- October 17, 2018
- Psychology of Personality
- Valentina Buravleva
It often happens that a person lives as if at half capacity. On the one hand, he is no better or worse than others. But at the same time, something is sorely missing in his life. Sometimes old dreams come to mind, the desires of childhood and youth remind us of themselves. Even as adults, many people think about how they could realize their talents.
Useful questions
Unlocking potential is a difficult task. After all, adults have a lot of troubles that constantly distract them from realizing their talents. Life often turns out to be so difficult that a person himself forgets what his dreams are. The following questions will help you get to know yourself better. They will help you figure out how to unlock your potential:
- What hobbies, games, and hobbies did you like most as a child? What subjects seemed the most interesting in the school curriculum?
- Who were the most interesting people as a teenager? What did you want to do then? Why did this seem interesting?
- Which of your youth dreams were realized? Which ones are not? For what reasons?
- What did you want to become a few years ago? Which of these expectations can be considered relevant today?
- In what direction would you like to transform your image? Perhaps there is a desire to see yourself more sociable, smiling, or, conversely, reserved and serious?
- What abilities have remained unrealized until now?
- What can realizing your potential give to other people? If you manage to reveal your talent, how will it benefit society?
Constant communication
Locking yourself in does not lead to anything good. This is a long-known truth, which is actually difficult to disagree with. If we focus too much on our problems, they increase in size. It seems that any attempts will inevitably end in failure and therefore there is no point in even trying to fix anything. Loneliness inevitably aggravates existing difficulties in relationships and does not allow us to understand what is really happening. Only constant communication can release a large supply of positive energy, which is so necessary to begin qualitative changes in life. By interacting with the people around us, we inevitably develop, enrich our inner world, make it brighter and more beautiful. Don't shy away from interesting interactions with others. Communication in most cases is beneficial and helps to understand ourselves.
Processing information received about yourself
You can reflect on these questions for several days. After this, you can conduct a kind of “audit” of your own strengths and weaknesses. This will make it possible to understand exactly why the actual state differs from the desired one and what character traits need to be developed in oneself to reveal personal potential. It is important to supplement this practice with an action plan. For example, if social phobia turns out to be an obstacle to realizing your talents, you need to think through a strategy to combat this deficiency - for example, add a visit to a psychologist to your daily schedule.
Politeness
A successful person always knows how to keep himself under control. He will not allow himself to lash out at others over trifles and ruin the mood of everyone around him. If you decide to engage in personal growth, then you should start forming such a useful habit. In fact, it never hurts to be polite. Developed politeness helps you concentrate on the task at hand and not be distracted by extraneous stimuli. In addition, it is much more comfortable to communicate with friends in a friendly atmosphere. If you are also thinking about how to start developing yourself as a person, you must first learn how to treat others correctly. This is not always easy to do, but you have to try. People are usually drawn to those who have a positive attitude, know how to make the right impression, and do not forget to give a pleasant speech. Growing above yourself means reconsidering your attitude towards life in time, finding something pleasant for yourself.
Keep a diary
Diary entries are a good way to understand yourself. Sometimes a person himself does not understand the nature of his psyche, is not aware of the desires he has. To do this, you need to observe yourself for some time.
Notes can be a good help with this. For example, on a certain day a woman had to babysit a relative’s child, and this brought joy. It is possible that in this case she can think about her desires - perhaps she has an inclination to work with children? Regular observations and recordings will allow you to track your own preferences.
Dan Waldschmidt, “Be the best version of yourself. How ordinary people become extraordinary"
A must-read book for those who strive for high achievement. It is not surprising to have doubts before taking action. After all, they require enormous dedication from us, acceptance of responsibility, and the ability to trust our own choices. Valuing yourself means striving to reveal your existing abilities, and not to hush them up. Being the best version of yourself should be understood as the ability to constructively use all opportunities for your self-development. After reading this book, you will understand which path you should take to achieve the desired result.
Take real steps
Unlocking potential sometimes requires not only great desire, but also courage. To realize the abilities that are inherent in a person by nature, it is often necessary to take steps into the unknown. However, there are no guarantees that the efforts invested will be justified and that the familiar and safe territory was not left in vain. Unlocking a person’s potential is often accompanied by doubts:
- “What if I don’t succeed?” - This is not excluded.
- “Suddenly everything will become even worse than it is now.” – And no one is immune from this.
- “All normal people live like this, why should I change my field of activity.” – It’s difficult to argue with this statement.
The human mind constantly presents dozens of reasons why there is no need to unlock potential. But what happens if you nevertheless step over these doubts and start doing unusual things? Yes, no one can guarantee success if a woman comes to a festive event not in clothes of the usual dark colors, but in a bright yellow dress. However, risk itself is of particular value. A person gets used to leaving his comfort zone. If you do this over and over again, it becomes easier for him to unlock his potential - start performing publicly, start learning dance or a new language, or retrain.
What is self-development
The psychology of personality development is such that a person constantly changes throughout his life. He cannot remain the same, being in certain circumstances, going through numerous trials. The events that take place inevitably change us, leave a serious imprint on our thinking, and affect everyday life in general.
Self-development is a conscious desire for qualitative improvements in living conditions, with the spiritual and moral aspects coming to the fore here. The definition of the concept of “personality” always affects the motivational sphere. This happens for the reason that without the application of volitional efforts it becomes quite difficult to develop, move forward, act, regardless of external circumstances.
Feelings of uncertainty are a constant companion to development
Feeling unsure is completely normal. No one has the necessary experience and knowledge from birth. A person has to accumulate the necessary information and master skills for years before he enters a new field of activity or receives a professional diploma. And even after the first obstacle has been overcome, many more will follow. After all, everyone knows that a university graduate is far from being a full-fledged specialist. It takes years of practice before becoming one. That is why unlocking your potential should be based on the inner confidence that it is quite possible to gain the necessary experience. If you don’t have self-confidence and your strengths now, this does not mean that it won’t come with the acquisition of the necessary skills.
Self-knowledge
One of the most amazing phenomena can be considered human psychology. How to develop your personality without giving up on long-awaited intentions? Self-knowledge is a very important and effective component. Only by knowing yourself can you become truly happy. By delving into the origins of one’s own experiences, a person often comprehends a truth that is impossible to know in any other way. In most cases, self-knowledge helps to more easily adapt to any conflict situation and outline ways out of the crisis. If people were more eager to understand their own essence, there would be fewer broken destinies and unhappy lives. It is effective to begin self-knowledge by checking your own desires. Learn to look at your own world from different angles. If you are thinking about how a person can become an individual, there is some benefit to this.
Additional recommendations
To fully realize their talent, a person needs to work not only on a specific area of life - for example, on becoming better in a chosen field of activity. In addition, you should transform your lifestyle. After all, everyday life is the basis on which a person realizes himself as an individual. Psychologists recommend adhering to the following rules:
- Refuse to judge anyone. Starting right from today, you should stop judging people and events, completely abandon critical perception or censure.
- Communicate regularly with wildlife. It cleanses a person of negative energy. The beauty of nature reflects the spiritual world of a person, making his soul more harmonious.
- Silence. This practice was promoted by philosophers and sages in ancient times. When a person talks too much, he wastes personal resources that could be used to unlock his potential. It is recommended to remain silent for one to two hours a day. Sometimes you can devote the whole day to this practice.
These rules will allow you to concentrate internal resources and direct them to achieve your goals. Compliance with them allows you to make a person more holistic, strong, and collected.
Self-sufficiency
Self-esteem certainly plays a big role in a person’s self-knowledge. This is the only way we open up to ourselves and the world around us. The feeling of self-sufficiency incredibly protects a person from all sorts of adversity and constant disappointments. There is a feeling of emotional “armor” that cannot be penetrated by anything. When you feel self-sufficient, you begin to truly understand your worth. And in this case, be sure that you will not allow anyone to offend you.
Self-esteem increases dramatically, self-confidence strengthens. It is then that all those amazing discoveries with which this world is so rich occur. Having learned to fully accept his own essence, a person independently resolves intrapersonal conflict. Admittedly, this takes a lot of effort and always indicates a strong will. There is no greater achievement in life than gaining a sense of self-sufficiency. It is hardly possible for anyone to confuse such a person or lead him down the wrong road. It becomes difficult to even offend him, because the individual knows his own worth.
Exercise “Morning Pages”
This technique was proposed by writer and screenwriter Julia Cameron. The technique makes it possible to find and restore creativity in a person and helps to reveal inner potential.
Morning Pages are a stream of consciousness that a person places on three sheets of handwritten text. The exercise is performed in the morning. After drinking a cup of coffee, you can begin the technique. You should write whatever comes to mind - morning pages, by definition, cannot be wrong. Even if it’s a boring entry like: “I don’t want to do anything. The kids are still sleeping, but I have so much to do. The whole kitchen is full of dishes."
The technique can also be used by those people whose activities are in no way related to writing. Morning pages can be absurd and don't involve much thought about grammar rules. The process of writing them is comparable to a musician performing scales. Scales are not included in the repertoire, but their implementation is mandatory for every professional.
Morning Pages do not need to be discussed or shown to other people. Even the most practitioner of this exercise is not recommended to re-read them earlier than a few weeks after writing. This technique, with long-term practice, allows you to build a reliable bridge to the depths of your own unconscious. With the help of morning pages, you can learn a lot about yourself, get more inspiration, reveal your inner resources, and gain wisdom. By performing practice, a person establishes contact with his creative part - the inner demiurge.
Meditation practice
Today it is gaining great popularity even among ordinary people who have never been interested in esotericism before. This is because many people want to make their lives as meaningful as possible and make independent decisions. People are gradually thinking about the need for personal growth, they want to be as useful as possible, and fully realize their potential. Resorting to spiritual practice for this becomes very effective.
Meditation should be done regularly, only then will it be beneficial. As a result of systematic breathing exercises, physical health is strengthened, emotional balance is restored, and self-confidence grows. There are many meditation practices. Each person can choose the one he likes best. It is only important to practice regularly to train the skill of self-knowledge.
Exercise “Creative date”
The technique is useful for unlocking creative potential, and with its help you can learn to take care of yourself. After all, the process of creation involves the expenditure of internal resources, which must be replenished. Creative dates are also useful during times of emotional decline, when a person thinks that what they are doing is complete nonsense.
The point of the method is that at least once a week you need to devote time to yourself, to be alone with your thoughts. You can go to nature to enjoy the silence. Or go to an art exhibition, museum or cinema. In the end, go to a cafe and order your favorite dish, then leisurely enjoy every bite. After performing this technique, much more inspiration and creative strength appears.
Positive thinking
A very important point that, unfortunately, is often forgotten. Being able to think constructively is very important for personal growth. Self-improvement begins with conscious reflection. Positive thinking can release a large amount of creative energy, so necessary for individual self-realization. When we look at any events from a positive point of view, we learn to notice the beauty that fills every moment of life. In most cases, it will take a lot of time before an individual learns to see something good in everything that surrounds him. But an already formed skill can bring a lot of pleasant impressions.
A way to unlock intellectual potential: computer games
There are a large number of ways to stimulate the development of a person’s mental abilities. One of the most modern areas is special computer games and simulators. Scientists once believed that the human brain develops only up to a certain age, and then inevitably declines.
However, the scientific paradigm has now changed. Now it has become clear that in the presence of mental stress, the human brain can develop not only in children, but also in adults. Educational games and exercise equipment are now available online or can be purchased in specialty stores. Systematic work with these programs allows you to train cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and logic.
Books for motivation
Personal growth is impossible without accepting and assimilating new useful information. We only begin to change when we know which direction we should move. And most creative thoughts can be found in special books on self-improvement and personal growth. It is worth noting that you need to read them regularly, and not from time to time. These texts are useful because they encourage you to start taking care of yourself, to change your own idea of the world for the better. The following books are definitely worthy of your attention.
Personality in psychology
Let's first understand what it means to be a person in order to avoid confusion on this issue. In the classical sense, personality is a set of properties and characteristics of a person that are acquired by him in the process of living in society and active interaction with other people.
The key word in this concept is “society”. In order to become a person, we just need to be born, but in order to become a person, a little person needs to integrate into the social environment.
In this regard, the question arises: does every person become an individual? The answer is no, not everyone. If a person spent the first years of his life isolated from people, he will no longer be able to become a full-fledged member of society.
Brain structures responsible for higher mental functions, such as speech, thinking, memory, attention, are formed in the first five years of life. This happens by transforming external processes into internal ones. The child hears the speech of adults, begins to copy it, then transfers the speech inside - this is how thinking is formed.
If there is no example to follow, these functions will have nowhere to come from.
A striking example of people without personality are the so-called Mowgli children. These are children who, for some reason, after birth, ended up in a wild environment and were raised by animals. Even when they got to people, these children continued to behave like animals and were never able to socialize.
So if you are able to read these lines, you don’t have to worry - you already have a personality, like 99% of the Earth’s population. What kind of meaning then do people put into the expression “become a person”? You've probably heard it more than once.
The process of becoming a person is touched upon both in philosophy and in fiction. What is meant by it is not so much the formation of higher mental functions, but rather the acquisition by an individual of properties that provide him with a high place in the social hierarchy.
In order for this expression to correspond to its generally accepted meaning, the word “strong” must be added to it. Becoming a strong personality is what people who already have a personality strive for, but they don’t know it. This is what you and I will work on. I will tell you how to strengthen, enhance your personality and make it competitive.
Before moving on to the next block of the article, let me recommend to you one very good project that I found on the Internet six months ago and since then I have been constantly using for personal growth. The name of the project is Wikium. All Wikium materials are aimed at human self-development.
There is a lot of different things on the site, I recommend that you pay attention to three things. The first is exercise equipment. They help develop thinking, imagination, attentiveness, memory and other qualities. The cool thing about the simulators is that they are available to everyone immediately after registration. You don't need to pay money to practice.
The second is webinars. There are few of them yet, this direction is just beginning to develop, but gradually, I think, there will be more and more. Webinars can also be watched for free.
The third is courses. They are already paid, however, the cost is very low - in the range of 1000-3000 rubles for training.
I encourage you to check out the site and subscribe to its updates so you don't miss anything. At the end of the article, I will recommend some of the best courses specifically for those who want to become a more developed person.
