Authored by Danielle Bender

Picture this: You work full-time as the operations manager of a bank and work is busy.  You hear about a seminar that you really want to attend.  You need to ask your boss for a few hours off during a workday so that you can go.  It is time to make your pitch.  Which of the following topics do you think they are more likely to be on board with? 

A Deep Dive into Cryptocurrency   

OR 

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish 

My hope is that they would give you an enthusiastic “yes” to both.  If that is the case, chances are you have a boss who values you as a person, knows that your job is not your life, and that a happier YOU is also a better employee.  Yay! 

All too often, though, especially in the workplace, professional development seems to be esteemed more highly than personal development.  It is seen as more important, more valuable, and more necessary.  But is that really the case? 

Before we address the question of whether one is more important than the other, let’s make sure we are clear on what sets them apart:  

Professional development refers to the acquisition of skills and knowledge relating to career advancement. Professional development encompasses a vast array of facilitated learning opportunities such as college degrees and formal coursework, conferences, consultations, coaching, mentoring and technical assistance.  It also includes self-study by means of books, podcasts, seminars, etc. 

Personal development includes activities and education that help to improve self-awareness and identity, develop natural talents and potential, improve health, enhance quality of life and contribute to the realization of goals and ambitions. It refers to the programs, methods, tools, techniques and assessments that support human development at the individual level.  These could include in-person or virtual seminars, digital courses, books and even therapy. 

As someone who has been a self-improvement enthusiast for many years, I have found that there are three key lessons that, once understood, can shape and elevate your personal development journey: 

1. Knowledge does not equal growth 

Personal development is a process.  Taking steps to improve your life can be things like listening to podcasts, reading, journaling and setting goals.  Keep in mind, though, that none of those things actually mean anything unless you take action.   

Break the habit, make the leap, get the job.  Especially in the world of self-help and self-improvement, it is easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you actually did something just by learning something.  You bought the book, read a few pages, had an “aha” moment and felt better, but nothing really changed.  Yet.  Hopefully, that aha moment will come into play down the line and shape or shift how you make a decision or what that decision is, but it may not.  It is the application of what we learn that creates change.  It takes real effort, but it is worth it. 

2. Wins in any area create momentum 

Success breeds success.  The myriad aspects of your life are all intricately intertwined simply because they have one big thing in common: You!  When you reach a goal in your personal life (like losing weight or breaking a bad habit), those feel-good vibes of success and motivation seep into other parts of your life, like your job.  You just overcame a huge obstacle?  Woohoo!  Do you think you can give that big presentation at work now?  Of course you can!  You are more confident in your abilities at work because of your personal success at home.  Pat yourself on the back.  Give yourself some credit.  Take ownership of your wins and they will multiply. 

3. We are people before we are professionals 

If your job disappeared tomorrow, would you still exist?  Yes!  Hence the phrase we use so much that we hashtag it:  #peoplebeforeprofessionals 

Naturally, this article is going to be written through a teambuilding lens.  We are facilitators, after all.  We lead with vulnerability.  We remind ourselves that “we don’t know what we don’t know” when it comes to each other’s personal lives.  We ALL have things going on in our lives that may be hidden to others.  We face challenges, setbacks and even tragedies.  All of these impact us in numerous ways.  We can’t just turn off feelings when we walk through the door at our job.  We can, however, learn to manage them.  We can learn what unique strategies will help us not just survive but thrive. Figuring out what we need to be our best, to be happy, to feel fulfilled – learning what makes us tick matters.  A lot.   

The bottom line is this: 

The time you devote to your personal growth and happiness is always time well spent.  Your job may change.  Whether you even have a job may change.  You may choose a new career, passion, or mission.  But the one thing that will always be constant is you.  Taking the time, spending the money, doing the work to make yourself better, whatever that means for you, is an investment that pays off.  Every time. 

If you have questions for Danielle, don’t hesitate to ask by emailing her today! dbender@half-full.com