There is nothing worth doing that doesn’t require some intentionality. Otherwise, things will only be taken as they come – which is not the best for anyone with a vision.
Famed American novelist, Norman Mailer, put it best when he opined that “Every moment of one’s existence, one is growing into more or retreating into less.” His words should hold some weight here too, seeing as he was equally a journalist, essayist, and actor, among others.
Employee complacency is a serious issue plaguing most professionals today. The sad part is that many people do not know that they are growing complacent until it is too late. The excuse is always that they are busy focusing on their work, so much that they sink into a routine.
While it is great to give your all at work, you should also put your long-term goals in perspective. That way, you can always have the bigger picture in sight without leaving room for complacency.
This is where a personal development toolkit comes into the mix.
What Is A Personal Development Plan?
Nobody can tell authoritatively where they will be in the next five years. Not even in the next year. However, most professionals know where they want to be in that timeframe.
The fact is that every role you covet; every position you aim to attain, and every title you are gunning for is a desire of others too. What will separate you from them when it comes down to the choice of who fills those shoes is how prepared you are.
No aspiration happens by mistake. For those who get there in error, their lack of capacity will soon show them out – and those professionals will be shown the door too. So that this does not happen to you, there is the need to start building the capacity for the desired role from right now.
A personal development plan is an ideal roadmap to get you from where you are to where you want to be.
Why Do You Need One?
Being intentional about what you want is not enough. You also have to know how to get there.
As suggested above, building capacity takes work and a good deal of time. The effort put into building capacity will not pay the right rewards if not concentrated the right way. This underlines the need for a clear-cut roadmap that informs you of what you need to do – and when you need to do it.
Likewise, a proper personal development plan is an accountability checker. By cross-referencing where you currently are with where you hoped to be by the current timeline, you know how to plug leaks – and concentrate on what has worked too.
Finally, a personal development plan is a no-nonsense calendar in your life. There is no BSing on the skills you have. Your strengths are laid out in front of you and your flaws highlighted. That is not to make you feel bad, but to show you what you need to do for the best results.
What You Need to Do Right Now
At JumpRecruits, we have worked with several hundred professionals in different industries. We have also observed how many of them have risen through the ranks – and are still rising.
Looking at the practices and habits they inculcated, we have drawn up a personal development template to guide your career growth too.
Our development plan not only shows you what you need to do right now but how to keep on track too. When you are done with the template, it also complements your life with what you should keep doing to get to your desired level.
Grab a free copy of your personal development plan below.