“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.”
– Abraham Lincoln

1. Start NOW
Do something about your personal development plan today. It’s absolutely crucial that you work on your mindset and indeed embrace starting NOW – it is going to take some time to achieve lasting change.

2. Take One Step at a Time
To make a plan you need to include steps. Work one goal at a time. Break it into its smallest components. Keep the end result in mind as you focus on what exactly can get you closer to achieving it.

3. Learn From Inspirational People
You can gain from the success of other people and you can learn from their mistakes. If you can find a mentor/coach your journey towards reaching your goal will be easier. Read as many books as you can. Now is the time to follow influential people, listen to their podcasts and get inspired by their success.

4. Embrace Change
The world is changing NOW at a faster pace than ever before. Even if you do nothing you will change by default as the world turns and dictates you to do so. There is no escape from this. Don’t take this change for granted, it’s an opportunity.

5. Be Accountable
YOU are responsible for your own progress. You are responsible for what you are today and where you are today. It’s in your hands whether you will be ready tomorrow. That means it’s your job to initiate the steps involved in your personal development plan. If you don’t bother, no one else will. It also means you own the result and no one else is to blame.

6. Be Grateful & Recognize Your Worth
Focus on what you already have. Make a list of the achievements that you are proud of. It is crucial that you write down your belongings both financial and emotional type. Think about how others benefit from what you do. If you improve yourself, those benefits will increase. Your personal development is for others, as well as for you.

7. Be Intentional
Whatever you intend becomes your reality. Find your true intention before you resolve to do something and make sure you really want what you say you want. If your goal and your intention are not aligned, then you’ll think up lots of excuses and all sorts of situations to prevent your progress. Write down your main goal on a post it and glue it to your bathroom mirror so you can watch it every day when you wake up. Repeat your goal like a mantra – believe it and it will find you!

8. Challenge Yourself
Your goal needs to be within your reach. If you set yourself an impossible target, you’re setting yourself up for a failure. If you stick to what’s easy, you’re denying yourself the satisfaction of achievement and only minimal change will occur. Find that middle ground and work hard towards it.

9. Follow Your Passion
In such inscure and difficult times it is important to do everything you do with an extra amount of emotional devotion and dedication. It’s no good doing things that you don’t like. Chose actions that appeal to you and are in line with your values. Enjoying your path towards reaching your goal is important. Right now you have a limited amount of people that can be around you, nevertheless it is your closest ones. Learn from them, watch them, talk to them, share your goal with them – they will eventually be able to help you. Make sure you’re following your heart while not running from the hard issues. Become a Master in the Art of Living where people can’t tell if you’re working or playing because, to you, you’re always doing both!

10. Keep Going & NEVER Give Up
Life works in cycles and moves to a rhythm. You will have ups and downs. When you hit a slow point or things don’t seem to be moving, don’t give up, keep going. There is no such thing as continual rapid advancement and that means your personal development plan needs to be achievable and balanced. Find your rhythm and go with the flow. There’s no such thing as finished personal self development. You can go on learning, changing and renewing for all of your life.