What Exactly is Personal Development?

Striving to make ourselves better, were thought of as "new age phenomenon", but actually it dates back to ancient history. There are multiple societies that spoke of developing oneself as the only true vocation in life and that philosophy (knowing more about oneself and the universe), was the best way to live a more fulfilling life.

As we look into the history of personal development, it may have been called by other names such as, "virtues", or "moral character", or within the Christian era, "ethics."

No matter where we find the roots of personal development, whether it is in ancient Greece, or more recently in the teachings of Benjamin Franklin, where he created possibly the first Self-Improvement Course. The traits that he spoke of are as follows…

1.       To Practice Self-Control and Exercise Discipline, then to use these traits as a means of improving the individual…

2.   Quiet Yourself and Listen: Become a better listener, and exercise silence…

3.       Maintain Order: Arranging our lives in an orderly fashion, and not procrastinate…

4.       Work Ethic: Putting forth your best effort daily…

5.       Money/Time: Understand how we spend our time and money…

6.       Work: Learn to work and play hard, striving to bring a smile to others…

7.   Do unto Others: Always treat others, the way you yourself would like to be treated.

8.   Small Steps: to look at life with moderation, and to avoid extremes…

9.    Cleanliness Both Inside and Outside: To be clean in body, mind and spirit…

10.   Peace: Live life at peace, enjoying the beauty that surrounds us…

11.   Serve Others: no matter your station in life, take the time to help others in need…

12.   Humbleness: realize that we are all equal in the face of the Almighty…

13.   Honesty: Strive always to speak the truth both yourself and those you come in contact with.

While this is simply a brief example, of what one of America's historic figures offered, personal development is not a destination but a path you should walk.

Personal development should become ingrained in every part of our lives, both physically, mentally, and spiritually. Life is a continual movement from birth to death, and along that path we should always strive to move ourselves forward, to become better people, and to never settle, but always strive for excellence.

We live in a fast-paced world, with deadlines to keep and bills to pay, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we are physical as well as spiritual beings, and to truly be fulfilled we should not put one in front of the other, rather seek excellence for them both.

Personal development, which could be measured by setting and reaching goals, can be thought of as a measurement of our success in life. It does not matter whether we seek the summit Mount Everest, or simply to walk to a neighbouring hill, rather it is the setting of our sight upon that goal, then moving steadily forward to reach the infielders.

In conclusion, in personal development we should seek both short-term and long-term goals, with short-term goals being achievable, which offers fuel to our very essence, allowing us the strength and motivation to move forward with long-term goals.

What Bill Gates and the Modern Philanthropists Do Better

I have witnessed many changes in my long career in the way we approach global challenges – not all of them, sadly, positive. But the resurgence in recent years of philanthropy has been a major change for good.

We have entered a new age of philanthropy and the sick, the poor and the vulnerable of our world are benefiting. Progress is being made on some of our world’s most intractable problems and modern philanthropy has played a significant role in these successes. When, for example, as UN Secretary-General we launched the Global Fund as an international financing mechanism to tackle HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the early involvement of the Gates Foundation was of critical importance.

It was not just the large additional resources which were provided which made the difference, but also their way of approaching the challenge. Modern philanthropists have brought a determined focus on outcomes and the courage to find and try innovative solutions to deliver results.

They also bring a deep understanding of the need to build the widest possible partnerships with governments, international agencies, civil society and the private sector. Despite fears from some NGOs and multilaterals about their involvement and influence, modern philanthropists rarely operate in isolation but recognise the importance of collaboration.

The new age of philanthropy is also marked by a change in where the successors to Carnegie, Rockefeller and Nobel live. As the economies of Asia, Latin America and Africa have grown, so has the determination of its business leaders to use their wealth for the greater good.

We have seen, for example, the emergence of a growing number of African foundations set up by those whose companies have thrived on the continent. They can bring, as is the case with Mo Ibrahim and the work of his Foundation on African governance and of Tony Elumelu on entrepreneurship, a particular insight into what’s important, a better understanding of the local and regional context, and the barriers that must be overcome.

This experience can also provide a credibility which makes it more difficult for those in authority to ignore and easier to attract the right partners. The work of my Foundation on African agriculture and on elections and reconciliation within the continent – and the wide partnerships we have forged – has benefited hugely from these partnerships.

The Ibrahim and Gates Foundations also underline how modern philanthropists are taking a much more high-profile role in advocacy for the causes in which they believe and the changes they want to see. Many wealthy individuals, of course, continue to keep their giving and efforts private, but this new breed of philanthropy-champions have successfully raised awareness, challenged conventional thinking and prompted decisive action on issues of huge importance.

As we look around our world and the complex challenges we face, it is clear we need not just more funding but the very best ideas that we can get, and absolute focus to make these ideas work in practice. I am delighted to see the next generation of philanthropists leading the way.

This article was written by Kofi Annan, Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation.Credit: https://ch.linkedin.com/in/kofiannan

How to nurture Excellent Habits for Health

Health is the level of functional and (or) metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person in the mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain (as in “good health” or “healthy”), (from Wikipedia, free online encyclopaedia).  

Your goal should be to live to 100 in superb physical health.  

a) Design and imagine your ideal body. What would your body look like if it was perfect in your own estimation? This is your goal.  

b) The key to health and life can be summarized in five words, “Eat less and exercise more.” 

c)  Develop the discipline of exercising every day, even if all you do is go for a walk. Exercise is best done in the morning, immediately after you get up, before you have time to think about it. If you do this for 21 days, it will become part of your regular routine for the rest of your life.  

d) Eliminate the three white poisons: flour, sugar and salt. 

e) Eat more salads and lighter foods; eat before 6pm and eat half portions.  

f) Get regular medical and dental check-ups. They can add years to your life.  

g)  Use the Michael Jordon method: “Just do it!”  

In a nutshell, just apply these seven (7) steps, set goals for your health and stay fit all the time. You will need to be healthy in order to develop your career and achieve all the other personal goals.