my personal development plan assignment

How to Create a Personal Development Plan: 3 Examples

For successful change, it is vital that the client remains engaged, recognizing and identifying with the goals captured inside and outside sessions. A personal development plan (PDP) creates a focus for development while offering a guide for life and future success (Starr, 2021).

This article introduces and explores the value of personal development plans, offering tools, worksheets, and approaches to boost self-reflection and self-improvement.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Goal Achievement Exercises for free . These detailed, science-based exercises will help you or your clients create actionable goals and master techniques to create lasting behavior change.

This Article Contains

What is personal development 7 theories, coaching in personal development and growth, how to create a personal development plan, 3 examples of personal development plans, defining goals and objectives: 10 tips and tools, fostering personal development skills, 3 inspiring books to read on the topic, resources from positivepsychology.com, a take-home message, frequently asked questions.

Personal development is a fundamental concept in psychology and encompasses the lifelong process of self-improvement, self-awareness, and personal growth. Crucial to coaching and counseling, it aims to enhance various aspects of clients’ lives, including their emotional wellbeing, relationships, careers, and overall happiness (Cox, 2018; Starr, 2021).

Several psychological models underpin and support transformation. Together, they help us understand personal development in our clients and the mechanisms and approaches available to make positive life changes (Cox, 2018; Passmore, 2021).

The following psychological theories and frameworks underpin and influence the approach a mental health professional adopts.

1. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

As a proponent of the humanistic or person-centered approach to helping people, Abraham Maslow (1970) suggested that individuals have a hierarchy of needs. Simply put, they begin with basic physiological and safety needs and progress through psychological and self-fulfillment needs.

Personal development is often found in or recognized by the pursuit of higher-level needs, such as self-esteem and self-actualization (Cox, 2018).

2. Erikson’s psychosocial development

Erik Erikson (1963) mapped out a series of eight psychosocial development stages that individuals go through across their lifespan.

Each one involves challenges and crises that once successfully navigated, contribute to personal growth and identity development.

3. Piaget’s cognitive development

The biologist and epistemologist Jean Piaget (1959) focused on cognitive development in children and how they construct their understanding of the world.

We can draw on insights from Piaget’s stages of cognitive development, including intellectual growth and adaptability, to inform our own and others’ personal development (Illeris, 2018).

4. Bandura’s social cognitive theory

Albert Bandura’s (1977) theory highlights the role of social learning and self-efficacy in personal development. It emphasizes that individuals can learn and grow through observation, imitation, and belief in their ability to effect change.

5. Self-determination theory

Ryan and Deci’s (2018) motivational self-determination theory recognizes the importance of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in personal development.

Their approach suggests that individuals are more likely to experience growth and wellbeing when such basic psychological needs are met.

6. Positive psychology

Positive psychology, developed by Martin Seligman (2011) and others, focuses on strengths, wellbeing, and the pursuit of happiness.

Seligman’s PERMA model offers a framework for personal development that emphasizes identifying and using our strengths while cultivating positive emotions and experiences (Lomas et al., 2014).

7. Cognitive-Behavioral Theory (CBT)

Developed by Aaron Beck (Beck & Haigh, 2014) and Albert Ellis (2000), CBT explores the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behavior.

As such, the theory provides practical techniques for personal development, helping individuals identify and challenge negative thought patterns and behaviors (Beck, 2011).

Theories like the seven mentioned above offer valuable insights into many of the psychological processes underlying personal development. They provide a sound foundation for coaches and counselors to support their clients and help them better understand themselves, their motivations, and the paths they can take to foster positive change in their lives (Cox, 2018).

The client–coach relationship is significant to successful growth and goal achievement.

Typically, the coach will focus on the following (Cox, 2018):

• Actualizing tendency This supports a “universal human motivation resulting in growth, development and autonomy of the individual” (Cox, 2018, p. 53).
• Building a relationship facilitating change Trust clients to find their own way while displaying empathy, congruence, and unconditional positive regard . The coach’s “outward responses consistently match their inner feelings towards a client,” and they display a warm acceptance that they are being how they need to be (Passmore, 2021, p. 162).
• Adopting a positive psychological stance Recognize that the client has the potential and wish to become fully functioning (Cox, 2018).

Effective coaching for personal growth involves adopting and committing to a series of beliefs that remind the coach that the “coachee is responsible for the results they create” (Starr, 2021, p. 18) and help them recognize when they may be avoiding this idea.

The following principles are, therefore, helpful for coaching personal development and growth (Starr, 2021).

• Stay committed to supporting the client. While initially strong, you may experience factors that reduce your sense of support for the individual’s challenges.
• Coach nonjudgmentally. Our job is not to adopt a stance based on personal beliefs or judgment of others, but to help our clients form connections between behavior and results.
• Maintain integrity, openness, and trust. The client must feel safe in your company and freely able to express themselves.
• Responsibility does not equal blame. Clients who take on blame rather than responsibility will likely feel worse about something without acknowledging their influence on the situation.
• The client can achieve better results. The client is always capable of doing and achieving more, especially in relation to their goals.
• Focus on clients’ thoughts and experiences. Collaborative coaching is about supporting the growth and development of the client, getting them to where they want to go.
• Clients can arrive at perfect solutions. “As a coach, you win when someone else does” (Starr, 2021, p. 34). The solution needs to be the client’s, not yours.
• Coach as an equal partnership. Explore the way forward together collaboratively rather than from a parental or advisory perspective.

Creating a supportive and nonjudgmental environment helps clients explore their thoughts, feelings, and goals, creating an environment for personal development and flourishing (Passmore, 2021).

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A personal development plan is a powerful document “to create mutual clarity of the aims and focus of a coaching assignment” (Starr, 2021, p. 291). While it is valuable during coaching, it can also capture a client’s way forward once sessions have ended.

Crucially, it should have the following characteristics (Starr, 2021):

• Short and succinct
• Providing a quick reference or point of discussion
• Current and fresh, regularly revised and updated

Key elements of a personal development plan include the following (Starr, 2021):

• Area of development This is the general skill or competence to be worked on.
• Development objectives or goals What does the client want to do? Examples might include reducing stress levels, improving diet, or managing work–life balance .
• Behaviors to develop These comprise what the client will probably do more of when meeting their objectives, for example, practicing better coping mechanisms, eating more healthily, and better managing their day.
• Actions to create progress What must the client do to action their objectives? For example, arrange a date to meet with their manager, sign up for a fitness class, or meet with a nutritionist.
• Date to complete or review the objective Capture the dates for completing actions, meeting objectives, and checking progress.

Check out Lindsey Cooper’s excellent video for helpful guidance on action planning within personal development.

We can write and complete personal development plans in many ways. Ultimately, they should meet the needs of the client and leave them with a sense of connection to and ownership of their journey ahead (Starr, 2021).

• Personal Development Plan – Areas of Development In this PDP , we draw on guidance from Starr (2021) to capture development opportunities and the behaviors and actions needed to achieve them.
• Personal Development Plan – Opportunities for Development This template combines short- and long-term goal setting with a self-assessment of strengths, weaknesses, and development opportunities.
• Personal Development Plan – Ideal Self In this PDP template , we focus on our vision of how our ideal self looks and setting goals to get there.

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“The setting of a goal becomes the catalyst that drives the remainder of the coaching conversation.”

Passmore, 2021, p. 80

Defining goals and objectives is crucial to many coaching conversations and is usually seen as essential for personal development.

Check out this video on how you can design your life with your personal goals in mind.

The following coaching templates are helpful, containing a series of questions to complete Whitmore’s (2009) GROW model :

• G stands for Goal : Where do you want to be?
• R stands for Reality : Where are you right now with this goal?
• O stands for Options : What are some options for reaching your goal?
• W stands for Way forward : What is your first step forward?

Goal setting creates both direction and motivation for clients to work toward achieving something and meeting their objectives (Passmore, 2021).

The SMART goal-setting framework is another popular tool inside coaching and elsewhere.

S = Specific M = Measurable A = Attainable/ or Agreed upon R = Realistic T = Timely – allowing enough time for achievement

The SMART+ Goals Worksheet contains a series of prompts and spaces for answers to define goals and capture the steps toward achieving them.

We can summarize the five principles of goal setting (Passmore, 2021) as follows:

• Goals must be clear and not open to interpretation.
• Goals should be stretching yet achievable.
• Clients must buy in to the goal from the outset.
• Feedback is essential to keep the client on track.
• Goals should be relatively straightforward. We can break down complex ones into manageable subgoals.

The following insightful articles are also helpful for setting and working toward goals.

• What Is Goal Setting and How to Do it Well
• The Science & Psychology of Goal-Setting 101

1. People skills

Improving how we work with others benefits confidence, and with other’s support, we are more likely to achieve our objectives and goals. The following people skills can all be improved upon:

• Developing rapport
• Assertiveness and negotiation
• Giving and receiving constructive criticism

2. Managing tasks and problem-solving

Inevitably, we encounter challenges on our path to development and growth. Managing our activities and time and solving issues as they surface are paramount.

Here are a few guidelines to help you manage:

• Organize time and tasks effectively.
• Learn fundamental problem-solving strategies.
• Select and apply problem-solving strategies to tackle more complex tasks and challenges.
• Develop planning skills, including identifying priorities, setting achievable targets, and finding practical solutions.
• Acquire skills relevant to project management.
• Familiarize yourself with concepts such as performance indicators and benchmarking.
• Conduct self-audits to assess and enhance your personal competitiveness.

3. Cultivate confidence in your creative abilities

Confidence energizes our performance. Knowing we can perform creatively encourages us to develop novel solutions and be motivated to transform.

Consider the following:

• Understand the fundamentals of how the mind works to enhance your thinking skills.
• Explore a variety of activities to sharpen your creative thinking.
• Embrace the belief that creativity is not limited to artists and performers but is crucial for problem-solving and task completion.
• Learn to ignite the spark of creativity that helps generate innovative ideas when needed.
• Apply creative thinking techniques to enhance your problem-solving and task completion abilities.
• Recognize the role of creative thinking in finding the right ideas at the right time.

To aid you in building your confidence, we have a whole category of articles focused on Optimism and Mindset . Be sure to browse it for confidence-building inspiration.

With new techniques and technology, our understanding of the human brain continues to evolve. Identifying the vital elements involved in learning and connecting with others offers deep insights into how we function and develop as social beings. We handpicked a small but unique selection of books we believe you will enjoy.

1. The Coaching Manual: The Definitive Guide to the Process, Principles and Skills of Personal Coaching – Julie Starr

This insightful book explores and explains the coaching journey from start to finish.

Starr’s book offers a range of free resources and gives clear guidance to support new and existing coaches in providing practical help to their clients.

Find the book on Amazon .

2. The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level – Gay Hendricks

Delving into the “zone of genius” and the “zone of excellence,” Hendricks examines personal growth and our path to personal success.

This valuable book explores how we eliminate the barriers to reaching our goals that arise from false beliefs and fears.

3. The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are – Brené Brown

Brown, a leading expert on shame, vulnerability, and authenticity, examines how we can engage with the world from a place of worthiness.

Use this book to learn how to build courage and compassion and realize the behaviors, skills, and mindset that lead to personal development.

We have many resources available for fostering personal development and supporting client transformation and growth.

Our free resources include:

• Goal Planning and Achievement Tracker This is a valuable worksheet for capturing and reflecting on weekly goals while tracking emotions that surface.
• Adopt a Growth Mindset Successful change is often accompanied by replacing a fixed mindset with a growth one .
• FIRST Framework Questions Understanding a client’s developmental stage can help offer the most appropriate support for a career change.

More extensive versions of the following tools are available with a subscription to the Positive Psychology Toolkit© , but they are described briefly below:

• Backward Goal Planning

Setting goals can build confidence and the skills for ongoing personal development.

Backward goal planning helps focus on the end goal, prevent procrastination, and decrease stress by ensuring we have enough time to complete each task.

Try out the following four simple steps:

• Step one – Identify and visualize your end goal.
• Step two – Reflect on and capture the steps required to reach the goal.
• Step three – Focus on each step one by one.
• Step four – Take action and record progress.
• Boosting Motivation by Celebrating Micro Successes

Celebrating the small successes on our journey toward our goals is motivating and confidence building.

Practice the following:

• Step one – Reflect momentarily on the goal you are working toward.
• Step two – Consider each action being taken to reach that goal.
• Step three – Record the completion of each action as a success.
• Step four – Choose how to celebrate each success.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others reach their goals, check out this collection of 17 validated motivation & goal achievement tools for practitioners. Use them to help others turn their dreams into reality by applying the latest science-based behavioral change techniques.

17 Tools To Increase Motivation and Goal Achievement

These 17 Motivation & Goal Achievement Exercises [PDF] contain all you need to help others set meaningful goals, increase self-drive, and experience greater accomplishment and life satisfaction.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Personal development has a rich and long history. It is underpinned by various psychological theories and remains a vital aspect of creating fulfilling lives inside and outside coaching and counseling.

For many of us, self-improvement, self-awareness, and personal growth are vital aspects of who we are. Coaching can provide a vehicle to help clients along their journey, supporting their sense of autonomy and confidence and highlighting their potential (Cox, 2018).

Working with clients, therefore, requires an open, honest, and supportive relationship. The coach or counselor must believe the client can achieve better results and view them nonjudgmentally as equal partners.

Personal development plans become essential to that relationship and the overall coaching process. They capture areas for development, skills and behaviors required, and goals and objectives to work toward.

Use this article to recognize theoretical elements from psychology that underpin the process and use the skills, guidance, and worksheets to support personal development in clients, helping them remove obstacles along the way.

Ultimately, personal development is a lifelong process that boosts wellbeing and flourishing and creates a richer, more engaging environment for the individual and those around them.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Goal Achievement Exercises for free .

Personal development is vital, as it enables individuals to enhance various aspects of their lives, including emotional wellbeing, relationships, careers, and overall happiness.

It promotes self-awareness, self-improvement, and personal growth, helping individuals reach their full potential and lead fulfilling lives (Passmore, 2021; Starr, 2021).

Personal development is the journey we take to improve ourselves through conscious habits and activities and focusing on the goals that are important to us.

Personal development goals are specific objectives individuals set to improve themselves and their lives. Goals can encompass various areas, such as emotional intelligence, skill development, health, and career advancement, providing direction and motivation for personal growth (Cox, 2018; Starr, 2021).

A personal development plan typically comprises defining the area of development, setting development objectives, identifying behaviors to develop, planning actions for progress, and establishing completion dates. These five stages help individuals clarify their goals and track their progress (Starr, 2021).

• Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory . Prentice-Hall.
• Beck, A. T., & Haigh, E. P. (2014). Advances in cognitive therapy and therapy: The generic cognitive model. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology , 10 , 1–24.
• Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond . Guilford Press.
• Cottrell, S. (2015). Skills for success: Personal development and employability . Bloomsbury Academic.
• Cox, E. (2018). The complete handbook of coaching . SAGE.
• Ellis, A. (2000). Can rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) be effectively used with people who have devout beliefs in God and religion? Professional Psychology-Research and Practice , 31 (1), 29–33.
• Erikson, E. H. (1963). Youth: Change and challenge . Basic Books.
• Illeris, K. (2018). An overview of the history of learning theory. European Journal of Education , 53 (1), 86–101.
• Lomas, T., Hefferon, K., & Ivtzan, I. (2014). Applied positive psychology: Integrated positive practice . SAGE.
• Maslow, A. H. (1970). Motivation and personalit y (2nd ed.). Harper & Row.
• Passmore, J. (Ed.). (2021). The coaches’ handbook: The complete practitioner guide for professional coaches . Routledge.
• Piaget, J. (1959): The Psychology of intelligence . Routledge.
• Rose, C. (2018). The personal development group: The students’ guide . Routledge.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2018). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness . Guilford Press.
• Seligman, M. E. (2011). Authentic happiness using the new positive psychology to realize your potential for lasting fulfillment . Nicholas Brealey.
• Starr, J. (2021). The coaching manual: The definitive guide to the process, principles and skills of personal coaching . Harlow: Pearson Education.
• Whitmore, J. (2009). Coaching for performance . Nicholas Brealey.

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A Personal Development Plan (PDP) Guide & Template

What is a personal development plan.

Personal development is an ongoing process that drives you to improve your knowledge, skills and experience, so that you can achieve your goals. A personal development plan (or PDP) is a method of focussing your goals into achievable steps, which helps you keep track of your personal development.

Download Free PDP Example/Template

Why Should I Create a Personal Development Plan?

Your plan may be aimed at your education, career or personal goal, or a mixture of all three – that is up to you to determine. Whatever the case may be, a good plan will provide you with a clear sense of focus. It helps you map out a path towards your goals, strategise a plan to achieve them, record the actionable steps you will take, and set a timeframe for completing them. Focussing your goals into a PDP helps you maintain your vision, keep on track to achieve your targets, and reflect on your progress.

Simply put, a PDP can help you build a clear understanding of what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it.

Interested in Learning More?

Let us help with your personal development goals this year. Choose from a wide range of  business essentials courses , whether it be  Leadership and Management ,  Starting a Business , or  Coaching and Mentoring . You could have your CPD recognised certificate in a matter of hours!

A clear plan can also support your positive mental wellbeing and improve your level of satisfaction. It can provide a sense of direction, purposefulness and a feeling of success as you start to fulfil your potential. All of these can have very positive impacts on your mental health. 

Therefore, discovering what your goals are, getting organised and giving yourself a sense of direction can be incredibly beneficial. This article will give you an understanding of how to write a personal development plan, as well as provide you with a handy template to support your development journey.

How to Write a Personal Development Plan

There are seven steps to writing a PDP:

• Set yourself goals.
• Prioritise those goals.
• Set yourself deadlines for when you want to achieve them.
• Recognise threats and opportunities.
• Develop your skills or increase your knowledge.
• Use your support network.
• Measure your progress.

1. Set Yourself Goals

The first step is to set yourself goals . Think about what you want to achieve, whether that’s within a few weeks, within a year, or over your lifetime.

Deciding what you want is not only the first step in planning, it’s also the hardest. Once you’ve figured out what you want to do, that goal will provide clear direction and a structure for your resulting plan.

At this stage, your goals will feel big. You might be wondering how you are ever going to achieve them. Don’t worry – the next step is to prioritise and turn those goals into smaller, actionable steps that will support you on your way to achieving them.

2. Prioritising Your Goals

Now that you have your goals, the next stage is to break them down into smaller steps. When doing this, it’s important that your goals are SMART:

• Specific. Avoid large, ambiguous steps. These won’t support you on your way to achieving your goals. Insted, make sure that your goals are specific and clearly highlight the skill, knowledge or experience you want to develop.
• Measureable. You need to be able to monitor and reflect on your progress. Therefore, your goals need to be measurable, such as by setting a goal to develop your SEO knowledge with a measurable target of growing your website traffic by a set, defined percentage.
• Attainable. Your goals need to be achievable and realistic. You need to think about if it is something you can realistically achieve with the time and resources you have. If not, you will likely be setting yourself up for failure. 
• Relevant. It’s important to keep your overall goal in mind and make sure that every step you take is supporting you to achieve it. You don’t want to be spending time doing things that don’t get you where you want to go.
• Time-bound. Set yourself key targets to achieve and deadlines in which to achieve them. This will help you stay focussed on achieving your goals. However, it’s important to make sure you are realistic in what you can achieve in any given period. Don’t try to achieve everything all at once. It’s unrealistic and you won’t be setting yourself up well to achieve them. Remember that personal development is a journey – your PD plan can continue to grow and develop as you take those steps towards your goals.

Once you have your goals, you’ll need to prioritise them. 

In your PDP, you should be setting yourself mini goals to make the big ones happen.

For example, if you wish to pursue a career in academia as a senior lecturer and then a professor, a necessary step to succeeding in this goal is to achieve a PhD. So that would be one of your long-term goals. You then need to break it down into steps, such as:

• Learn about the PhD application process.
• Find a suitable university and supervisor for a PhD.
• Look at routes for funding.
• Find studentships to apply for or apply to your university of choice.
• Write and submit your PhD application.

3. Set Yourself Deadlines

Knowing when you want to achieve a goal is crucial, and picturing your future is an important source of motivation and inspiration.

Having goals and a set deadline will drive your motivation to achieve them. For example, if your goal is to buy a home, knowing when you want to achieve it will help you calculate exactly how much money you need to save each year in order to get your deposit. The same is true for your skills, knowledge and experience development. As mentioned above, setting realistic and time-bound goals are essential to achieving them. 

One good way to understand more about achieving your goals is to speak to those who have previously trodden a similar path. Learning about  their experiences can help you understand key barriers to, or methods of, success that may also be applicable to your PDP.

4. Recognise Threats and Opportunities

When considering your goals, you should identify your own strengths, consider areas of weakness you can develop, look at the opportunities available to support you in achieving your goals, and any threats that may hinder you in your progress. This is called a SWOT analysis. Note that these threats may be external or they may be core skills that you can develop as part of your PDP.

For example, a lack of motivation could hinder your plans to apply for a PhD. However, once you’ve identified your tendency to procrastinate or lose focus, you can put in place methods that will keep you motivated.

There are also going to be things that you could do, and connections with people or resources you could take advantage of, that will help you on your way. These are your opportunities that you should commit to doing.

For example, if there’s a conference coming up, take advantage of that. Go along and network, stay up to date on the latest knowledge, or even present a paper. These are all opportunities that could help you achieve your goals.

5. Develop Yourself

Once you have an idea of what could help or hinder you, this is when you can capitalise on those opportunities you recognised. Make an action plan about how you’ll make that progress.

Whatever it is that hinders you, there’s a way to stop it. Your plan is the first step to making sure you stay on track. 

So, why not take a look at how to upskill yourself , develop transferable skills in today’s rapidly changing jobs market, or even discover an online learning opportunity .

6. Use Your Support Network

The next thing you need to realise is that:

You don’t have to do everything by yourself.

And you shouldn’t. The support network around you is a valuable asset, so use it and don’t underestimate it.

In your PDP, list the people who can help you. This could be a financial advisor, a friend, or a colleague. People are often so happy to help you, more than you might realise.

7. Measure Progress

After you’ve achieved some progress, whether it’s big or small, take time to reflect on how far you’ve come.

Recognising what has gone well is an effective way to bolster your motivation and remain dedicated.

And after a setback, this is another time to take stock.

Wallowing – briefly – is a good way to feel what you need to without holding on to it. Holding onto sadness, anger or frustration, however, will only deter you. These emotions will take you nowhere and will only hinder you.

You should also spend a little time figuring out why it went wrong. Can you identify a skills or knowledge gap? 

 If you can, then you can get yourself back on track by focussing on your next step. This will reignite your sense of purpose and help you regain control, which is integral to making progress.

Continue to reflect on your progress. You can gain significant insight from your reflections and this can help you grow. Remember that you should update your plan where necessary. Don’t overload it at any one time but, once you have achieved your small steps, reflect and then update your plan to focus on your next move.

Free Personal Development Plan Example & Template

In this article, we have discussed how you can create your own personal development plan, so you should now feel ready to start considering your goals and developing your own plan. To help you produce an effective personal development plan, we have created an editable template that you can use. Take a look at our example PDP, and download your free template below:

Further Resources:

• How to Upskill Yourself
• What are Personal Development Goals for Work?
• Using Key Phrases in Performance Reviews & Appraisals
• Resilience Quiz
• Resilience in the Workplace: What are the Benefits and How Can Businesses Develop It?
• How to Stand Out in a Virtual Interview: Preparation Tips
• What is CPD? A Guide to Continuing Professional Development
• Writing A Professional Development Plan – Example & Template
• Soft Skills in the Workplace
• Business Essentials Courses

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Her favourite article is Five Top Learning and Development Trends for 2020

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How to Craft a Personal Development Plan that Inspires Meaningful, Long-Term Results

Overview : This in-depth guide provides a comprehensive 7-step roadmap to create a customized personal development plan template to help you actualize your true potential. It also provides a personal development plan template you can use (with examples).

______________

I leaped into the personal development world with a copy of Tony Robbins’ Personal Power program in the early 1990s.

If you’re old enough and living in the States, you know the one I’m talking about (late-night infomercials).

I was 18, and this audio program made a measurable difference in my outlook and behavior.

From that moment onward, I was hooked on personal development.

I jumped from seminar to seminar, book to book. Investing every possible moment I had, I covered a lot of ground in my first five years.

Reflecting over 30 years on my journey, I now see I was missing several vital ingredients essential for long-term, healthy development back then.

In this guide, I will share with you lessons learned and provide a roadmap for crafting a powerful Personal Development Plan. (Also, toward the bottom of the guide, you can download a personal development plan template and an example plan.)

Let’s dive in …

What is a Personal Development Plan?

A personal development plan is like a business plan for an individual. A personal development plan creates a roadmap for an individual’s growth in key categories of life and work.

There’s no set formula or template for creating a personal development plan.

Your plan can be a half-page, a full-page, or 20 pages long. It’s entirely up to you.

To clarify, “individual development plans” are generally more geared toward career development than a personal development plan (or “self-development plan”), but they all share common attributes.

The primary question a Personal Development Plan helps answer is:

Where am I going to place my available time and attention?

Personal Development Definitions

If you examine most people over a decade, you’ll observe little or no change in their development and behavior.

Development implies a permanent change in the structure of your being including your body, brain, or consciousness.

Just because you adopt a new habit , for example, doesn’t mean you have or will grow from it. If this new habit leads to internal growth over time , however, it will facilitate your development.

It’s all too easy to believe we’re developing when we’re not. I know I deceived myself for many years and there’s evidence of this throughout personal development communities.

Reading books in this genre, for example, doesn’t mean you’re developing. You might just be acquiring more ideas.

Personal development books can potentially provide a roadmap for development in certain areas, but real development comes through practice and repetition .

Our behavior and the development of skills, aptitudes, and desired tendencies are where we can observe signs of permanent change.

Personal Development Is Not Self Help

Self-help implies there’s something wrong with us.

The multi-billion-dollar self-help industry profits by subconsciously communicating these “deficiencies” to its unsuspecting audience.

Actual personal development is how humans realize more of their innate potential.

In an ideal environment, this process happens naturally .

Because this perfect environment doesn’t exist in society, the call for personal development is an individual’s choice. It’s up to each individual to say “yes” to their hero’s journey .

Why Personal Development Plans Are Important

When you don’t have a vision, a plan, or a goal, where does your attention go?

For most people, attention goes to entertainment and distraction. Sight, sound, and motion captivate our brains.

Television series, films, video games, social media, sports, and stock prices hook the primitive parts of our brains.

Even if you’re an overachiever who defines yourself by accomplishments and external status, your attention likely gets fixated on more work, higher productivity, and making more money. That’s fine, but this effort doesn’t necessarily support our personal development goals.

When entertainment, distraction, and workaholism consume our attention, something doesn’t feel right within us.

We may not identify it, but a deeper part of us isn’t fulfilled.

Focusing on Growth Needs

Psychologist Abraham Maslow noted that when individuals mainly focus on meeting their basic human needs like physiological needs, security, fitting in, and being liked and respected, they become neurotic.

Self-actualizing individuals, in contrast, are more focused on their growth needs.

Their motivation stems from an internal directive called intrinsic motivation instead of being driven by external forces. (All of our basic human needs are external.)

To have a full and meaningful life requires us to open to deeper aspects of ourselves.

A personal development plan can help us do just that.

But most people don’t know what’s available to them. I certainly wasn’t aware of the options when I started my journey.

Youthful enthusiasm and naivete guided those early years.

If you go to personal development seminars or read books in this genre, you may only think within the confines of the illustrations these resources provide.

7-Step Roadmap to Creating Your Personal Development Plan

Before we jump in, here’s a quick overview of the steps for creating your personal development plan:

Step 1: Discover the Human Potential Landscape Step 2: Envision Your Future Self Step 3: Select your Current Areas of Focus Step 4: Determine Your Key Practices Step 5: Establish Personal Development Goals Step 6: Set Your Schedule for Deliberate Practice Step 7: Monitor Your Ongoing Progress

Step 1 is what’s missing from many people’s approach to personal development.

So we’ll start our journey with a larger vision for our human potential.

Note : Toward the bottom of this guide, you can download a personal development plan template based on this roadmap.

STEP 1: Discover the Personal Development Landscape

One thing I was missing from my personal development journey was a roadmap of the terrain. How can you navigate through your development without a map?

Every good explorer has one. Such a map shines a much-needed light on the diverse areas of our potential.

A reliable map of human potential wasn’t readily available in the early 90s.

The fields of transpersonal psychology, developmental psychology, integral theory, and neuroscience, however, were converging on one.

Theorist Ken Wilber played a major role in synthesizing many fields of research into a cohesive whole.

Personal Development Categories

In my experience, I’ve found it helps to take an integrated approach to your personal development plan.

That is, know your menu of options so you can select from multiple areas that interest you.

To create a map for our development, we need to know the categories available to us. These categories include:

• Lines of Intelligence (also called Streams of Development)

Skill Development

Major life categories, behavioral change, personality development.

Let’s look at each of these categories in more detail.

Available Lines of Intelligence

While we used to associate “intelligence” with IQ; we now know there are many forms of intelligence.

One popular model comes from the pioneering work of Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner and his Multiple Intelligence theory. 1 Gardner, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences , 2011.

In Gardner’s model, there are now nine lines of intelligence:

Logical-mathematical intelligence : logic, abstractions, reasoning, numbers, and critical thinking. This intelligence is associated with IQ and intellectual aptitude. This line is also referred to as cognitive intelligence as explored in Jean Piaget’s research.

Linguistic intelligence : words, languages, reading, writing, telling stories, and memorizing words.

Intrapersonal intelligence : to know oneself including one’s strengths and weaknesses, emotional triggers, and motivations. One’s ability to be introspective and self-reflective. Psychologist Daniel Goleman popularized this as  Emotional Intelligence .

Kinesthetic intelligence : one’s ability to control one’s body and one’s skill in using it. Also called body intelligence or body-mind connection.

Musical intelligence :  sensitivity to sounds, pitch, rhythms, tones, meter, melody, etc.

Visual-spatial intelligence : spatial judgment and the ability to visualize and imagine with the mind’s eye.

Interpersonal intelligence : sensitivity to others’ moods, feelings, temperaments, motivations, and their ability to cooperate with others. Goleman popularized this as  Social Intelligence .

Naturalistic intelligence : sensitivity to one’s environment; the ability to recognize flora and fauna; nurturing and relating to one’s natural surroundings.

Existential intelligence : sometimes called spiritual intelligence; relates to one’s understanding of oneself concerning reality or the cosmos.

Integral Theory’s “AQAL” Model of Human Development

Additional Perspectives from Developmental Research

Other developmental researchers have studied the stages of growth in morals, values, worldviews, emotions, contemplation, spirituality, needs, and psycho-sexual development.

Do you see the diverse range of our potential?

In  Integral Life Practice , Ken Wilber, et al. group these “streams of development” into four categories:

• Cognitive development
• Self-related intelligence (including basic human needs , morals, values, and self-identity)
• Talent lines of development (including musical, visual-spatial, mathematical, and kinesthetic)
• Everything else (including spiritual, aesthetic, emotional, psychosexual, and interpersonal)

We each have a different base level of development in each line of intelligence and an innate potential we can realize through deliberate practice.

Our environment often thwarts this potential in early childhood. As adults, our responsibility is to resume this upward march. A personal development plan can help us with that!

Skill development is a broad category that includes areas where you show interest and/or ability. You can develop skills for personal or professional reasons.

There are skills in problem-solving , communication , collaborating, drawing, computer programming, bookkeeping, writing, analyzing, martial arts, persuading, musical instruments, negotiating, learning , presenting, goal setting, listening, managing, planning, reasoning, and predicting, to name only a few.

All skills are associated with at least one line of intelligence listed above. With sufficient interest, practice, and the right methods, individuals can develop any skill.

One way to get more clarity on your natural skills is to take the free VIA Character Strength survey . Your natural strengths often translate to specific skills.

The Wheel of Life Exercise

In your pursuit of personal development, you may have come across the Wheel of Life .

The Wheel of Life is a standard tool that coaches use to illustrate the various categories of one’s life, measure an individual’s status in each area, and set goals to improve in those areas.

Your wheel might include physical health, relationships, social, finances , professional, personal growth, spirituality , creativity , and fun.

The message behind the Wheel of Life is that development occurs through conscious effort and being intentional about how you grow within these key categories.

Who doesn’t have behaviors they would like to change?

We all have set patterns of behavior that get entrenched by unconscious repetition.

Making positive changes to these habits requires repatterning the brain.

For lasting change to occur, we repeat the new habit or behavior over time under various conditions.

The time necessary to install a new habit varies; research suggests it takes 66 days on average. 2 https://www.spring.org.uk/2009/09/how-long-to-form-a-habit.php I’ve found that it’s usually much less.

Why do many personal development programs fail to produce long-term results? Because these programs are “one size fits all.”

Research shows there is a range of psychological types. In the Enneagram system, there are nine primary types and nine levels of development within each one.

Each type has varying propensities, habitual patterns, strengths, weaknesses, fears, and potentials.

If you want to create an effective Personal Development Plan, be sure you’re aware of your psychological type. Each type has a different pathway to higher development.

As a business coach to high-performing entrepreneurs for over 25 years, I went through and used most (if not all) personality tests on the market, including popular ones like Myers-Briggs (MBTI), Human Design Engineering (HDe), and DISC.

In my opinion, the Enneagram is the most efficacious, robust, and useful. (MBTI and HDE are insightful too.)

You can take a free Enneagram test here . You can find scientifically validated paid tests online as well.

After you get your results, read more about your type and see if it resonates. Then, look for ways to develop your type. (On the Enneagram Institute website, they offer “Personal Growth Recommendations” for each type.)

STEP 2: Envision Your Future Self

Consider what the above information means about our potential: Developing any line of intelligence gives us greater sensitivity to the world around us.

We can now process information in new and deeper ways. Every time we grow in a line of intelligence, we perceive the world differently.

We are more aware than before. We have greater sensitivity to the world around us. Our possibilities are remarkable to ponder.

Nietzsche believed it was our destiny to be Ubermensch or Superman. An Ubermensch is an integrated or whole human being accessing his full potential.

Numerous researchers in developmental psychology have come to a similar conclusion, calling the final stage of development “Integrated.”

Maslow called this stage of development self-actualization and later, self-transcendence .

Cast Your Vision

Now, in Step 2, it’s time to create your vision for your future self .

Your vision (and personal development goals) will inspire you if it is true to who you are.

Sometimes we create a vision based on what we  should want or what we hope will gain approval from others—our parents, significant others, colleagues, or friends). Such a vision will lack inspiration and will feel meaningless to us.

Don’t worry about creating a “perfect” vision or the “right” vision. Just craft a sentence or two that inspires you right now.

STEP 3: Select Your Current Areas of Focus

In Step 1, you see a diverse range of options available. Learning about these options can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. If you nailed your vision in Step 2, you have more clarity.

Now, depending on your level of clarity, Step 3 can either be the easiest or the most difficult part of this process.

Even when you have a compelling vision for your future self, selecting areas of development to focus on can challenge us because we have limited time and countless options.

We can’t do it all. Creating an aggressive or complicated personal development plan with many goals backfires over time. I can attest to this from personal experience.

An aggressive plan will create additional internal resistance that undermines your efforts.

Over-planning sets you up for failure and discouragement. Eventually, you will burn out (lose motivation) and abandon your plan.

Be Mindful of Your Available Time

We’ll discuss scheduling in Step 6, but consider how much time you have available to invest in your development.

Let’s say you only have 30 minutes a day.

Is it reasonable to expect to make significant changes in six areas of your life within three months?

Developing new skills, for example, may take a minimum of 15 minutes of daily practice.

To set yourself up for success, I recommend picking up to three areas to focus on within the next 90 days.

Where Should You Start?

Select the areas that interest you the most. You’ll learn faster in these areas and have an easier time staying engaged with your practice.

So the question is: What’s most important to you right now ?

What are the areas you are most interested in developing now ?

To help answer these questions, it helps to know what you most value .

Narrow Down Your Search

Be aware of the tendency to overthink the selection process.

Better to dive into something for a month or two and then determine it’s not for you than to analyze your options. Analysis, as the saying goes, often leads to paralysis.

If you’re still having trouble deciding, go with the classic categories of Body, Mind, and Spirit.

• Body : pick an area that interests you like strength training, stamina, aerobics, or functional training.
• Mind : select one to three topics you want to explore. Read relevant books for each one.
• Spirit : consider focusing on gratitude, acceptance, kindness, compassion, meditation, or service to others.

I also recommend you include shadow work as part of an integrated program.

Include Important Lines of Development

While everyone is different and will create their plan to suit their needs, there are certain areas I believe to be foundational (for at least most people).

Cognitive Intelligence

Research shows that cognition is “necessary but insufficient” for other lines of development. For example, just because you have well-developed cognition doesn’t mean you’ll have moral intelligence.

One way to improve your cognition is to read books that challenge your understanding.

Emotional Intelligence (EI)

EI is, arguably, as important as cognitive development. EI relates to your physical and mental health, the quality of your relationships, and your leadership abilities (including self-leadership ).

One way to grow your emotional awareness is through meditation training . In the context of your personal development plan, meditation is a skill-building exercise. You are developing the skill of attention .

Intrapersonal Intelligence

Your level of self-awareness and knowledge of yourself influences your behaviors, moral development, and psychological development.

The Enneagram system can support the development of intrapersonal intelligence. Another way is to practice self-reflection and journaling.

See this in-depth guide on developing intrapersonal intelligence .

Kinesthetic Intelligence

Your awareness of your body defines the degree of your connection to your instinctive self. The more connected you are, the more mental balance you experience (and vice versa).

You can develop your body intelligence through practices like Yoga and Qigong as well as dancing and functional training. You can also use centering exercises , grounding techniques , and Zhan Zhuang  to increase body awareness.

Of course, there are other important aspects of your development. I singled out these four because they influence so much of our behaviors and decisions. Also, many of us are unaware of the profound role they play in our life experiences.

Pushing Beyond Professional Development

One thing I’ve observed in working with high-performing individuals is they tend to focus only on professional goals.

Many of us want to profit from our self-development plan. I’m not suggesting there’s anything wrong with that. Developing your abilities and talents should make you more marketable and of greater value to others.

However, watch the tendency to invest exclusively in this area, denying other aspects of yourself that are still important to a deeper part of you.

If you create a diverse personal development plan, you’ll increase your chances of actualizing your plan. You’ll also find it to be a more rewarding experience.

STEP 4: Determine Your Key Practices

Excellent books like Daniel Coyle’s The Talent Code and Anders Ericsson’s Peak: The New Science of Expertise  show that talent isn’t born but cultivated through deliberate practice .

Once you have selected the areas of your Personal Development Plan, the next step is to determine your practices.

These practices are the actions you are committing to doing consistently to develop in your particular areas of interest.

Examples of Practices

For example, if you want to improve your writing, write at least 1,000 words every day and edit what you write ruthlessly .

Want to learn to play the guitar? Pick up your guitar for at least 15 minutes every evening.

Want to increase your strength? Determine your training routine and follow through three or four days per week.

You may not know what practices to follow in the beginning. At first, you’ll research different topics through books, videos, and articles.

This exploration will help you to pick your practices. You may also consider hiring a coach or trainer to help you establish your practices.

STEP 5: Establish Personal Development Goals

Another common mistake people make with their personal development plan is to set BIG goals.

Big goals are useful for businesses but suboptimal for your self-development plan.

A big goal might be to master a particular instrument within 12 months. Such a goal will go unrealized.

As Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War , “Every battle is won before it’s ever fought.”

To win the battle for your development in the war of distraction, set mini-goals instead.

Mini goals help you build momentum because they’re more readily achievable than big goals.

Yes, have a big vision . But only set mini personal development goals that are fun, engaging, and manageable.

Examples of Mini-Goals

Instead of mastering an instrument, for example, perhaps you establish a mini-goal like learning how to read sheet music or comfortably playing your favorite song.

If you’re just starting with strength training and you can only do ten consecutive push-ups, perhaps you set a goal of 30 push-ups.

If you want to improve as a public speaker, maybe you set a mini-goal to speak in front of a crowd at least once a week.

If you’re getting into meditation, and you can’t sit comfortably for more than a few minutes, maybe you commit to sitting for just 2 minutes once or twice a day for the next 21 days.

These types of personal development goals will inspire your practice and help you build positive momentum.

STEP 6: Set Your Schedule for Deliberate Practice

Once you know your practices, ensure you block off sufficient time for making progress.

Many people struggle with scheduling for two primary reasons:

• They underestimate how long things take. They get too ambitious with their expectations.
• They don’t honor their calendar unless it involves other people. Time scheduled for ourselves is the first thing to get bumped.

Watch out for both of these common patterns. If you don’t honor your time, I can assure you, no one else will.

Ground Your Plan to Reality

So first ask, How much time can I reasonably commit to my personal development plan?

The question isn’t what you should do; it’s what you think is reasonable and practical in the course of your busy life.

This infographic from Inc. illustrates how 500 chief-level executives spend their day. The average business leader invests 30 minutes a day in personal development—right before bed.

For most people, the two easiest periods to carve out time for your personal development plan are early morning and late evening.

Both of these times share the same two qualities:

• There are fewer distractions and
• You don’t have to interrupt your work/life flow to jump into your practices.

The key is to find times when you can be consistent and then establish a daily rhythm with your practice.

This way you don’t have to make a daily decision of whether or not to practice. You just practice!

Just 10 to 15 minutes is sufficient when you have a busy schedule. On the weekends, you can carve out additional time.

STEP 7: Monitor Your Ongoing Progress

Feedback facilitates the learning process. Athletes and musicians excel when they have experienced coaches to provide the right practices and effective feedback .

In Daniel Coyle’s examination of exceptional talent, he found that having a masterful coach was one of the common denominators for producing talent. 3 Daniel Coyle, The Talent Code , 2009.

Be Aware of Your Overall Mindset

One reason many people fail to develop is because they have a fixed mindset . Individuals with a fixed mindset are more driven to avoid looking foolish than by the desire to learn. They evade any constructive or critical feedback from others.

In contrast, someone on the path to self-mastery accepts failure and mistakes as part of the learning process.

In The Art of Learning , chess master and tai chi champion Josh Waitzkin explains how he became a tai chi champion by challenging superior opponents.

Instead of sparring with opponents of equal or lesser ability, he sought more skilled martial artists. He was often defeated, but he learned quickly.

The Important Role of Attention

Other than outside feedback, the other key to monitoring your progress is to increase your awareness as you practice.

The goal is to become fully present-minded with your practice. (To assist in this process, try using something like The Mastery Method to increase your mental alertness and self-awareness.)

When you bring more awareness to your practice, you ignite an internal feedback loop that facilitates faster learning.

How to Develop Awareness

One way to develop greater awareness is through mind training.

Breathing techniques and meditation help develop parts of the brain (prefrontal cortex region) associated with awareness.

It’s also important to enter a centered state before you practice. It only takes a minute or two, and it will speed up your results.

Do Periodic Check-Ins

Finally, check in with your personal development plan often.

Scan it weekly and revisit it each month to see if there are any adjustments you want to make.

Are you making progress toward your personal development goals? If not, why not?

Evaluate and make course corrections as needed.

Your Personal Development Plan Template (Fillable)

To help you create your plan, I’ve designed a personal development plan template based on the roadmap and principles outlined above. The template is fillable.

Your free kit includes:

• Print-ready PDF of this guide
• Fillable personal development plan template
• Personal development plan example that’s already filled in

Download your free personal development plan kit below.

Note: After you enter your email, you’ll be redirected back here. Links to your free assessment templates will be right here.

Build Your Own Personal Development Plan Template

If you would prefer to create your own template, it’s easy to do. Just include the following elements we just discussed:

• Personal vision (the results from Step 2)
• Areas of focus (the categories selected in Step 3)
• Skills (you’re in the process of developing)
• Practices (you’re using to develop your skills and lines of intelligence from Step 4)
• Mini goals (associated with your skills from Step 5)

All of this information can fit on a single-page template. It will take effort to set up your plan, but once you do, it requires little energy to maintain and update.

Ready? It’s time to create your own Personal Development Plan.

Make Your Personal Development Plan Clear and Practical

It’s important to keep your personal development plan as simple and concise as possible.

The more complicated and robust your plan becomes, the less likely you are to follow through.

For years, I kept my plan on my desk. A 10-second glance at the document was often all I needed.

I used to help my clients create elaborate results plans that often grew into large report-sized documents. We found they were less functional the bigger they became. Eventually, we reduced these plans down to a single page.

Keep your plan to a single page if possible. A one-page personal development plan makes it easy for you to check in often.

Books Related to Personal Development Plan Roadmaps

First, here are a few excellent personal development books cited in this guide:

Mastery by George Leonard

The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle

The Little Book of Talent  by Daniel Coyle

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

From my experience, the most neglected step in creating a Personal Development Plan is understanding the terrain of human potential—what I attempted to summarize in Step 1.

Here are a series of books that opened my mind to greater possibilities years ago.

Integral Life Practice  by Ken Wilber, et al.

3 Vital Stages of Self-Discovery (and Activities for Each Stage)

A Practical Guide to Joseph Campbell and the Hero’s Journey

How to Change Your Mindset from Fixed to Growth

How to Transmute Sexual Energy: An Inner Alchemy Guide

About the Author

Scott Jeffrey is the founder of CEOsage, a self-leadership resource publishing in-depth guides read by millions of self-actualizing individuals. He writes about self-development, practical psychology, Eastern philosophy, and integrated practices. For 25 years, Scott was a business coach to high-performing entrepreneurs, CEOs, and best-selling authors. He's the author of four books including Creativity Revealed .

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How to develop a personal development plan (PDP) to reach your goals

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What’s personal development?

6 types of personal development, what’s a personal development plan, how to create a personal development plan for work and life, bring your goals to life.

No matter where you find yourself in life, there’s always room for self-improvement. 

But whether you want to make more time for your family , learn how to advocate your boundaries at work , or pursue a master’s degree , reaching your goals is easier said than done. You might lose track of your progress or get too busy to continue the commitment.

Writing your goals down in a personal development plan (PDP) can transform big, impossible-sounding ideas into actionable changes in your daily life. 

Personal development is the process of looking inward and concentrating on ways to better yourself. It focuses on rebuilding habits and ways of thinking, like developing better problem-solving skills , practicing self-compassion , or fostering a growth mindset . 

But it’s far from simple. The techniques you use to connect with your inner self differ greatly from person to person, making the right path potentially harder to find. True development asks you to engage in honest self-reflection and strategic goal-setting at the same time — and sometimes, that’s a long process. 

That doesn’t mean personal development isn’t worth it. Striving for growth and continuous learning will push you out of your comfort zone , teaching you to be resilient and flexible to challenges . 

And the rewards are transformative. Embracing change will help you build self-awareness and push you closer to your personal and professional aspirations. The meaning of a PDP is to have something that tracks and supports your progress. 

Personal development is a never-ending process. You can always benefit from improving your know-how or adopting an entirely new skill. There’s infinite potential for personal development, and if that feels overwhelming, it’s okay. Start slow and small and let improvements build one on top of the other. 

To get started on a self-assessment of your potential objectives, here are six common categories of personal development goals:

1. Soft skills

Your unique personality makes some soft skills feel second nature. If you identify more as an introvert , your natural attention to your inner self may give you a deep sense of empathy or creativity . And if you feel more extroverted , you probably instinctively multitask or strike up conversations with new colleagues. 

According to a LinkedIn hiring trends analysis, your technical skills capture a hiring manager’s attention, but soft skills often determine whether they actually extend a job offer — so don’t overlook them. You might already have strong soft skills that come naturally to you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn others that push you out of your comfort zone. 

It isn’t just your professional life where these competencies come in handy. In your personal life, they shape friendships and nourish a sense of community and belonging . 

To identify areas for improvement, perform a skills assessment , reach out to colleagues or managers for constructive feedback , or start a daily journaling practice to identify behavioral patterns. Whether it’s fostering better decision-making or lowering your cognitive bias tops your list of goals, the soft skills you develop can make life easier and more fulfilling. 

2. Personal growth

Daily life is so full of tasks that you may not often stop to revel in the lessons you learn each day. Personal growth is about moving through your routines with intention, pushing to be a better version of yourself. 

Although personal growth is a lifelong journey, you can accomplish it through daily goal-setting. Try waking up early to have 30 minutes of peace, limiting social media usage , or setting boundaries to align daily life with your personal values . 

Personal growth requires a commitment to constant self-discovery . You change every day, and your personal goals for self-improvement should reflect that. Start by asking yourself self-discovery questions , reading books by self-growth experts you admire, or starting a manifestation journal to unlock your dreams.

3. Power to impact others

Personal power is more than your ability to wield influence — it’s about how you do it. Every day, you interact with people and impact them with your words, actions, and presence. Intentionality is the key to making your influence positive, uplifting and inspiring the people around you. 

To weave this power into your personal growth plan, reflect on the times others uplifted you and try to recreate them. Deepening your empathetic leadership , working on collaboration skills , and learning to treat others with respect are all ways to create nurturing environments and ensure that your impact leaves a positive legacy . 

4. Personal improvement

Personal improvement and personal growth may sound similar on paper, but each has a unique focus and objective. Growth focuses on a holistic exploration of inner fulfillment. But improvement often includes short-term goals that are easier to define, zeroing in on the specific skill sets that enhance your daily life. 

Learning negotiation skills , improving technical proficiency, or developing routines for financial wellness are all examples of personal improvement goals. These skills give you structure and know-how to work productively and remain resilient to challenges. And while it is distinct from personal growth, the skills you develop here will act as foundations that support broader development. 

5. Self-confidence

When you’re confident, you move through your day easily, stand up to challenges, and confidently share ideas. But unfortunately, not every day feels like this. Everyone has insecurities or worries that invite their inner critic to pop up and take over their positive mindset . 

While you may not be able to manifest a life free of insecurity or worry, you can take steps to improve overall self-confidence. Expanding your network, learning clear communication skills , and adopting a growth mindset can make you more resilient . That way, when challenges overwhelm you, you can step back and access tools to move forward confidently.

6. Personal analysis

It’s not always easy to see yourself from an outside perspective. But being objective and honest about your strengths and weaknesses is the key to self-improvement. After all, if you don’t know your starting place, it’s nearly impossible to build a path forward. 

This kind of self-analysis requires regular checking-in, which can be a long-term goal in itself. Consider reflective journaling, regularly requesting performance reviews , or taking a personality assessment like the Enneagram . However you analyze yourself, you’ll develop valuable insights about where you are and where you aspire to go. 

A PDP is a document that outlines individual development goals and breaks them down into achievable steps. It can be as simple as a bulleted list or as involved as a daily action plan . It’s up to you and how you prefer to grow, and it might take some trial and error to discover what works best.

Staring at the finish line can be overwhelming when you don’t know what your journey is. A PDP is a step-by-step action plan to transform big concepts into attainable short-term and long-term goals , motivating you as you move from one milestone to the next. 

Why is creating a personal development plan important? 

Now that you know what PDP stands for, you can put it into practice. But understanding its importance first can motivate you to create your own plan and put in the hard work to follow through with it. 

Here are some benefits of a PDP: 

• Provides a guide: Your personal and professional life is full of checklists. Between household chores, work responsibilities, and maintaining a social life , it’s easy to lose yourself in routines. Creating a clear PDP helps you keep your eye on your career goals and personal needs without neglecting your day-to-day. No matter how busy your day is, a coherent PDP ensures your goals are on your list of priorities.
• Adapts to your needs: Life isn’t predictable, and your PDP will reflect that. As you change and grow, or when something throws a wrench in your plan, you can always return to your PDP and readjust. This means it will always reflect your current aspirations, creating a relevant guide no matter where life takes you. 
• Fosters the power of time management: Learning better time management skills may be on your list of personal or professional development goals . But building an action plan is an incredible time management technique. PDPs depend on structure, helping you turn tasks into time-bound objectives and stay on schedule. This improves your focus and minimizes the time you spend on activities that don’t contribute to your goals. 

Makes big goals feel more attainable: Goals like changing careers, saving for a mortgage, or becoming a keynote speaker for your favorite industry seminar may feel so far away that they’re hard to begin. But whether five years away, 10 years , or more, a PDP breaks down big goals into manageable steps, with plenty of milestones to celebrate in between.

While your goals are unique to you, you can follow a general step-by-step guide to build an effective PDP. Here are seven steps toward creating a comprehensive and effective PDP: 

1. Set goals

The first step is always goal-setting. Take time to imagine what you want to achieve, charting out different goals you want to accomplish next week, next quarter, or by the end of the year. This is the hardest (and most important) step of building your PDP. If you overload yourself with too many goals or objectives you aren’t prepared to achieve, you might grow overwhelmed and give up before you can begin to make a dent. 

Start by reviewing the six types of personal development and reflect on what resonates with you most. To help you brainstorm, try hiring a personal coach or reaching out to your community. You may quickly build a long list of objectives, so aim to narrow them down. 

Splitting them into short-, mid-, and long-term goals might help you decide on a focus and evenly spread your energy between objectives.

Creating a daily skincare routine, adopting a new hobby , and pursuing a master’s degree at once evenly divides your resources and balances your progress. But trying to change careers, go back to school, and move into a management role might be too many steps to take at once. 

2. Prioritize your goals

Once you write your goals down, it’s time to break them into actionable steps using SMART goals . SMART stands for: 

• Specific: Effective goals are clear. Be sure to define the skill, knowledge, or experience you will develop. Rather than “improve time management skills,” plan to “adopt a new time management app, track times on common tasks, and delegate non-urgent tasks to other team members.”
• Measurable: Monitor progress along the way with targets or SMART KPIs to understand how you’re doing and adjust when necessary. Rather than “Improving self-care routine ,” you can plan to “Prioritize eight hours of healthy sleep, 150 minutes of weekly exercise, and one day dedicated to free-time activities.” Then you can check those off the list regularly and track the days you miss.
• Attainable: Being honest about your resources and time will help you separate unachievable goals from realistic ones. Consider everything you’ll need to accomplish every single milestone. If your goals aren’t realistic, you structure failure into your plan. 
• Relevant: Every step of your PDP needs to be relevant to your finish line. I f your professional goals include pursuing a project management certification, learning a new coding language will just distract you because it doesn’t contribute. Remember — you don’t have to accomplish everything at once. Choose what’s most relevant to your personal and professional goals and job role, and prioritize according to importance. 
• Time-bound: Setting deadlines holds you accountable. But meeting deadlines requires in-depth strategic planning , according to researcher Maroš Servátka in an interview with the Harvard Business Review . If you’re too generous with your time, you may consistently put deadlines off. Be careful to set realistic schedules with an appropriate amount of wiggle room. 

3. Conduct a SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that could affect your journey. While it can help you double-check that your SMART goals are accurate, you can also use it to consider the external factors that help or hinder your process. 

Poor time management skills might hinder your ability to balance a certification program, full-time work, and your home life. Identifying your need to get organized — which might be a weakness in your analysis  — can help you prioritize methods to build structure into your schedule. Also check for opportunities, like flexibility in your work schedule or stipends for schooling. 

4. Tap into your network

Personal development doesn’t happen in a bubble. Your network of friends, mentors, and loved ones is one of your most valuable assets, whether providing emotional support or insightful advice.

Let people know about your goals and share your plan to get there, encouraging them to hold you accountable, or find an accountability buddy. It’s also a good idea to let them know when to hold off and let you make your own mistakes.

5. Measure your progress

Find a tracking system that makes the most sense for you and your goals. For professional growth, this may include a new productivity app that tracks and visualizes your progress.

For smaller personal goals, like improving your sleep hygiene or exercise regime , regular journaling or to-do lists can be just as effective. Whatever method you choose, celebrate your wins and readjust when challenges get in the way.

Self-improvement doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With careful thought and strategy, your goals can turn into meaningful action. Start by analyzing your future aspirations, resources, and opportunities. From there, build your personal development plan with milestones to motivate and move you toward continued success.

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

Are you reaching your full potential? A guide to personal development

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Personal Development Plan Templates for Success

Did you know you can make your dreams and aspirations a reality by focusing on your own individual  personal development plan ?

Your potential is limitless, and investing in personal development is a way to harness your many talents.

Establishing goals for what you want to achieve — where you would like to go in the short term or long term — can improve your personal development.

In this guide, I’ll help you understand what personal development means and its importance, what a  personal development plan  is and why you should make one, and how to write a personal development plan.

I’ll also share with you my personal development plan template to get you started on your path to reach your personal development goals, complete with helpful examples and resources to support you.

What Is a Personal Development Plan (PDP)?

A personal development plan is a guideline for your life and your future success.

Personal development is an ongoing process of improving oneself through conscious habits and activities. It is the pursuit of personal growth to enhance your quality of life and to achieve your dreams and aspirations.

When you create a plan, you start to define the kind of person you want to be, the skills you want to have, and the accomplishments you want to achieve. And then you map out your long-term and short-term goals to realize these aspirations and set timelines for when you want to reach them.

Many people underachieve in their careers because they do not realize the areas of personal development that can help achieve mastery in any field.

Effective leaders focus on continual self-improvement and know there is no substitute for hard work.

When you  practice self-discipline  by setting a goal, making a plan, and working on it every day, you will see personal development and progress within your career.

The Importance of Personal Development

Most of the time, what you think about is what you become. From the moment you wake up until the moment you close your eyes at the end of the day, everything you experience plays a factor in your development.

When you take greater control over your experiences, you can guide your personal development and accelerate toward what you want to become instead of leaving it to chance.

Setting, striving for, and meeting personal development goals opens up a world of new possibilities for you to increase your quality of life.

For example, as a result of creating and following your personal development plan, you may gain more responsibility for work and open up opportunities for higher pay. This growth could qualify you for a better career trajectory to increase your overall happiness, job satisfaction, and ability to provide for the life you want for you and your family.

Focusing on your personal development also gives you better decision-making abilities so you can avoid problems that may have plagued you in the past or are holding you back now.

At the end of the day, personal development helps you create more positivity and  harness the power of positive thoughts , which can transform your life.

When you give time to yourself by focusing on your professional and personal growth, you are better able to achieve  your version of success  because of personal development opportunities.

Personal Development vs Self-Improvement

Recognizing the difference between self-improvement and personal development can be a little tricky.

While they are similar in that they are both very instrumental in achieving your goals and improving yourself, there are key differences between a self-improvement plan and your own personal development plan.

Personal development is the work you are putting in to transform yourself on a daily basis. It’s the efforts you’re making to advance in your work, lifestyle, attitude, physique, and sociability.

Setting personal and professional development goals and creating a plan helps you take full advantage of any opportunity that may come your way and make the most of your potential.

Self-improvement is an inner transformation. It is a self-motivated study to improve one’s character, status, or knowledge by their own efforts.

Self-improvement is a lifelong process  of constantly searching for ways to change your habits so you can reach your fullest potential.

The specific efforts you put into personal development lead to self-improvement.

Start Achieving All of Your Goals Today! Download my FREE Personal Development Plan Template

The 7 Categories of Personal Development

Focusing on personal development categories such as personal skills, personal growth, and  personal power  can create habits for personal improvement.

Personal growth is founded on education and skill. Through education and experience, you increase your skill level and your ability to succeed in your field.

There are seven main categories of personal development.

Personal Skills

Personal skills can be ones you were born with as well as those you gain through deliberate practice. They’re often referred to as soft skills.

Examples of personal skills are decision-making, teamwork, organization, and communication.

If you’re looking to develop skills at work, try working on your personal skills. The highest-paid, top individuals in their field are the ones who focus on growing their personal skills.

Knowing what areas you excel in and which need development is very useful in your personal and professional life.

Personal Growth

Having a personal growth plan is one of the first steps toward bettering yourself and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Humans and the human mind are constantly evolving. Think about it: you are not the same person you were a year ago. You’ve learned more, grown in many different ways, and have experienced more life events to further shape your personality, beliefs, and world outlook.

To experience personal development and have a growth mindset, strive to be a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday.

Personal Power

Personal power is the authority others believe you to have in certain situations and is fueled by your contacts, knowledge, and financial status.

Developing an ever-widening circle of contacts, seeking to learn more, and growing financially increases the number of doors that others will leave open for you to step into.

Expanding your network, knowledge base and financial status will also allow you to help others do the same, further increasing your  personal power  and opportunities for personal development and growth.

Personal Improvement

Personal improvement stems from good work habits and having a positive mental attitude.

Thinking before you act is critical to developing a strong amount of personal improvement. To help you think first, try to set priorities on a list and consider the likely consequences before beginning.

Working on personal improvement and generating a positive mental attitude will also reduce the amount of time that it takes you to achieve your goals.

Personal Empowerment

Personal empowerment is similar to Personal Power, except empowerment is the power to reflect what you see within yourself, instead of how others view you.

Promoting a positive image and adopting creativity within your daily life can speed up the time it takes to achieve personal empowerment and your goals.

To help you increase your personal empowerment, consider looking for new, creative ways to finish a project in a faster, easier or cheaper way without compromising the end result.

Personal Analysis

It is very important to be conscious of areas in which you are naturally gifted as well as analyze areas in which you need improvement. This is called personal analysis.

Being truthful about where you currently stand is the first step to moving forward. You should be constantly evaluating where you are when achieving your goals and ambitions.

Personal Objectives

Ambition goes to waste when there are no clear goals in sight. Developing clear direction for short-term and long-term goals is a pivotal step in actually accomplishing them and growing as a person.

Having a set plan will help you have a clear understanding of which strategies are necessary to reach your desired destination.

Why Make a Personal Development Plan?

The reason you need to create a personal development plan is that making a plan will help guide you to better decision-making and remind you of where you want to go.

In other words, good preparation increases the probability of success and decreases the risk of things going wrong along the way.

Creating a plan for personal development helps you get a better sense of control over your life and will make you better prepared for whatever comes your way.

Consider these benefits of having one:

• It brings your vision to reality.
• It ensures you take appropriate and logically planned action.
• It helps you improve your  time management skills  so you can achieve your goals.
• It’s a plan to keep track of progress, which serves to motivate you when you want to give up.
• It’s been proven to reduce stress, improve balance in life, and increase self-confidence.

Developing your personal development plans and goals for work can make the difference between success and failure. Creating a self-growth plan for your personal life can mean the difference between life-long happiness and regret.

Skills & Objectives

The objectives of personal development are continuous personal growth, increased potential for success, and capitalizing on potential opportunities.

You can practice your personal development skills by setting aside time for the important people in your life, performing action exercises that force you to perform at the highest level, and studying growth performances to help ensure you continue to climb the ladder of success.

An action plan has to include measurable objectives so you know the exact steps it will take to reach your goals. Objectives break your larger personal goals into bite-sized pieces so you can know where you are headed and check off your progress along the way.

There are no limits except for the limits you place on yourself with your thinking.

Commit yourself to a life of constant learning. Even if you are at the top of your field, there is always something to learn.

Once you have mastered a new skill, move on to learning another one. Constantly learning new skills keeps your mind fresh and active and opens doors that would otherwise be closed to you.

You will become unstoppable and you will see your entire future open up in front of you if you live a goal and growth-oriented life.

How to Set Personal Development Goals

Before you can set up a plan, you need to do some self-reflection and answer personal goal questions.

A few questions you should develop before laying out an idea for a specific plan of action are:

• What do I want to make out of my life?
• What are my goals and ambitions?
• What is currently standing in my way of achieving these goals?

After answering those questions, you can create a personal plan that contains a few key components.

The key components you should focus on are having a specific outcome that you are constantly working towards, planning and paving a path towards achieving it, being mindful of the obstacles, and understanding the bigger motivation behind your actions.

When developing a personal development plan for work, you should focus on SMART goals. SMART stands for “Specific”, “Measurable”, “Achievable”, “Relevant”, and “Time-Bound.”

By following this easy-to-remember acronym when goal setting, you can improve both your personal and professional life:

• Specific:  Write goals that are detailed and clear instead of broad and general.
• Measurable:  Set milestones that will let you know you are achieving your goal.
• Achievable:  Make goals that are challenging yet can realistically be achieved.
• Relevant:  Align your goals with your personal self-improvement plan.
• Time-Bound:  Pick an end date by which you want to achieve your goal.

Set Goals for Professional Life

To make progress that you can see and track in your professional life, you need to document a detailed plan of action for your personal development.

Some examples include answering the following questions:

• What do I want to learn?
• What do I have to do?
• What support and resources will I need?
• How will I measure success?

Be as specific with your answers as possible. The more precise, the easier it is to track your progress.

Seeing how far you have come and how your hard work is paying off will give you a boost of confidence and provide a sense of accomplishment.

Some examples of personal development goals for work include the Golden Hour and the 21-Day Mental Diet.

The Golden Hour Rule

The  Golden Hour Rule  steers the trajectory of your day.

Beginning your day early and investing your first hour in yourself will make a tremendous difference in the way you feel, and you will begin to see positive results in your day.

You will begin to see yourself in a more positive light and improve on your self-awareness and personal development.

The 21-Day Mental Diet

The  21-Day Mental Diet  personal leadership plan example means waking up early and investing at least the first two hours of your day in yourself.

With this extra time, set clear goals you can work to achieve in the workplace. This can improve your productivity and efficiency to help you get that promotion or earn a raise.

Your goals may also include education. You need to learn more to earn more.

Try setting a goal to read something educational, motivational, or inspirational every day before you go to work.

Set Goals in Your Daily Life

Outside of the workspace, it’s important to focus on some personal goals as well. Similar to your work plan, your personal plan requires you to focus on key points to achieve your goals.

Here are some sample questions to ask yourself:

• What are the important goals that you want to achieve?
• When is your set deadline?
• What are your biggest strengths?
• Who or what are your biggest threats?

There are several aspects of personal development disciplines that will make achieving success possible if developed correctly.

A few of these disciplines include goal setting, planning and organizing, and concentrating on high-value activities.

Goal Setting

Goal setting can be done in the early morning and take only a few minutes of your day.

It can be as simple as purchasing a spiral notebook and writing out your ten goals at the beginning of each day. This will program them deep into your subconscious mind and help you actually follow through on accomplishing them.

Planning Your Day

Planning and organizing at the end of the day can help you better prepare for the coming day.

When you plan out your day, put it down on paper, you can begin to visualize your important tasks and make sure you are working to complete them throughout the day.

Concentrating On Your High-Value Activities

High-value activities are the things you choose to do throughout the day that will give you the biggest return on your efforts to get you closer to your goals.

Concentrating on your high-value activities will help keep you focused and contribute to your success as much as any other discipline you can develop.

Promoting the highest value activities will make a powerful difference in how quickly you achieve them and the goals they relate to.

Personal Development Plan Template

Creating a plan for personal development will help you get a better sense of control over your life and your goals…and it doesn’t have to be a daunting task!

Follow this template to get started and achieve your goals.

There are six core steps in this template that will help you take action and measure your progress.

Step 1: Set Your Goals

Write a list of the top 10 most important goals you would like to achieve. I encourage you to really write them down somewhere — on paper or on your computer — instead of just keeping them in your head.

People who write their goals and have a clear plan are 30% more likely to achieve their goals.

Search deep within yourself and identify the things you really want out of life. Do not be hindered by thoughts of roadblocks that may get in your way. Open yourself up to all the possibilities that would make you truly happy in life.

These are life goals. Life goals are meant to be challenging, so they may seem huge, overwhelming, or even scary. But that’s why they will be broken down into digestible and manageable smaller goals.

For example, providing for your family is an important long-term goal, but figuring out the steps to get there is the challenge. Your smaller personal development objectives will help you identify those steps so you have a clear road map to follow.

With each of the 10 goals you identify, also define your “why:” Why do you want to achieve this goal? What will it mean for your personal life, your career, your mental health or, your loved ones?

Knowing your why will help set you up for success. It will keep you motivated to continue progressing forward until you have achieved what you want to.

Step 2: Prioritize Your Goals

Once you have identified your top 10 goals, write which of those 10 is the most important to you and why.

Starting with your highest priority goal, identify the short-term goals and steps that are needed to achieve your long-term goals.

What needs to happen today so you can move on to the next movetomorrow?

This may require some research on your part, depending on your goal.

For example, say your goal is to become a leader in your field. Some of the short-term goals you will prioritize to reach this personal leadership plan example may include the following:

• Choose a topic or niche in your industry that you want to specialize in.
• Learn everything you can about the issue by talking to people in your industry, reading about your topic, attending seminars and webinars, and so on.
• Educate others by writing regular blog posts.
• Start a podcast and offer valuable information.
• Give interviews on podcasts, local radio and TV stations, and news outlets.
• Write a book  and get it published.
• Become a public speaker  at industry conferences or hold your own conference.

Step 3: Create a Timeline for Achieving Your Goals

Setting goals and deadlines in your process is crucial. Without them, your goals can get lost in the everyday chaos of life or forgotten completely.

Write down a specific timeline for achieving each of your goals, but be realistic in your timing and know the likelihood ahead of time of achieving your goal within a certain timeline to avoid discouragement.

While you may want to become debt-free by next year, you will first need to do what is necessary to earn more income or reduce your expenses. This could involve getting more education, finding a better job, or making major life changes, which could take more than 365 days.

Once you assign a due date to each of your short-term goals,  tackle the hardest goal first . This will help you realize you can actually achieve your goals faster and give you the motivation you need to propel yourself forward.

If you’re unsure of the timeline you should set for accomplishing your goals, speaking to other people who have achieved the goal you are striving for will help you set a realistic deadline.

Conducting online research could also help in defining a timeline to accomplish your goals.

Knowing that it takes four to five years to earn a Ph.D. in business lets you know how long it will likely take you. If you can only attend school part-time, you know it will take longer, perhaps twice as long.

Step 4: Analyze Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Write down your strengths and weaknesses. Remember that skills like perseverance, positive attitude, and creativity are strengths and weaknesses as much as educational level, experience, and having a strong network of professional contacts.

Focus on the attributes that are needed to achieve your goal. Then, write how your strengths can help you achieve this goal and how you plan to overcome those weaknesses.

Use a SWOT analysis to organize your thoughts and develop a strong strategy for achieving your goal. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Ask yourself questions similar to these to help you develop insights for each part of a SWOT analysis:

• What sets you apart from your peers?
• What is your competitive advantage?
• What do others regularly praise you for?
• What do people ask you to help them with?
• What parts of yourself are you confident about?
• What values are important to you?
• What do you usually avoid doing because you don’t think you can?
• What kind of tasks do you procrastinate?
• Where are you lacking in skills, experience, or education?
• What resources do you lack?
• What areas do you feel you need improvement?
• What gets in the way of your work performance or relationships with others?

Opportunities

• What technology can help you achieve your goal?
• What promotions or financial incentives are available at work?
• Who can help you reach your goal?
• What changes are happening or are projected to happen in your industry or personal life?
• What conferences, classes, or networking events are available to you?
• What are your competitors failing at that you can learn from and improve on?
• What obstacles do you face that may hinder your progress?
• Which of your weaknesses could lead to threats?
• Who is trying to achieve the same goal that may get in your way?

Step 5: Write an Action Plan

Write actions that you need to take to achieve your goal. These can be things you need to add to your daily routine as well as things you need to eliminate from it to  achieve the success in life  that you are looking for.

Doing this will help you to achieve each goal faster.

Whether you use a notebook or your computer, just make sure you’re also physically writing down your plan so you can see it every day and hold yourself accountable.

Step 6: Measure Your Progress

The final step in your personal development plan template is to mark your progress.

Write down what has been working well, what you have accomplished, what you still need to improve, and what skills or knowledge you have gained along the way.

People who set up a system to report on their goals weekly achieve 40% more than people who do not.

To help you in this final step, consider using a tracker to take notes, measure progress, and be analytical about what works and what does not.

Sometimes it is necessary to change courses midstream or add a step that you were not initially aware of. That doesn’t mean you should abandon your goal out of discouragement. It just means you need to adapt, and this is where a tracker can help you determine if it’s time to pivot.

Remember it’s okay to be flexible. Doing so will allow you to make changes when needed that will propel you toward your goal more efficiently.

This could be a good opportunity to use another piece of data about how people who write things down/journal are much more likely to be successful.

Personal Development Courses and Programs

Personal development courses, coaches, and programs can also help you hit your goals.

A personal development program accompanied by a personal development coach helps to keep you disciplined and moving forward.

If you are looking to transform your life, check out these courses and programs that include all of my knowledge, distilled into powerful lessons to help you achieve immediate success in your own life. They will teach you how to stop worrying and stressing out and how to take control of your life, forever.

Power Of Personal Achievement

Learn the right way to visualize your ideal future. This course will teach you how to set your goals and methodically achieve them with more efficiency than ever before.

This program will teach you how to ditch the negative emotions that have been hindering your success as well as how to redirect your energy and resources towards your personal mission.

The Science Of Self-Confidence

In this course, you’ll learn just about everything I’ve learned about self-confidence during the past four decades.

I reveal the secret of the four Cs that teach you how to escape the endless loop of failure. You will find your true self and, as a result, finally feel truly confident.

Maximum Productivity

This course will equip you with the skills to discover your special calling. You will learn everything you need to know how to take the shortest, fastest route possible to your destination.

Ultimate success is achievable when you know how to dramatically improve your productivity.

Create Your Personal Development Plan Today

Don’t wait to start improving your life.

Follow a personal development plan for work and your personal life or use a template to start accomplishing your goals and improving your life.

For the easiest way to get started, download my free  Personal Development Plan Template  to organize your goals over the next few months and years and optimize your success.

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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

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Master Your Growth with Personal Development Plans

A Personal Development Plan (PDP) is a strategic tool that outlines your aspirations, strengths, and areas for improvement to achieve personal and professional goals. It serves as a roadmap, guiding you through the journey of self-improvement and career advancement. But why is a PDP so crucial, and what makes it successful?

What is a Personal Development Plan (PDP)?

A PDP is more than just a checklist of goals; it’s a methodical approach that involves reflection, goal setting, and continuous reassessment. It helps individuals focus on their growth by setting clear, actionable objectives. By understanding where you are and where you want to be, a PDP helps bridge the gap through structured planning and ongoing evaluation.

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Components of a Successful Personal Development Plan

Clear Objectives: Setting precise goals is crucial. Utilizing tools like Development Plan Templates can provide a structured format to outline these objectives.

Regular Reviews: A successful PDP requires continuous reflection and updates. This ensures that your plan evolves with your changing needs and goals.

Feedback Mechanisms : Incorporating feedback from peers and mentors can enhance your development by providing new perspectives and addressing blind spots.

Visual Tools: Using visual aids like diagrams and charts can help in mapping out and tracking progress effectively. Creately’s platform, you can manage your goals better using a visual approach.

The role of PDPs extends beyond individual growth; they are instrumental in fostering loyalty and retention within organizations. By aligning personal goals with organizational objectives, PDPs contribute to a more engaged and motivated workforce.

Understanding the differences between personal and professional development plans is also key. While both focus on growth, personal development plans often encompass broader life goals and aspirations, whereas professional development plans are more career-specific.

Successful examples of PDPs often include a mix of short-term objectives and long-term aspirations, all tailored to the individual’s specific needs and career path. By leveraging tools like Creately, individuals and teams can visualize their goals and track their progress, making the journey towards personal and professional growth clear and attainable.

Benefits of Personal Development Plans

Personal Development Plans (PDPs) are more than just a tool for career growth; they are a strategic framework that can significantly enhance an individual’s professional journey. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement and goal-oriented development, PDPs offer numerous benefits that contribute to both personal satisfaction and organizational success.

Boosts Employee Motivation: A well-structured PDP empowers individuals by giving them a clear roadmap to achieve their goals. This clarity and direction often result in heightened motivation and engagement at work.

Minimizes Staff Turnover: When employees see a commitment to their growth, their loyalty to the company increases. PDPs demonstrate an investment in employees' futures, reducing the likelihood of them seeking opportunities elsewhere.

Improves Existing Skills: Regularly updating a PDP allows individuals to reflect on their skills and identify areas for improvement, ensuring they remain competitive in their field.

Enhances Goal Setting: With tools frameworks like SMART Goals Template PDPs help in setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals, which are crucial for effective development.

Better Focus: A PDP helps in aligning daily tasks with long-term goals, improving focus and efficiency.

Increased Productivity: By clearly defining what needs to be achieved, PDPs can lead to better time management and higher productivity.

Improved Professional Relationships: PDPs often involve feedback mechanisms and regular reviews, which can enhance communication and strengthen relationships within teams.

Moreover, platforms like Creately can significantly streamline the PDP process. Its visual tools not only aid in the clear mapping of development plans but also in tracking progress and adjustments over time. This integration of technology ensures that PDPs are not just static documents but dynamic tools that evolve with the individual’s growth.

Ultimately, the importance of Personal Development Plans in the workplace cannot be overstated. They are essential for maintaining a motivated workforce, reducing turnover, and fostering a culture of proactive growth and development.

Steps to Develop a Personal Development Plan

Creating a comprehensive personal development plan (PDP) is essential for aligning personal growth with professional aspirations. Here are the key steps to effectively craft a PDP:

• Conduct a Skill Gap Analysis: Begin by assessing the current skills against the skills required for future roles or projects. Utilize tools like the Skill Will Matrix to visually map out competencies and identify areas for development.

Identify Employees Who Want to Grow: Engagement is crucial, so pinpoint individuals who demonstrate a desire for professional growth. This ensures that the development plans are tailored and more likely to be pursued.

Align Employee Goals with Business Goals: Use strategic frameworks like Strategic Planning Tools to ensure that personal goals support the broader business objectives, enhancing both individual and organizational success.

Ask Employees to Perform a Self-Assessment: Encourage self-reflection to allow employees to consider their strengths and areas for improvement. Tools like Performance Review Templates can facilitate this process.

Identify Strategies to Implement: Based on the assessments, develop actionable strategies that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Allocate Time and Resources: Ensure that there are adequate time and resources dedicated to the development activities. This might include training sessions, workshops, or access to learning materials.

By following these steps, organizations can create effective personal development plans that not only foster individual growth but also contribute to the achievement of business goals.

Best Practices of Effective Personal Development Plans

Creating an effective personal development plan (PDP) is not just about setting goals but about laying a foundation for continuous growth and adaptation. Here are some key best practices to ensure your PDP is impactful and dynamic.

Analyze Successful Examples: Start by reviewing Development Plan Templates to Map Personal and Professional Growth . These templates provide a visual framework that helps understand the structure and components of a well-rounded PDP.

Integrate Feedback and Continuous Improvement: A successful PDP is never static. Regular feedback from peers and mentors is crucial. Tools like Creately can facilitate this interaction by providing a platform where feedback can be visually mapped and integrated directly into your development plan.

Consistency and Commitment: The effectiveness of a PDP hinges on consistent efforts and commitment to the set goals. Utilizing visual tools for tracking progress, such as those offered by Creately, can keep you engaged and motivated.

Adapt to Changing Circumstances: Personal and professional circumstances can change, and your PDP should be flexible enough to accommodate these changes. Use Employee Development Plan Templates to adjust your goals and strategies accordingly.

By following these best practices and utilizing the right tools, you can create a personal development plan that not only outlines your goals but also provides a clear path to achieving them. Remember, the key to a successful PDP lies in its ability to be as dynamic and adaptable as the individual it is designed for.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When embarking on the journey of personal development, it’s crucial to steer clear of common pitfalls that can derail your progress. Here are some key mistakes to avoid in your personal development plan (PDP):

Setting Non-Measurable Goals: Goals in a PDP should be quantifiable. Without a way to measure success, it’s challenging to track progress or know when you’ve achieved your objectives. Ensure each goal is specific and measurable to enhance accountability and clarity.

Choosing Irrelevant Goals: It’s essential that the goals you set are genuinely desired and relevant to your personal or professional growth. Goals not aligned with your true aspirations or needs are less likely to be pursued with the necessary passion and persistence.

Lack of Alignment with Continuous Improvement: Personal development is an ongoing process. A PDP should include goals that promote continuous learning and improvement. Avoid setting static goals that don’t encourage further development or adaptation to changing circumstances.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a more effective and fulfilling personal development plan that truly contributes to your growth and success.

Personal Development Plan Goals

Setting effective goals with smart criteria.

Setting effective goals is a cornerstone of any successful personal development plan. Utilizing SMART criteria—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—ensures that your goals are well-defined and attainable. Here’s how you can apply SMART criteria to enhance your personal development:

Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve. For instance, instead of saying ‘improve leadership skills’, specify ‘enhance public speaking and team management skills by enrolling in workshops and leading a project team.’

Measurable: Attach quantifiable criteria to measure progress. For example, ‘lead a team of five in a project for three months and reduce team communication issues by 50%’.

Achievable: Ensure the goal is attainable with your current resources and skills, or outline what you need to achieve it.

Relevant : Align your goals with your broader career aspirations and personal values.

Time-bound: Set a realistic deadline to keep yourself accountable, such as ‘achieve by the end of Q2’.

For more detailed guidance, explore our SMART Goals Template to structure your objectives effectively. Additionally, understanding the importance of these goals in your personal development can be further explored in our guide on How to Set and Achieve Professional Goals .

Remember, the key to successful goal setting in your personal development plan is not just about listing desires but making them actionable and aligned with your long-term growth. Revisiting and adjusting these goals as you progress is crucial, ensuring they remain aligned with your evolving aspirations and circumstances.

Examples of Personal Development Goals

Setting clear and achievable personal development goals is crucial for both personal and professional growth. Here are some common goals across various aspects of development, along with examples that can inspire your own plans:

Here are some common goals across various aspects of development, along with examples that can inspire your own plans:

Leadership Development Goals

Aspiring leaders might focus on enhancing their decision-making skills or learning how to manage a team effectively. Resources like Understanding Management Styles can provide insights into different leadership styles and how to apply them.

Developing Strategic Thinking: Attend a leadership workshop to improve strategic planning abilities, such as the Leadership Excellence course by the American Management Association (AMA).

Enhancing Emotional Intelligence: Enroll in an emotional intelligence training program like those offered by TalentSmart to better understand and manage emotions in a leadership role.

Improving Team Management Skills: Participate in a mentorship program where you can learn effective team management strategies from experienced leaders, such as those provided by SCORE Mentors.

Time Management Development Goals

Improving time management is essential for productivity. Goals might include mastering the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize tasks or using Creately’s Free Timeline Maker to visualize project timelines and deadlines.

Mastering Task Prioritization: Implement the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize daily tasks, aiming to complete at least three high-priority tasks each day.

Implementing Time-Blocking Techniques: Use a time-blocking app like Creately to schedule and dedicate specific blocks of time for different activities, reducing distractions and increasing focus.

Reducing Procrastination: Set a goal to follow the Pomodoro Technique.

Digital Literacy Development Goals

In an increasingly digital world, goals might involve learning new software or enhancing digital communication skills. Tools like Creately can help visualize and plan the learning process.

Learning New Software: Set a goal to become proficient in a new software program, such as Adobe Photoshop, by completing a course on platforms like Udemy or Coursera.

Enhancing Cybersecurity Awareness: Enroll in a cybersecurity basics course to understand the fundamentals of online safety and data protection.

Improving Digital Communication Skills: Take an online course in digital communication tools and strategies

Relationship Development Goals

These might focus on improving interpersonal skills, such as active listening or conflict resolution, which are crucial for professional relationships.

Improving Active Listening: Attend a workshop on active listening to enhance your ability to listen and respond effectively.

Enhancing Conflict Resolution Skills: Take a conflict resolution course, like the one offered by Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, to learn techniques for managing and resolving workplace conflicts.

Building Networking Skills: Set a goal to attend at least one professional networking event per month to build and strengthen professional relationships.

Each of these goals can be effectively tracked and managed using visual tools from Creately, which offers a SMART Goals Template to help ensure your objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By visualizing these goals, you can enhance clarity and increase the likelihood of achieving them, aligning personal aspirations with professional requirements.

How Creately Helps in Developing Personal Development Plans

Creating a comprehensive personal development plan (PDP) is crucial for personal and professional growth. With Creately , the process becomes more interactive and visually engaging, making it easier to map out, discuss, and track personal development goals. Here’s how Creately can transform the way you approach personal development planning:

Visual Canvas to Map Out Personal Development Plans: Creately’s expansive visual canvas allows you to draft detailed personal development plans. Whether you’re plotting career progression steps or skill acquisition, the visual nature helps in clearly defining the path and milestones.

Discuss and Finalize Plans with Managers and Peers: The platform supports real-time collaboration, enabling discussions and feedback directly on the canvas. This feature ensures that all stakeholders are aligned and can contribute to the personal development journey effectively.

Multiple Visual Frameworks: With access to various frameworks like SMART goals templates and more, you can structure your development plans to meet specific objectives, enhancing the clarity and effectiveness of your goals.

OKRs to Align Personal Development Plans to Organizational Goals: Creately facilitates the integration of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), linking personal ambitions with broader business objectives, thus fostering organizational alignment and personal accountability.

Centralized Canvas to Set, Track, and Measure Progress: Monitor your development progress with Creately’s centralized platform, which offers tools to track and measure the advancement towards your personal and professional goals, ensuring continuous improvement and success.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

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Chiraag George is a communication specialist here at Creately. He is a marketing junkie that is fascinated by how brands occupy consumer mind space. A lover of all things tech, he writes a lot about the intersection of technology, branding and culture at large.

Create an Effective Personal Development Plan in 7 Steps [2024]

• July 24, 2024
• In Career Development

Crafting a personal development plan is a vital step in achieving your goals. Learn how to create a comprehensive plan in 7 steps, including self-assessment, goal setting, identifying development areas, creating an action plan, tracking progress, seeking feedback and support, and reflecting and adapting for continuous growth and improvement.

Table of contents

What is a personal development plan?

Who needs a personal development plan, 7 steps to create a personal development plan, step 1: self-assessment, step 2: set clear goals, step 3: identify development areas, step 4: create an action plan, step 5: implement and track progress, step 6: seek feedback and support, step 7: reflect and adapt, common mistakes to avoid in personal development.

• FAQ: Personal Development Plan

A personal development plan (PDP) is an action plan that individuals can use to identify their individual goals, strengths, weaknesses , areas for improvement, and the necessary steps to achieve their goals. It is a method of focusing one’s goals into achievable steps, which helps in tracking personal development.

The plan can be aimed at education, career, personal goals, or a combination of these. It provides a clear sense of focus, helps in mapping out a path towards goals, strategizing a plan to achieve them, recording actionable steps, and setting a timeframe for completing them.

The process involves identifying strengths, setting realistic goals, planning the necessary resources and time, and taking action to work on the goals that have been set. 

A personal development plan can be beneficial for a wide range of individuals, including employees, professionals, students, and anyone seeking to enhance their personal and professional growth. Here’s a breakdown of who can benefit from a personal development plan:

• Employees : Employees can use personal development plans to identify areas for improvement, set career goals, and enhance their skills . Supervisors and employees often work together to complete the development plan, but employees are ultimately responsible for taking the initiative for their professional development.
• Professionals : Professionals in various fields can utilize personal development plans to identify strengths and weaknesses, set career objectives, and enhance their leadership and personal skills through activities such as formal training, 360-degree feedback, mentoring, and coaching.
• Students : Students can benefit from personal development plans to set academic and personal growth goals, identify areas for improvement, and develop skills that will be valuable in their future careers.
• Individuals seeking personal growth : Anyone interested in self-improvement , self-awareness, and achieving personal goals can use a personal development plan to focus on their internal state, identify their values and beliefs, and work on weaknesses while playing to their strengths.

Related:  7 Self-Improvement Tips for Personal Growth and Success

Creating an effective personal development plan is crucial for anyone looking to grow and improve themselves. Here are 7 key steps to consider when creating your personal development plan:

Identify your strengths, areas for improvement, opportunities, and challenges. What do you want to achieve in the short term and long term? This self-evaluation will assist you in recognizing areas for growth and establishing achievable objectives.

• Strengths: These are the positive attributes, skills, and qualities that you possess. They could include leadership abilities, communication skills, creativity, adaptability, or specific technical expertise.
• Weaknesses: These are areas where you may need improvement or where you feel less confident. They could encompass skills gaps, emotional intelligence, time management, public speaking, or any other aspect of personal or professional life that you perceive as a challenge.
• Opportunities: These are external factors or situations that could be leveraged to your advantage. They could be career advancement opportunities, chances to learn new skills, networking prospects, or positive trends in your industry or personal life.
• Threats: These are external factors that could potentially hinder your progress or success. They might include economic downturns, industry shifts, personal obstacles, or anything else that poses a risk to your goals and well-being.

This self-assessment lays the foundation for identifying areas for improvement and setting realistic, achievable goals. It provides a clear understanding of where you currently stand and what you aspire to achieve, enabling you to create a targeted personal development plan that aligns with your ambitions and potential for growth.

Once you have a good understanding of where you stand, it’s time to set clear, achievable goals. These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Whether it’s improving your skills, advancing in your career, or enhancing your personal relationships, having clear goals will keep you focused and motivated.

• Short-term and long-term goals: Short-term goals typically cover a period of 1-2 years, while long-term goals extend to 3-5 years or beyond. Short-term goals could include acquiring a new certification, improving time management, or enhancing a specific skill. Long-term goals could involve career advancement, starting a business, or achieving a significant personal milestone.

Based on your self-assessment and goals, identify the areas where you need to develop. This could be acquiring new skills, improving emotional intelligence , enhancing leadership abilities, or simply working on your personal well-being. Be honest with yourself and prioritize the areas that will have the most impact on your overall growth.

• Acquiring new skills : Identify specific skills that are crucial for your short-term and long-term goals, such as project management, public speaking, or leadership training.
• Improving emotional intelligence (EQ) : Enhancing emotional intelligence can significantly impact personal and professional relationships, job satisfaction, and overall well-being. This includes developing skills in self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness, and social skills.
• Enhancing leadership abilities : If your long-term goals involve attaining a leadership position, focus on developing leadership qualities, decision-making skills, and the ability to inspire and motivate others.
• Working on personal well-being : Achieving a better work-life balance, reducing stress, and enhancing overall well-being can contribute to your personal development and long-term success.

Once you know what you want to achieve and the areas you need to develop, create an action plan. Break down your goals into smaller, actionable steps and set deadlines for each. Identify resources, courses, mentors, or support systems that can help you along the way.

• Determine your objectives : Clearly define what you want to achieve and the areas you need to develop. This could be related to personal growth, career advancement, skill enhancement, or any other aspect of your life that you want to improve.
• Break goals into smaller steps : Once you’ve identified your objectives, break them down into smaller, manageable steps. This makes your goals more achievable and helps you track your progress more effectively.
• Set deadlines : Assign realistic deadlines to each of the smaller steps. This creates a sense of urgency and aids in maintaining your focus.

By following these steps, you can create a comprehensive action plan that will guide you toward achieving your objectives while providing a clear roadmap for your personal and professional development.

 Set aside time to work on your development goals, and regularly review your plan to ensure you’re on track. Be flexible and open to modifying your plan as necessary.

• Put your plan into action : Allocate dedicated time to work on your development goals. Regularly working on your action plan is essential for making tangible progress.
• Regularly review your plan : Set aside time to review your action plan regularly. This allows you to assess your progress, identify any challenges, and make adjustments as needed.
• Be flexible and willing to adjust : Flexibility is key. Be open to making adjustments to your plan as required. Circumstances may change, and being adaptable allows you to refine your approach and stay focused on achieving your objectives.

With these steps, you can effectively put your plan into action, monitor your progress, and make necessary adjustments to ensure you stay on track toward achieving your personal and professional development goals.

Seeking feedback and support from mentors, colleagues, or friends is crucial for personal and professional growth. Their perspectives can offer valuable insights, help individuals stay accountable, and provide guidance in setting and achieving goals. Mentors, in particular, play a significant role in encouraging and enabling another person’s professional or personal development by helping them focus their efforts and set goals

Reflecting on your progress, celebrating achievements, learning from setbacks, and using this reflection to adapt your plan and make necessary changes are essential components of a successful personal development journey. This dynamic approach ensures that you stay aligned with your evolving goals and aspirations, and it empowers you to make continuous progress.

Additionally, learning from setbacks and failures is crucial for growth. By reflecting on what went wrong, what could have been done differently, and what can be learned from the experience, you can avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

Related:  8 Effective Ways to Practice Self-Care at Work

Mistake 1: Setting unrealistic goals

Avoid setting unrealistic goals, which can lead to feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. Instead, focus on specific, attainable, and time-bound goals aligned with your long-term vision. Break larger goals into smaller milestones to monitor advancement and acknowledge accomplishments throughout the journey.

Mistake 2: Not seeking feedback

Feedback is essential for personal growth. Not seeking feedback from others can deprive you of valuable insights and perspectives for improvement. Embrace constructive criticism to encourage self-awareness and continuous improvement, aiding in personal and professional growth.

Mistake 3: Comparing yourself to others

Each personal development journey is unique. Comparing yourself to others can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Focus on your own progress, celebrate accomplishments, and learn from setbacks. Embrace your uniqueness and stay focused on personal goals to nurture your development journey.

Mistake 4: Not reflecting on progress

Regularly reflecting on your progress is crucial for personal development. Failure to reflect can result in a lack of direction and missed growth opportunities. Reflect to assess achievements, challenges, and areas for improvement, and adjust goals and strategies as needed to stay aligned with your aspirations. Dedicate time for introspection and self-assessment to gain valuable insights for personal development and overall well-being.

Related:  Career Satisfaction: 6 Strategies to Achieve Your Success

Q: Why is personal development important?

A: Personal development is important because it allows individuals to assess their own personal qualities and skills. It helps them set goals, improve themselves, and reach their full potential .

Q: How can I create a personal development plan?

A: Creating a personal development plan involves self-reflection and improvement. It is a written account that doubles as a detailed action plan used to fulfill academic, personal, or career-based goals. It helps individuals establish their aims, recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and identify areas for improvement .

Q: What are some common questions to consider when creating a personal development plan?

A: When creating a personal development plan, it can be helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

• What are my goals and aspirations?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What skills do I need to develop?
• What steps can I take to achieve my goals?
• How will I measure my progress?
• What resources or support do I need?
• How will I stay motivated and accountable?
• How will I overcome obstacles or challenges?
• How will I celebrate my achievements?

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The Ultimate Personal Development Plan Template That Will Get You Noticed

Employees look for training and personal development opportunities at their respective companies. The lack of these opportunities is one of the main reasons they decide to quit. HR professionals and team leaders can avoid this using a personal development plan template to help employees reach their personal development goals. In such a case, it would be a win-win situation for both the company and the people working there. 

A proper template ensures you help individual employees work on their weaknesses and build up their strengths. This is a direct way to set personal development goals and find the shortest way to reach them.

According to a survey , 94% of respondents said they would stay at the company longer if it invested in their careers. In addition, professional and personal growth leads to higher retention. Besides, 58% of employees claim that professional development contributes to their job satisfaction. Moreover, employees who feel respected, empowered, and as if they are making a difference are much more likely to stay in a company—those who don’t have less than a 35% chance of staying. 

A proper template ensures you help individual employees work on their weaknesses and build up their strengths. This is a direct way to set personal development goals and find the shortest way to reach them. It enriches their experience at work and has a positive impact on their career. 

On top of that, it also attracts new hires to your company. Almost 60% of millennials list development opportunities as key factors in applying for a job. As this is the case, it’s high time you work on your employees’ personal development.

Let’s take a closer look at a personal development plan and see how it correlates with personal development goals to tap into each employee’s power. Keeping that in mind, we should start with a personal development plan and later proceed to personal development goals for everything to make perfect sense. 

What is a personal development plan?

A personal development plan (PDP) is an agreement between an employer and employee that outlines that team member’s objectives. It wants to empower employees to analyze their professional life and work on self-improvement. Employees can easily achieve goals when they have a clear picture of their performance. They understand what it takes to reach a specific milestone because of their personal development plan.

HR professionals and managers usually help employees create a personal growth plan. However, team members don’t need to wait for their next performance review to learn new skills and identify areas that require improvement. They can make a personal development plan themselves. Employees can establish short-term or long-term goals and set realistic deadlines to fulfill them.

Having a personal development plan template helps all parties. You can just fill in the required fields and create a clear plan for an individual’s development. Add an HR management tool to that equation, and you’re set to take your workplace to the next level.

  Related: Top 12 Performance Review Software in 2023 ‍

Remember that a PDP must be tailored-made for a specific employee. You can’t take someone else’s plan and expect it to work for them. Each person has different skills and experiences. The plan reflects that.

Why is it important?

 Personal development is all about a process of self-improvement. The plan helps employees:

• Outline specific goals and what they should do to achieve them
• Identify the strengths that ensure they grow in their personal and professional life
• Recognize what skills they need to overcome their existing weaknesses ‍

It is essentially a roadmap that guides them through the process of achieving goals. ‍

What kind of benefits can you expect from a personal development plan? Here are the improvements you will see with a good PDP in place:

• Boosts employee motivation – a personal development plan makes employees aware of their strengths and weaknesses. They can use their strengths to work more productively and learn how to minimize their weaknesses. This boosts their motivation and encourages them to do more. 
• Minimize staff turnover – it can cost more to find a new hire than it does to retain an existing employee. You should give your employees a personal development plan template to show them you’re committed to their improvement. They are more likely to stay at the company if they have a plan.
• Advances existing skills – employees create a career plan focusing on their development. They identify performance development areas so that they can grow in the workplace. While improving existing skills, they also acquire new ones to achieve career goals.
• Improves goal-setting – a PDP outlines both long-term and short-term goals. Managers can teach employees how to break down those goals to make them more achievable.

A PDP benefits both the company and the employee. Introducing personal development plan templates makes the process easier for managers and HR professionals. ‍

Let’s see how you can use a PDP.

How to use a personal development plan

According to research , 74% of surveyed employees think they don’t progress at work due to a lack of development opportunities. You can help them reach their full potential with a personal development plan.

A PDP is an effective way to learn a new skill or master a particular one. Employees can also use it to boost their careers. They just need help from their managers or HR team members. ‍

If you’re a team lead or an HR professional, you can use a personal development plan to:

• Conduct a skill-gap analysis – a PDP helps you understand which skills your employees lack. The company’s subsequent training efforts should strive to fill the gap.
• Identify employees who want to grow – this plan also identifies team members who want a promotion. For example, let’s say your company is looking for a Project Manager. Instead of hiring someone outside the company, you can promote one of your employees.
• Align employee goals with business goals – one-on-one meetings reveal individual goals. When you know a team member’s career growth plans, you can align them with business goals and help them grow. ‍

Related: 5 Meeting Agenda Templates to Use Right Away ‍

Remember, most employees crave professional development opportunities. If you disregard their development needs, you’ll have a team of dissatisfied members. How can a company grow when the employees aren’t happy?

How to make a good personal development plan

You should go through several steps to create an effective personal development plan. We’ll list those steps below.

• Ask employees to perform a self-assessment

It all starts with us. We can’t grow or improve if we don’t reflect on ourselves. That’s why your employees must do a self-evaluation first. After all, they know their interests, professional life goals, skills, and knowledge best.

You can ask them the following questions to fuel their path to self-improvement:

• How satisfied are you with your work progress?
• Is there something you can do to reach your full potential?
• What are your career goals? Do you have the skills to achieve them?

Employees can reflect on their performance and determine what they can do to develop personally and professionally. ‍

Get started with templates and save time

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• Set clear goals

Every employee should know what they want to achieve in their career. If they don’t, you can help them set and achieve goals. These objectives should reflect their strengths and personal development plans.

When creating a PDP for your company, we suggest you focus on SMART goals. They are:

• Specific – the goal should be precise and to the point. There’s no room for ambiguity. For instance, instead of saying, “I’m going to write an article this week,” your employee should say, “I’m going to write a 2,000-word B2B article.”
• Measurable – there should be criteria that measure progress. You can agree on how you will assess whether they’ve achieved the goal.
• Achievable – ensure your employees don’t set unattainable objectives. They should know if their skills and resources make it possible to achieve a goal.
• Realistic – your employee should be willing to work towards achieving an objective. This depends on their skills, so they should evaluate them before agreeing to something.
• Time-bound – encourage them to set a realistic deadline to meet their duties.

Setting these goals helps employees split their objectives into smaller, more manageable milestones. They complete a goal one step at a time which derives great pleasure and satisfaction. 

Related: The Best Performance Improvement Plan (+Template)

• Determine which strategies to implement

After setting the goals, it’s time to consider how employees will achieve them. The strategies vary depending on the objective. For example, if an employee wants to work their way up the career ladder, they might want to attend an online course that helps them expand their knowledge. They should consider the skill set they need and the best way to build those skills.

• Explore resources

Employees cannot achieve professional and personal growth without any further resources. It’s impossible to learn something new if you don’t have some help along the way. You can help employees determine which resources they need. Those resources include online courses, learning platforms, interactive flipbooks , conferences, niche-specific articles, webinars, and even training. Look at their personal development plan to figure out what can benefit them.

If you follow the above steps, you can make a good personal development plan for your employees. One thing that can help you—having a personal development plan template.

Personal Development Plan Template

As your company grows, you’ll have to focus on more and more employees. Each of those employees requires their own plan. Not to mention, you must follow their career development and growth after the goal-setting process. What can you do to make the process more manageable? You can use a personal development plan template. PDP in HR is a popular way to track personal and professional development progress and make adjustments along the way.

Using a template for personal development needs is quicker and more efficient. Imagine if you need to create personal development plans for every employee. This would be time-consuming. Don’t make this mistake—use personal development plan templates. These PDP templates help you create a clear picture of your employee’s goals and the steps they should take to reach them.

You won’t need to worry about missing important information that can affect your employees' personal development. We have prepared a personal development plan template to jumpstart your team members’ success! The PDP template is concise and identifies areas your employees need to answer to achieve success. 

You can use the following personal development plan template to help your company grow with talented individuals.

Personal development plan template ‍

Employee name: _________________

Position and title: _________________

Date: _________________

Development area: _________________

Personal development goals: _________________

Top strengths: _________________

Areas to improve: _________________

Development opportunities: _________________

Action plan: _________________

Skills and knowledge needed for personal growth: _________________

Necessary resources: _________________

Evaluation period (how often will you check the progress): _________________

Deadline: _________________

Review (How am I doing): _________________

Personal development plans are the way best to get to know your employees and see how your company can influence their success and growth.

Here is a filled-in PDP sample you can use as an example of what a completed personal development plan template should look like:

Employee name: John Doe

Position and title: Social Media Manager

Date: July 30 2022

Development area: Time management

Personal development goals: Organize my time better to help my team members and learn how to prioritize tasks

Top strengths: Social media planning and delivery, communication skills, writing engaging content

Areas to improve: Time management and organizational skills

Development opportunities: Become a team leader of the company’s social media department

Action plan: Use to-do lists to better organize my day, track each task’s progress, report my progress to a supervisor

Skills and knowledge needed for personal growth: Time management and leadership skills

Necessary resources: Online courses about social media marketing, tools to better track the performance of social media posts and analyze our audience

Evaluation period (how often will you check the progress): Every month

Deadline: Three months from today

Review (How am I doing): N/A (to be completed every month)

Use personal development templates like this to make the process of creating a PDP for employees simpler and more time-efficient!

How to get started with a template

Achieving personal growth is easier with personal development plan templates. But the journey doesn’t end there. You must also take certain steps to ensure your employees are improving and meeting their goals.

Here are some strategies you can take after an employee submits their personal development plan: 

• Review the plan immediately – make sure to go over an employee’s plan. You must check if their goals are attainable and clear.
• Remind employees to check the plan periodically – a team member might forget what areas they need to improve. You can remind them to read their plan to see if they are working on the right skills.
• Assess their improvement so far – you can plan a one-on-one meeting with an employee. Ask them to be honest and tell you how they are doing, if they need additional help and which changes they see.
• Determine their success – personal development plans are about creating specific goals. The plan would be futile if you don’t check if an employee has made progress towards their goals.
• Decide what to do next – if you find any issues, you must devise a solution. Don’t abandon your employee—show them you're committed to their success!

When you know all about the personal development plan, it is time to proceed to the next crucial step, setting personal development goals. These two aspects come toe-to-toe and are vital for making goals and planning a reality.

‍ What are personal development goals?

Personal development goals, or self-improvement goals, are the objectives people set to improve themselves in many ways, including habits, mindset, skills or even work ethics.  Although personal development goals are not necessarily connected to the job setting, they can help people improve their professional and personal lives.

Some of the most common areas for personal development goals include:

• change of mindset
• improving hard skills
• working on social skills
• character building

How can they help people?

Working on personal development goals has many benefits, but here are five areas where it can help employees the most:

Better focus  

One of the biggest benefits of setting personal development goals is a better focus and a clear sense of direction. Clear goals inspire people to act and easily decide on their next steps. This pushes them to be proactive and get more things done in their personal and professional lives.

Free time endlessly scrolling on the phone without a clear purpose or spreading work throughout the day is easy. Specific goals will motivate people to become more proactive and efficient.

Increased productivity

Goal setting teaches individuals prioritization techniques. This way, it is much easier to decipher what matters the most and take care of it instantly. Another major advantage has concrete, measurable goals to work towards. This makes it possible to evaluate people’s success precisely and encourages them to keep improving. The more goals they tick off, the more satisfied they will be. Over time, this will also increase general productivity. 

Better professional relationships

Self-improvement goals can improve the quality of people’s relationships with their colleagues and business partners. By becoming a better version of themselves, they're inspiring everyone who gets in touch with them to do the same. Their growth mindset is reflected in others as well. As a consequence, positive relationships in your team could dramatically improve. People in self-development tend to be better listeners and more compassionate toward others.

Improved work-life balance

Employees that don’t have a healthy work-life balance are prone to burnout more than others. That’s why this aspect shouldn’t be neglected. Employees should be encouraged to pursue their passions and learn new skills that don’t have to be work-related. Personal development goals can help people find time for themselves and remember who they are outside of their job. Consequently, they will become more motivated, and their productivity at work will improve.

Career advancement  

Finally, working on personal development goals can positively affect professional life and bring professional success to everyone. Many skills are transferable, meaning one can use them in other areas. Communication skills, soft skills, and creativity — are all crucial for success at work. New skills can help employees better serve customers and even get promotions. Sometimes working on personal development goals can bring insights and ideas that can revolutionize how you work.

Best practices for setting personal development goals

As an HR or business mentor, your job is to share some resources on goal-setting with your team. Of course, each person’s goal will be different, but here are some universal strategies that everyone can benefit from, regardless of their goal.

Here are some points you can ask your employees to do:

• Identify what you want

 This is a fun exercise you can do as a team. According to one statistic, employees engaged in meaningful activities are 87% less likely to leave the company.

You can ask them the following questions:

• What goal would make the biggest difference in your life? 
• Is that goal in alignment with your vision for the future?
• What is something you’ve always wanted to learn but never seemed to have enough time for?

This exercise helps them connect with their personal development goals deeper, which will help them commit. When it becomes hard, and it feels like quitting, it's important to connect with your why and remember why you started.

• Set milestones for your goal

Big goals are not only frightening, but they can also be too vague. The next step is to break your personal goals into achievable milestones.

There are three good reasons to do so:

• The goals become more doable.
• You feel more motivated to work towards your goals.
• It's easier to measure your progress.

For example, someone's personal development goal could be to learn French. That's too vague. That person would be much more motivated if they created smaller goals for each month or week. 

• Set a day and time to work on your goal

As Michael Hyatt once said: What doesn't get scheduled, doesn't get done. Set yourself up for success by turning your goals into plans. It means that you should allocate time and space where you will be dedicated to working on your goal.

It will be much easier if your goal becomes part of your routine. It doesn't have to take a lot of time, especially in the beginning. The most important thing is to make it a habit.

How to Build the Best Employee Development Plan

The 90-Day Review Template to Keep Your Business on Track

Examples of most common personal development goals

Here are the most common personal development goals related examples: 

• Improving your communication skills . This goal can improve professional relationships, the atmosphere of the whole team, as well as the results you get with clients.
• Mastering time management - Time management is one of the most important skills for your own success. Today it's even more challenging due to the distractions around us. One can learn different time management strategies from books, but it's important to try them and choose those that work in your life.
• Mindfulness - Mindfulness is one of the most effective stress management techniques, and everyone in the corporate world needs it. Your mindfulness practice could consist of meditation, visualization, breath work, or sitting silently for a few minutes every morning.
• Developing a growth mindset - A growth mindset is essential for success. Maybe you need to work on your mindset if you've been stuck lately. Some of the ideas include journaling, affirmations, or reading self-improvement books.
• Networking - One of the common goals is to grow your network and meet more people. This can be done through organizing networking events or joining clubs and communities on the topics that interest you.
• Learning a new skill - The best way to keep your brain sharp is to challenge yourself to learn a new skill! Choose something that interests you, whether crochet or graphic design and be patient with yourself because every new skill takes time.
• Creative thinking - Many people don't know it, but creativity can be learned! You need to give yourself space to let your mind wander, and ideas will come. There are also different exercises to boost your creativity, from design thinking to creative writing.
• Reading habit - One of the most common New Year's goals is: I'd love to read more books this year! Reading has many benefits, and it can be a life-changing habit. It's important to set realistic goals for yourself. Your first goal shouldn't be to read one book a week. Instead, your goal should be to get into the habit of regularly reading.

Personal development goals for work examples

We'll now go into more detail and show you how to set personal development goals properly.

Improving leadership skills

Leadership is one of the most valuable assets that can benefit your employees in many ways. According to Forbes , it helps employees boost productivity, engagement, and independence.  ‍

Here is how your organization could help employees improve this skill:

• Organize internal workshops - You don’t need famous motivational speakers and leaders to organize a successful workshop. You can also organize internal workshops where managers and executives share their practical experiences with younger employees.
• Organize leadership challenges - It’s important to understand that one doesn’t need a title to be a leader. It’s about behavior and the way you treat others and tackle problems. To make it more fun, you could organize leadership challenges where each employee has to do one small task that shows leadership capabilities.

Become a better networker

If one of your team member’s goals is to become a better networker and create stronger relationships, you should first ask them to define what it means for them and why it's important. Next, they should list actions that will get them there. The steps should be concise and easy to follow.

The list may look like this:

• Read a book about communication
• Talk to people that are great networkers
• Practice being an active listener
• Commit to going to networking events every month
• Reach out to your new connections

They should also set some milestones, for example, I want to meet 10 new people by the end of this month. And then, you can create a plan of how they will do it. If you know that someone in your team lacks accountability, you can encourage them to share their goals with your other colleagues so you can support each other. 

As an HR, you could also introduce your team to the concept of an accountability buddy. It means that each person gets another person that keeps them accountable. They’re here to support each other and track their progress together.

Common mistakes to watch out for when setting development goals

Here are some of the most common mistakes people make when they set personal development goals:

The goal is not measurable

One of the first rules of goal setting is that personal goals should be clear and measurable. If people can't measure your progress, how can you know they're going in the right direction?

Some might say that certain goals are simply not measurable, and that's true. However, in that case, you can help people track their activities. They can measure how much time they dedicate to the goal weekly to ensure they're on the right track.

The goal is not something people want

The worst thing is to choose a personal development goal just because it's something that's "good for people" and "should be done". Achieving personal development goals requires time and dedication. That's why it's essential to help your employees choose a goal that's meaningful to them.

People don't have the right mindset

A positive mindset is crucial for continuous self-development. Even if some goals are out of people’s comfort zones, they can still work on those. Many people have limiting beliefs that prevent them from achieving their highest potential.

The rule is - if you want to succeed, it's essential that you believe that you can do it. If you lack self-confidence, you won't be motivated enough, leading to procrastination.

Now that people have set their personal development goals, it's time to do an honest assessment and see where they currently are. The best way to do it is during one on ones with employees.

Take some time to think about the following topics and encourage people to be honest with themselves. Here are some questions to ask employees should ask themselves:

• Did I allocate enough time to my personal goals?
• Did I have all the resources I needed for achieving this goal?
• What were the biggest obstacles?
• What can I do differently next time?
• Where can I get the support when I need it?

Even if they haven't achieved their goal, they should be patient with themselves. They can start again, but this time with a better strategy and more support. 

On the other hand, what if people achieve all personal development goals with success?

First, take time to celebrate and congratulate your employees. Too many people take their success for granted and always look for a new challenge. Right now, they should be proud of how far they've come!

Here are some things you can ask your employees:

- ‘’If you enjoyed working on this skill, you may want to take it to the next level. You can challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone once again and become even better at it. At this point, you may even consider getting a certification or something similar.’’

 - ‘’Or, you can choose a completely different area to work on. If you worked on your physical health, you could now switch to emotional intelligence or the other way round.’’

Conclusion: Personal Development Plan and Goals

Helping your employees work on their personal development plan creates a positive workplace. Employees are satisfied to see their company cares about them and doesn’t see them just as “seat-fillers.” With an effective personal development plan template, you can easily discover each person’s skills and weaknesses. You get to grow the talent you already have and nurture an impressive company culture.

As you can see, self-growth is a never-ending process. There's always room for improvement. Adopting a growth mindset and entering the field of personal development could be one of the most positive things you've done for yourself. If you're a manager or business owner, you should encourage your people to set personal development goals. They will not only make your employees happier and more productive, but they will influence everyone around them in a positive way.

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FAQ: How to Set Personal development goals

A personal development plan (PDP) is the practice of consistently adding new skills , knowledge and competencies to yourself in areas of your choice. It is a clear and documented outline that shows what you aim to achieve to attain better fulfillment and growth. A personal development plan does not have to be restricted to your career alone, as it also concerns your finances, education, relationships and other interests.

What is a personal development plan example?

A personal development plan could simply be 'Get a promotion at work next January'. To achieve this, you need a detailed plan to guide (documented) and steps to get the promotion. Such steps will include: taking a management training course, requesting a performance appraisal with HR, networking better with the line manager, etc.

What are the key elements of a personal development plan?

A personal development plan should include the following elements:

• A clear reason showing why you want to achieve your plans.
• A defined vision of where you want to be.
• A defined timeframe to help you prioritize the different areas of your PDP.
• The skills and resources you need to meet up with your plans.
• Your expected milestones to keep you on track.

What are individual development goals examples?

Some of the most common personal development goals include learning a new skill, developing a positive attitude, breaking bad habits, effectively managing your time, etc.

What are the 5 areas of personal development?

These are the 5 main areas of personal growth:

• Mental (working on your mindset, learning new skills)
• Social (working on your communication and networking)
• Spiritual (inner peace, meditating)
• Emotional (emotional intelligence, personal boundaries)
• Physical (physical health, proper self-care, fitness)

What are 3 goals for your career development?

The following 3 goals can influence your ongoing professional development: becoming a better communicator, enhancing your networking skills and learning leadership skills.

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What is a professional development plan (PDP)? 6 steps to create one

A professional development plan is an ever-changing document that assesses your current skill set, helps you set career goals, create strategies, and uncover resources that will help you reach them. Read on for examples of professional development goals and plans, and discover tools to help track your progress.

Times have changed. While our parents and grandparents typically picked one job and stuck with it until retirement, following a very straightforward career path, the modern knowledge worker is presented with a variety of new industries, jobs, and ways to prove ourselves.

This abundance of opportunities is amazing but can also be overwhelming. If you’re looking to streamline your career goals, a professional development plan, or PDP, is the tool you need.

A professional development plan is a document that outlines your current skills and knowledge, your goals, and the steps you need to take to achieve these goals.

We’re going to cover the six steps your PDP should include, examples of professional development goals and plans, and tools that will help you track your career development.

How to create a professional development plan in 6 steps

Your professional development plan is not a one-time project. Rather, it’s an ever-changing document that you update as your goals, surroundings, and priorities change. 

The visual below illustrates the lifecycle of your professional development plan.

So let’s dive into the six steps you need to take to create your own professional development plan (PDP).

Step 1: Assess yourself

You have to first identify where you stand with your current skills and knowledge of relevant topics so you can figure out what you need to improve or change to progress in your career.

Assessing yourself isn’t always easy. To jump-start this process, try using an assessment tool or personality test. Here are a few popular ones to try:

The Big Five

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

DISC personality

These tests can help you get a better understanding of who you are and what you want out of your life and career.

Step 2: Set your goals

Now that you’ve evaluated your current position and skills, it’s time to set your goals. To break up your main goals, you’ll want to set long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals . 

Long-term goals can be months or even years into the future.

Mid-term goals should range from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.

Short-term goals should range from a couple of days to a couple of weeks.

Generally speaking, aim to set one long-term goal and then break the mid- and short-term goals up into manageable chunks. The number of short- and mid-term goals you set depends on how far into the future you’re planning and how many steps you need to complete to reach the finish line.

Setting more than one long-term goal only makes sense if they’re on different tracks. For example, you could set a long-term goal for your career, another one for your fitness, and a last one for your finances. While the progress you’re making in each of these aspects of your life may influence one another, these goals are different enough to require unique mid- and short-term goals. 

If you do set more than one long-term goal, consider the mental, emotional, and physical strain that multiple goals can have on you and adjust your schedule accordingly so you don’t burn out .

Whether you’re setting long-, mid-, or short-term goals, use the SMART goal technique to ensure that your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timebound. We’ll cover some examples later on.

Step 3: Develop strategies

To reach your goals you need an action plan. To create one, ask yourself how you can advance your competencies, learn new skills, or get that promotion you’ve been eyeing. 

Take a look at your current skill set or position, as well as your goals, and write down what you need to do to reach them. Whether that’s going to a conference to broaden your knowledge, finding a mentor who can help you build meaningful connections within the organization, or signing up for a workshop to hone your skills—write down your action plan so you know which steps you’ll have to take to reach your goals. 

Step 4: Gather your resources

Once you’ve developed an action plan, think through the professional growth you need to succeed. Here are a few examples of resources that can be relevant to your professional development:

Seminars, webinars, or workshops that elevate your skill set

Learning and development resources that can advance your knowledge

Professional networks that connect you with new peers or mentors

Continuing education institutions that provide you with the degree you need for your promotion.

Social media platforms, like LinkedIn, where you can connect with your virtual team outside of work

List all the resources you can think of and then narrow them down to the ones that align best with your strategies and goals.

Step 5: Create a timeline

Creating a timeline and deadlines for your goals can be extremely helpful in sticking to them. It’s also the “T” of any SMART goal (time-bound). 

Depending on the type of goals you set for yourself, you may want to think in weekly, monthly, or quarterly increments. Try to find a happy balance between giving yourself enough time to achieve your goals but also challenging yourself.

If your main goal is tied to a specific date (for example, a new position that you want which needs to be filled by the beginning of the next year), your timeline will hold you accountable to your short- and mid-term goals so you don’t miss this career opportunity.

Step 6: Track your progress

With your timeline at hand and your SMART goals defined, it should be easy for you to track your progress and assess where you are. This brings us back to the beginning because your PDP isn’t a linear plan—it’s a lifecycle. 

Remember to keep your PDP alive by updating and adjusting it as you go. That’s the only way it can help you to continually improve yourself and grow in your career. You should also add your goals to a goal-setting software that allows you to track your progress and connect with others.

Professional development goal examples

We already have an entire article on advancing your career with professional goals but let’s sum up some of the most important information regarding professional development goals.

Professional development goals are concrete objectives that you want to achieve during your career. They’re a combination of short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals. Setting these goals should keep you motivated and ensure that you don’t get stuck on your career path.

Here are a few examples of what these goals can look like:

Objective: Start a new job

Long-term: Get a good offer and quit your current job.

Mid-term: Apply for at least five positions that you’re really interested in.

Short-term: Find five job opportunities by the end of the week.

Objective: Get more involved in company activities

Long-term: Participate in and help organize at least one event by the end of the year.

Mid-term: Join a group or committee that sparks your interest.

Short-term: Find three opportunities that you’re interested in (e.g., a networking group, a charity committee, etc.) and contact them about getting involved by the end of the month.

Breaking your main objective up into manageable chunks will take some of the pressure off and allow you to approach your goal step by step. Plus, it’ll give you reasons to celebrate your smaller achievements along the way.

Professional development plan examples

Everyone’s professional development plan is going to look different. To give you a quick overview of what it can entail, here are a few brief examples of what you can write in your professional development plan:

Self assessment

Joined the company only six weeks ago

I feel welcomed by my team but I’m holding back on social interactions because I am intimidated by their closeness

Create a network of at least three people that I connect with outside of work by the end of the year.

Speak up and get involved in meetings

Attend conferences, workshops, and after-work activities

Find a mentor

Connect with colleagues on LinkedIn

Company networks and after-work activities

Mentor 1:1 meetings

By next week: Add colleagues on LinkedIn and participate in at least one after-work activity

By next month: Secure a mentor and schedule bi-weekly meetings

By next quarter: Attend a conference or workshop with a colleague

By the end of the year: Have three or more colleagues that I feel comfortable hanging out with after or outside of work

When tracking these goals, you may realize that they were easier or harder to reach than you thought. That’s no problem! Simply adjust your goals or timeline and keep going. 

In this case, you may realize that making these connections doesn’t just help you feel more welcome and comfortable in the team but that your team considers you a natural leader. That could lead to a whole new development plan you can create to ensure you keep growing as a person.

Professional development plan vs. leadership development plan

Technically, a professional development plan doesn’t differ too much from a leadership development plan. Both require you to assess your current situation, set realistic goals, and track your progress.

However, if your goals are focused on improving your leadership skills or advancing into a leadership role at your organization, creating a leadership development plan will help you focus on the exact skills you’ll need to turn that plan into action. 

The first two steps remain the same: assess where you stand professionally and set your goals. After that, step three is to engage in leadership training and hone your leadership skills. During this step, you’ll also meet other leaders who can become your mentors and eventually your peers.

Step four of your leadership development plan is to build and interact with your network. To become a respected and successful leader, you’ll have to connect with like-minded people and seek out feedback whenever possible.

The last step is to learn or improve soft skills like effective communication , your emotional intelligence , and conflict resolution . All of these are critical to succeed in a leadership role and will distinguish a mediocre leader from a great one.

Help your team set trackable professional goals

Whether you’re working on your own PDP or helping out a teammate, the most important thing is that whatever goals you set are measurable and precise. This will allow you to track your progress and celebrate milestones.

With Asana’s goal tracking software, you can align your personal goals with those of your team or organization and always stay on top of your latest achievements.

Related resources

How to give and take constructive criticism

4 ways to establish roles and responsibilities for team success

Listening to understand: How to practice active listening (with examples)

Unmasking impostor syndrome: 15 ways to overcome it at work

Writing Your Personal Development Plan

by Dr. Linda Phillips-Jones

We believe that good planning will help you find and become good mentors. This is the third activity in our series on planning. If you missed the first two, see Creating or Revising Your Personal Vision (Tool #1) and Writing a Personal Vision Statement (Tool #2) .

If you’ve completed the first two exercises, you’re now ready to write a Personal Development Plan for yourself.

Below you’ll see a sample Development Plan and a blank one for you to use. The sample is only to trigger your thinking . Your own PDP will probably look very different. Notice how the person plans to work on three objectives. For each objective, there are measures, development activities, potential mentors, and a timeline.

5 Steps to Creating a Personal Development Plan:

• Print out the blank Plan ;
• Look at your completed Draft Vision Statement again, and choose one goal that will help you take a first key step toward reaching your vision;
• Write the goal in the space, “My First Major Goal”;
• In the first column, write up to three steps/objectives that will help you accomplish one key part of your Goal; Write the objectives as skills, knowledge , or attitudes to attain. Some people choose easy objectives that can be reached immediately (in order to build success and momentum). Others choose the most important objectives that will ensure they’ll master the goal;
• For each objective, choose a measure/proof to show you’ve reached it, at least one learning/development activity (class? book? internship? research on the Web?), some potential mentors who could help you, and finally a target completion date by which you’ll reach the objective.

Take at least an hour to work on your plan. Use a pencil if that feels better than a pen or computer. Talk to someone you respect about your proposal and make changes as needed. Be sure your plan is challenging and compelling enough to excite you every day but not so difficult that you won’t do it.

Tool #3: Personal Development Plan (example)

Tool #3: Personal Development Plan Template

Repeat this process for your second and third major goals.

Congratulations! You’ve not only prepared a draft of your Personal Vision, but you’ve also identified several steps you can take to make it happen. You now have something tangible to use as you identify potential mentors and negotiate helping partnerships with them.

Ask them what they’d specifically like from you. For example, they might shadow you for several hours on your job. You could agree to critique some of their writing or role-play an upcoming meeting with them. They could also complete learning activities that don’t involve you and report the results to you at your next meeting.

Be honest about any boundaries you have. For example, “I can’t read everything you write, but I’ll be willing to review and edit the two documents you believe are most important.”

Use their completed Development Plans throughout your mentoring relationships to gauge progress and provide encouragement. Help your mentees improve the plans (add or delete goals and objectives as well as activities and measures) whenever it makes sense. The plans should be “living” in the sense that they change and grow with your mentees’ accomplishments and needs.

If you use the ideas and the three planning tools with your mentees, you’ll be of tremendous help as a mentor.

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How to Create a Personal Development Plan | 7 steps to success

A lot of us look at our personal development journey like it’s a line. We go from point A to point B as though we’re a train on a track.

But your career isn’t a train, and you can jump off or change tracks at any point!

Whether it’s in your career or in your life in general, every so often it’s good to reassess where you’re going, and where you want to be going .

At Growth Tribe, we work with people every day who are looking for professional development or even a change of direction .

We’ve seen how investing in your personal development goals can change your career thousands of times.

Creating a clear action plan is a great way to achieve the personal growth you want. 

TABLE OF CONTENT 

0. Why do you need a personal development plan? 

1. Step 1: Understanding yourself and your motivations

2. Step 2: Find our vision or North Star Goal

3. Step 3: Break your vision down

4. Step 4: Break your milestones further down into smaller goals

5. Step 5: Assess your skills

6. Step 6: Get your manager on board (optional)

Why do you need a personal development plan?

Achieving professional goals requires making a plan. We all know this, but we often get swept away in our day-to-day and struggle to make changes when we need to.

Personal development planning can give you a clear vision of where you want to go and how to get there.

It breaks down your mission into small, realistic goals and provides you with a blueprint for success.

You’ll be able to make deliberate decisions, and understand how these decisions are helping you reach your personal goals.

Time management expert Alan Lakein said:

  Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.

So, if you’re ready to do something about the future now, we’ve broken the individual development plan down into 7 steps.

• Understanding yourself and your motivation
• Finding your vision or north star goal
• Break down your vision into milestones
• Break your milestones further down into smaller goals
• Assess your skills
• Get others on board
• Get practical with your development plan

Step 1: Understanding yourself and your motivations

Before you can start planning, you need to know where you want to go . So this step will involve a bit of soul searching.

We call this the Personal Analysis . You’ll start by understanding who you are, what motivates you and where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

These questions often sound daunting, because they are.

If you’re struggling to figure out what motivates you, or what you’re good at you can always try self-assessment tools (such as the Character Strength Survey or the MBTI ).

But make sure to use them as guidance as opposed to gospel.

If that’s not for you, try on the following questions until you have a good understanding of who you are and what drives you:

• What do you live for?
• What are you really good at naturally?
• How do you know you’re really good at that?
• According to others, what are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What do you absolutely dislike (in general, in your personal and professional life)?
• What did you always want to learn?

If you find it difficult to answer those questions, get some input from the people you spend a lot of time with first: your colleagues, your manager, your friends, your partner, your family, etc.

As all of them know you in a different setting, you should be able to get 360 feedback on yourself.

Choose a couple of questions from above that resonate most with you and reflect on the answers you get.

→ Do you agree or disagree?

→ Is there anything that surprised you?

→ Did they miss anything that you deem very important? ‍ 💡 We’ve created an easy to use document so you can map out this whole process, download it here. 👈

Step 2: Find your vision or North Star goal

Now that you have a full picture of who you are and what motivates you, it's time to find your vision or ' north star' goal —the guiding light that directs your path towards success.

A vision or north star goal is not just about vague short-term aspirations without clear benefits. It's about setting a single goal that guides you in everything you do.

And it has to be split into achievable goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART goals).

Your individual goals should resonate with you on a personal level and provide a sense of direction.

Make your vision big and ambitious, even if it feels overwhelming at first. Writing down your ambition should evoke a slight sense of fear because life goals are a serious matter!

Remember, turning your vision into reality requires long-term dedication and commitment. Goal setting is not a one-year endeavor; it's about shaping your future goals.

However, be open to the possibility that your vision may evolve over time as you grow as a person. Don't be afraid to rediscover yourself and adjust your goals accordingly.

Step 3: Break your vision down

So, you’ve got a big dream . How are you going to get there? Part 2 of the free, downloadable personal development plan template will help you break your vision statement down into smaller learning goals and milestones.

Ask yourself:

• What do I need to learn? What soft skills and hard skills do you need to achieve your career goals? Think: Time Management, Flexibility, Front-end code. ‍
• How does this help me meet my long-term goals? Why do you think this is important to learn? This will help you prioritise all your learning goals. ‍
• How will I learn this? This can be a combination of methods like courses, networking, discussions, readings, and more. ‍
• How will I measure my progress? What will success look like for this learning goal? E.g. course completion, business case studies. ‍
• What’s my timeline? When would you like to achieve this learning goal? Be realistic, but don’t shy away from a challenge!

Step 4: Break your milestones further down into smaller goals

Next, ask yourself what goals need to be achieved in order to reach your milestones.

Think about the goals you set in step 3, and break them down even further.

For example, if your goal is to improve your time management, and you’ve decided to use the Pomodoro Method to achieve this, break the process down into smaller steps.

Here's what that might look like:

• Research the Pomodoro method
• Compare apps and tools to help you use this method
• Test it out for an afternoon of work
• Reflect on what went well and what didn’t
• Try using the Pomodoro method a couple of hours a day for 2 weeks
• Decide whether it works for you using the framework laid out in the Personal Development Planner.

And if you are already interested in this topic, you can take one of our courses and pursue your personal development!

Step 5: Assess your skills

You've developed a well-structured plan, and you're on the brink of implementing it.

Now is an opportune time to have introspection and engage with those around you.

Foster open discussions with your colleagues or family and friends to assess your current skills and identify areas for improvement.

This valuable communication will contribute to gaining a better understanding of your baseline.

Suppose your goal revolves around enhancing time management skills.

In that case, there different potential things to be done:

• You can evaluate your own abilities .
• Seek feedback from people in your social circle to gauge your strengths and areas of improvement, and, based on this input
• Establish the baseline from which you aim to progress.

This comprehensive assessment will lay the foundation for personal development skills, professional skills, and even leadership skills that you may wish to cultivate in the pursuit of your goals.

Remember, effective communication skills play a crucial role in these discussions, fostering an environment where you can openly explore your strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations.

Additionally, don't underestimate the significance of public speaking skills, which can enhance your ability to express yourself confidently and persuasively.

Step 6: Get your manager on board (optional)

In the course of our lives, we spend an average of 90,000 hours at work .

That’s why it would be great for your personal development goals to overlap with your career development.

This way you can develop some of the skills you need at work (if you’re currently working at a company), and there doesn’t need to be a conflict between them!

A good way to embed your vision in your day-to-day is to think about what your company wants you to develop and how you can relate this to your own North-Star Goal.

Identify any overlapping areas which you can focus on for your short-term goals.

Imagine a Venn diagram with the skills and capabilities your company wants you to develop in the short term.

And the skills and capabilities you want to develop in order to reach your North Star Goal in the long term.

The overlapping area between the two is where you should focus on your personal development.

Not sure how to go about this?

• Plan a talk with your manager to get an understanding of what skills you might be missing or could be needed in the future within your team.
• Look at your job description and define where you think you might be falling behind. Which areas could use new challenges? In what areas could you stretch yourself a little?
• Discuss your goals and ask how your company can help you achieve them. Make sure you're also clear on how it would benefit you and the company.

Step 7: Get practical

Now that you’ve figured out your vision, know what milestones you need to reach to get to your vision, have broken down milestones into manageable goals and you know what skills are needed to achieve them.

It’s time to get practical and start developing your skills!

Do your research, talk to your network and find the best resources that fit your needs.

Whether it’s a course, a book, a seminar, coaching, make sure to consider all options you have and pick the one that best suits you and your needs.

Which are some of best personal development books?

Here is a list that we can provides some of the best personal development books: 

• Atomic Habits by James Clear: This book provides a simple and effective framework for creating good habits and breaking bad ones.
• The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck: This book is a guide to living a more authentic and fulfilling life. Peck argues that the only way to truly find happiness is to face our challenges head-on and to live our lives according to our own values.
• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: This book is a memoir about Frankl's experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Frankl argues that even in the most difficult of circumstances, it is possible to find meaning in life.
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• Growth & Marketing (69)
• Artificial Intelligence (45)
• Data & Analytics (16)
• Case studies (11)
• Project Management (10)

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Education for personal development and growth

Written by Camilla Andersson

Reviewed by Christina Neider , EdD, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

In this article

• The importance of education in personal and intellectual growth
• Exploring educational paths for growth
• Tips for incorporating education into your plan

When you feel like you’re in a rut, it could be a sign that it’s time to focus on personal development. But how do you start the journey? One way might be through education.

Here, we’ll explore how taking courses aimed at enrichment and developing a growth mindset can help you reset your purpose and path. 

The importance of education in personal growth

We often think of education as a means to an end, such as a license, degree or certificate. While these are all valuable, education also serves a less tangible purpose: to foster personal development and growth.

Personal development is a process in which you improve your skills and capabilities by engaging in activities such as courses, workshops or mentorships. This is different from self-improvement, which focuses more on bolstering qualities you’d like to develop or mitigating habits or characteristics that work against you. You might, for example, use books or techniques to strengthen your confidence if you were focused on self-improvement.

Engaging with others and finding new platforms for growth, however, can often take you further than self-improvement alone.

“When we talk about taking some classes for personal development, it is about growing and expanding our horizons,” says Jessica Roper, the director of Career Services at University of Phoenix. “The value of education is that it helps people see things from a different perspective. It also improves your critical thinking skills.”

This development is a process, and the result is called personal growth. Neither is finite — there is always more to learn. Growing as a person can improve both your soft and hard skills, help you find your passions and, perhaps just as importantly, increase self-esteem.

“I also see education as a means of confidence-building both personally and professionally. Taking the challenge can be really helpful for self-esteem and growth,” says Roper. In this way, personal development can also encompass self-improvement.

Taking classes at a university may boost your self-esteem in several ways, such as:

• Prioritizing your growth can strengthen your sense of self-worth, especially over time. When you achieve goals and attain new skills or experience, you may value yourself in a more positive light.
• Meeting deadlines and accomplishing goals can signal to you and others that you are capable and efficient.
• Developing a growth mindset can be a byproduct of education, which is helpful for overcoming challenges and encouraging more opportunities for growth. A growth mindset is the belief that you can improve your abilities through your efforts. This results in greater resilience to challenges and a better capacity to learn from mistakes.

John Marszalek, PhD, is a full-time faculty member at University of Phoenix. He says new students in his counseling courses are often unfamiliar with the concept of a growth mindset, leading them to doubt their capabilities at first.

“Many students come in thinking they are not going to be successful,” he says. “They don’t know what to expect from the class or instructor. They get in, and it starts to build self-confidence and self-efficiency, and they realize that it is possible. When taking classes, not only are you learning material, you start to realize the areas you want to grow in, and you start to realize it is possible to grow in those areas.”

Taking classes to develop as a person might also lead to new skills you can implement in your career. According to Roper, the most important soft skills that many employees need to develop are communication and critical thinking.

In addition to such skill enhancement, education could expand your network of peers and mentors. This also enhances opportunities to develop soft skills for job interviews and the workplace.

Exploring educational paths for personal growth

Education offers several benefits that can help you develop as a person. As mentioned, its structured setting encompasses goals and deadlines to help develop a sense of agency and ability. The classes themselves also encourage development through the exchange of ideas during class discussions and the guidance of experienced instructors. Education may also offer practical resources like academic advisors and career centers to help students identify and pursue new opportunities.

The best part? You don’t have to commit to an entire degree or certificate program to reap these benefits. Enrolling in a single academic course , for example, can also propel change. Some examples of subjects that might encourage you to grow as a person include:

• Psychology: Understand the connections between the mind and behavior.
• Humanities: Develop critical and creative thinking, depending on the course.
• Business: Enhance business and interpersonal communication skills.

Professional development courses are another option to consider if you’re seeking personal development. Some employers see the value in this as well, which is why certain organizations pay for employees to take professional development classes  and may even tailor a program to their employees’ workplace needs.

If you find classes that you think are interesting and might also help you in the workplace, find out if your employer has a budget for professional development classes. Examples of such classes include human resources, leadership development, and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Academic courses, whether individually taken or approached as part of a degree program, can form a strong foundation for additional resources, such as mentorships, conferences and volunteer opportunities.

Ultimately, developing as a person should be a lifelong goal. Going back to school can kick-start this process by helping you determine what motivates you and what you’re passionate about.

“I think that it is so important to follow your passion,” says Marszalek. “As you learn new material, pay attention to things you learn that really grab you and that really connect with you. It can be great information because it can help you make decisions on where you want to go from there.”

Practical tips for incorporating education into your plan for growth

To get started on your journey of growth, create a plan for what you want to accomplish, when and how. Consider the following steps:

1.    Establish your goals . Be as detailed as possible. Do you need to learn specific professional skills? Obtain a license? Improve soft skills such as communication or time management?

2.    Determine which classes will help you meet these goals . Are there courses that can help you reach several of your goals at the same time?

3.    Create a conducive learning environment for growth . Set aside time not only to study for specific tests and assignments but also to develop a deeper understanding of the material. Additionally, seek out opportunities to connect with your instructor and other students, whether virtually or in person.

4.    Utilize university resources . Workshops, seminars, career centers and, later on, alumni associations all offer ways to continue to connect, ideate and grow.

5.    Balance education with other approaches and habits . Mentorships can help you set goals and network in your industry. Beyond that, exercising, practicing mindfulness and eating well can improve your health, strengthen focus and help you manage stress.

Where can I find educational resources for personal development? 

Are you ready to get started on your path to personal development? Find a class that can help you on this journey. University of Phoenix has a variety of options that can help you achieve both your personal and professional goals.

Whether you want to obtain a degree or an online certificate , pursue professional development or start with a single course, you can find it by obtaining more information on the UOPX website.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Camilla Andersson is a writer with a degree in journalism. She has written and edited content for trade magazines, blogs, white papers and newsletters. Camilla lives in Los Angeles and is a graduate of San Francisco State University. She grew up in Sweden, where she published her first work, an op-ed in the newspaper Aftonbladet, at the age of 15.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Christina Neider is the dean of the University of Phoenix College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.  Neider’s career spans more than 30 years in academia, healthcare and the U.S. Air Force. She has held several academic leadership roles at University of Phoenix, and she is the Vice President of membership for the Arizona Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

This article has been vetted by University of Phoenix's editorial advisory committee.  Read more about our editorial process.

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• CBD 2024: Introduction to Stanford's 11th Annual Contemplation by Design Summit with Tia Rich, PhD

CBD 2024: Introduction to Stanford's 11th Annual Contemplation by Design Summit with Tia Rich, PhD

• Contemplation by Design

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 12pm to 1pm PT

This event is open to: General Public Everyone

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Event Details:

The 2024 Contemplation by Design Summit offers 46 free sessions presenting the evidenced-based process of enhancing health and well-being for all through contemplative movement and stillness practices.

Join us to deepen your reservoir of skills that revitalize you and the people with whom you interact.

Learn from leading contemplative science researchers and teachers, while also delighting in developing practices that cultivate the resilience and wise compassion that supports individual and societal health and well-being, healing and transformation.

In this talk, Tia Rich, PhD, will provide an overview of the Stanford 2024 Contemplation by Design® Summit ’s 46 free sessions, offered in person or online from Oct. 23 - Nov. 3, 2024. Learn evidence-based contemplative practices that cultivate your capacity to thrive, create, and serve. Develop a personal Action Plan that will enrich your ability to contribute to the health and well-being of your community and country, as well as yourself.

The 2024 Summit offers revitalizing wisdom and practical resources to build a better future for all. Summit topics include research on contemplative practices for PEACE: Pausing, Exhaling, Attending mindfully, Connecting compassionately, and Expressing wise compassion.

Summit speakers include: Richard Davidson, Sharon Salzberg, Kristen Neff, Sara Lazar, Andrew Holecek, Richard Miller, Charles Junkerman, Manus Donahue, Ciaran Considine, Ron Epstein, Susan Aposhyn, Pilar Jennings, Roger Walsh, William Van Gordon, Al’ai Alvarez, Christine Forner, Valerie (Vimalasara) Mason-John, Gopi Kallayil, Jahnavi Harrison, Tia Rich, and Patricia June Vickers

Guided Contemplative Practices include: Loving-kindness Meditation with Sharon Salzberg, Self-compassion with Kristen Neff, Mindfulness of the Body with Sara Lazar, iRest Yoga Nidra with Richard Miller, Contemplative Movement and Stillness for Health and Well-being with Tia Rich, Life as Sacred Story with Patricia June Vickers, Healing Imagery with Pilar Jennings, Meditation for Opening with Andrew Holecek, Authenticity and Self-compassion as a Way to Find Professional Fulfillment with Al’ai Alvarez, A Continuum of Being: Contemplative Embodiment Practice and Embodied Meditation Practice with Susan Aposhyn, and Kirtan with Jahnavi Harrison and more skill-building opportunities.

Experience how contemplative practices strengthen our capacity to effectively engage in the complex and inspiring work of creating health and well-being for all individuals, communities, countries, and the planet. “iPause to Thrive, Create, and Serve” describes the lives of people who integrate the knowledge and skills cultivated by the Stanford Contemplation by Design programs .

Tia Rich, PhD, MA, MSW , is the founder and director of the Stanford School of Medicine’s Contemplation by Design® program. As the principal lecturer for the School of Medicine’s Applied Contemplative Science concentration in Community Health and Prevention Research, Rich teaches and mentors Stanford undergraduate and graduate students. Academic classes she teaches include: Contemplative Science , Applying Contemplative Practices , Contemplative Competence for Sustainability of Public and Planetary Health and Well-being , Contemplative Movement , and Translating Contemplative Science into Timely Community Programming . She also teaches co-curricular classes through the Stanford Healthy Living program, including the "The Power of the Pause" contemplative retreat for faculty, staff, students, and community members. She has been integrating contemplative science and practices into Stanford academic classes and professional development programs since her completion of graduate studies in Social Welfare at UC Berkeley, and in Education at Stanford, after earning her undergraduate degree in Human Biology at Stanford.

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