A to Z of personal development

This time,i feel like sharing an article from The New Straits Time 2008 written by Vithyaa L. Ramiah . its been on my table ever since and served as a reminder each time i felt like losing faith in the system....

By Vithyaa L. Ramiah

HERE are some personal development tips to help anyone achieve their goals in life.

ACCOUNTABILITY. There is nothing to gain from pointing the finger or blaming others. Be responsible and accountable.

BUILDING POSITIVE HABITS. Lay the foundation brick by brick, and in no time you will have a great wall to protect you from the negativity and negative habits that are so prevalent in the world today.

CONSCIOUSNESS. Become aware of everything. Be aware when negative thoughts cross your mind. Be aware of the people you associate with. Be aware of how you think and live your life everyday.

DRIVE. Do not surrender. Be relentless. If something falls short of expectations, take a step back, reassess, make the necessary corrections and try again, then again, and again if needed. It has been said that Thomas Edison made 1,000 attempts before inventing the lightbulb. Patience will pay off.

EFFICIENCY. Becoming efficient and organised is the foundation of personal development. Time is valuable, strive to accomplish more in less time.

FINISH. Completion of tasks or projects is crucial to personal development and success. Once something gets started, make sure it gets finished.

GOALS,GOALS,GOALS. Setting and achieving goals provide the empowerment to achieve anything in life. The world’s greatest leaders are master goal setters. Knowing where they want to go with a plan in place is the reason for their success.

HAPPINESS. Life is full of bumps in the road. Rather than dwelling on the negatives, take these little bumps and be happy that life has given a new challenge. Find a positive solution. Remember the song Don’t Worry, Be happy.

INDIVIDUALISM. Be the unique individual you are. There is no law that states in order to become a better or more successful individual requires you to change who you truly are.

JOY. Find the joy in everything. Life is too short to dwell in negatives.

KNOWLEDGE. Learn something new every day. Talk to others, read books, research on the internet, find a mentor, or listen to motivational talks or CDs...The Tony Robbins, Brian Tracys and Zig Ziglers of the world became the leader they are through their knowledge.

LEADERSHIP. Lead by example, be the model for others to emulate. Be knowledgeable, fair, consistent and approachable. Become a coach or mentor to someone. Strive for excellence.

MOTIVATION. Get excited about improving life. Be a visionary and achiever.

NEGATIVITY. Plain and simple – get rid of it, flush it down the toilet. Negativity is like a poison and it is more contagious than catching a cold. If you associate with negative people it is imperative to get rid of them also.

OPEN-MINDED. Keeping an open mind is crucial to success. Limiting thoughts and actions will hinder growth and more than likely bring everything to a grinding halt. Keep the eyes and ears open. The opportunity to grow is more often than not right in front of you.

PROGRESS. Move forward, eliminate procrastination and get things done.

QUOTES. A great motivator is to read quotes from well-known writers, leaders in business and motivational speakers.

RATIONALISATION. Use common sense, take the time to think things out before making decisions or taking actions.

SIMPLE. Follow the KISS principle – Keep It Super Simple. If there is no need to complicate something, don’t.

TAKE CONTROL. Take responsibility for your life. Set goals, make plans, stay focused and take actions.

UNSTOPPABLE. Those who achieve their goals and dreams in life possess an unstoppable attitude. Their attitude can be compared to the F-5 tornadoes. These people believe that there is nothing that can get in the way of their success.

VISION. Dream, envision, prioritise what is most important, and set out to accomplish it. At the end of your life don’t let yourself regret not doing the things you truly wanted to do. Envision it, live it.

WRITE IT DOWN. Put your goals down on paper, post reminders around your home and workplace to keep you focused on them. Keep a journal on your life, document your accomplishments as well as your failures – it’s a great way to track your life.

“X”PERT. Become an expert at what you love, learn everything about it. Knowledge and passion lead to wealth.

YEARN. Without a need there is nothing to yearn for. Whether there is a need to spend more time with the family, make more money or get that promotion at work, yearn for it, want it, crave it, then get a plan in motion to get it.

ZOOM. Get into the race car of life, buckle up, shift into overdrive, put the pedal to the metal and zoom your way to the top.

See you there.