career satisfaction and potentially executive results. This would definitely help you in making a concrete plan and make your professional (and personal!) road brighter.

All roads have challenges, sharp turns, bumps and blocks. In spite of the inherent challenges which you will have to face on your path to success, a personal development plan will help you to potentially anticipate and navigate these pitfalls. These strategic approaches of seeing beyond the situations and using them as opportunities will build your inner strength and character which will serve you throughout life.

A Path To Success

What does success mean to you? This is an invitation I want you to consider deeply for it could mean a new way, a new possibility of how you live, how you make decisions, of how you interact.

You may already have created a professional development plan and planned what you goals and milestones were. That’s what got you to this point but now you are at the point where these milestones, these goals no longer work or have become less relevant. What do you do now? How are you able to identify what works? What about those things that no longer serve you?

Coaching engenders and facilitates self-awareness upon which the basis of “Happiness” rests. Some parts of coaching involve the practical: techniques of goal setting, defining aims, sharpening focus as well as time management. Other parts move into territories for new learning to develop an unstoppable inner strength upon which future decisions are made. Do one thing at a time and do it with precision; this will keep you ahead the various and varied dimensions of your life. Plan with purpose, and move ahead carefully and be aware of the fact that success does not come easy and fast. The road to success is measured and has a rhythm. Thus, you need to be able to identify and be in sync with that rhythm which is specifically for you.

Self-designing a professional development plan isn’t something taught in elementary school. Sometimes, it’s not even taught as such in business schools! Designing one that suits your efficiency, ability and compatibility may require working with a business and leadership coach for effective results. My business and executive coaching services, specifically “Ontological Coaching”, offers an opportunity to co-create with you a professional development plan for a happier, more content, more fulfilled individual. It is an investment in the most precious resource of your life: Y-O-U! Are you ready to generate professional development plan for a peaceful and productive life?