In the realm of personal growth (also known as personal development), there are many potential areas to target for improvement. Since focus is essential when seeking growth, we must set priorities. This may require some difficult choices. How can we know what is right and best and most important for us to pursue first?
Setting the right priorities is not always easy, but it is possible – with support and strategies designed to help us find our own personal mission and purpose.
Today, we explore practical steps to learn how to set priorities that are uniquely meaningful and important – because they belong to us and are not driven by outside influences.
How to Set Priorities: An Essential Life Skill for Personal Growth
Thankfully, personal growth never ends. It’s a process that we can enjoy throughout our lives.
And if we do, life can become one long adventure full of unending possibilities. Each door we choose to open is an opportunity to explore, reflect, evolve, and develop as we work to become the best selves that we can be. The WE that we are meant to be.
Without clear priorities, however, it can be challenging to know where to focus our time, energy, and resources.
So, let’s first focus on how to set those priorities – the right ones, just for us.
How to Set Priorities: Self-Discovery and Personal Growth
The first step to setting personal growth priorities involves self-discovery.
Some of us may have enjoyed some self-reflection and are fairly sure of many of the pieces and parts of our unique identity.
For the rest of us, though, this may require some work and soul-searching. We may have aligned to a set of values throughout our life without ever truly questioning them. Or maybe we have lived a life based on someone else’s or society’s definition of success.
No matter where we are in life, it’s not too late to begin what can be a process that leads to a personal epiphany.
The goal is to unearth and codify our own core values: the principles, beliefs, and ideals that we, as an individual, want to guide our life.
To identify what truly matters to us and what qualities we aspire to embody.
Validation and Exploration of our Values Can Help Us Set Priorities for Personal Growth
If you think you already know you own personal value set for sure, these exercises can still be valuable. Perhaps it’s just a validation step. Or maybe it’s an opportunity to discern more clarity around the nature of those priorities.
And to push ourselves a bit – to test ourselves in terms of our performance against that set of values.
We can all benefit from productive, positive reflection.
Let’s ask ourselves:
- What virtues and qualities do I wish to embody?
- Who are my roles models and heroes?
- How would one personify my core values in everyday life?
- What do I believe my life purpose to be?
- Does the life I have lived so far reflect these values and purpose?
- If so, what do I need to continue to do?
- If not, what needs to change?
Articulating our values help us prioritize personal growth areas that align with who we are and what we want to become.
For inspiration, it may help to read the following lessons on related subjects:
What’s My Why: How to Uncover Our Personal Truth
How to Live Your Legacy Before It’s Too Late (includes brainstorming word lists)
What is My Purpose: The Answer to the Most Important Question Ever
Why You Need a Personal Mission Statement
How to Set Priorities: A Well-Being Assessment
The next essential step to set personal development priorities is to take inventory of the dimensions of our lives and identify areas where we want to grow.
Life dimensions include career, relationships, physical or mental health, personal development, spirituality, friendships, or any other area important to us.
We can begin this part of the process by asking ourselves:
- Which areas of well-being are most essential to my core values?
- What components of my life are truly the most important to me?
- How can I better demonstrate my commitment to them?
- Which aspects of well-being am I relatively content with?
- Are there dimensions of well-being that I clearly need to focus on for growth?
- Do I tend to pay more attention to certain aspects of my well-being?
- Are there other areas I tend to neglect?
- Would I be better served to alter these natural tendencies of mine?
If it would be helpful, consider looking over these lessons to find more inspiration and to identify which aspect of well-being to focus on.
How to Nourish Well-Being: The 7 Ingredient Secret Sauce
Well-Being Basics We All Need to Know
How to Work Towards Optimal Well-Being
Pick just one or two areas to focus on first.
A Sound Personal Growth Plan Always Includes Self-Care
As we begin to focus on personal growth, we must take care of ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
We each know what we find refreshing and rejuvenating in each of these categories.
It helps to identify self-care activities, such as exercise, proper nutrition, rest, relaxation, mindfulness practices, worship, or prayer, and to make a conscious effort to systematically integrate them into our daily lives.
Nurturing ourselves is essential. It enhances our overall well-being.
This allows us to show up fully in our personal growth journey.
Build, Nurture and Engage Your Support System
It can be challenging to stay committed and accountable to personal growth priorities.
We must each work to surround ourselves with a supportive network. This can be like-minded people, mentors, or a coach who can provide guidance, encouragement, and accountability.
Sharing goals and progress with others not only enhances our growth but also fosters a sense of connection and community.
Personal growth is an ongoing process, and priorities may shift as we progress and gain new insights.
We must do our best to regularly reassess priorities, goals, and progress to ensure they remain aligned with our personal values and aspirations.
It’s also key to keep an open mind and adjust plans or embrace new opportunities that arise along the way.
How to Set Priorities: Just for You
Setting clear priorities is a powerful way to begin a personal growth journey.
It helps us to direct energy towards our most meaningful pursuits, to set goals that align with our personal values, and ultimately, to create a more fulfilling and complete life.
Personal growth is a lifelong process. Along the way we must work to be patient and kind to ourselves.
With clear priorities defined, we are one step closer and well-positioned to embark on an enriching, exciting path of self-discovery, progress, and fulfillment.
Ready to try out some new strategies to help you achieve your life goals? Visit:
Life Coaching Techniques: How to Use the Best Ones Yourself
How to Break Down Professional Goals and Create Action Plans
Thank you as always for reading.
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Joan Senio is the founder of KindCompassCoach. Joan’s career includes clinical healthcare plus 20+ years as an executive in a nationwide health care system and 15 years as a consultant. The common threads throughout Joan’s personal and professional life are a commitment to non-profit organizations, mental health, compassionate coaching, professional development and servant leadership. Joan has had the privilege of mentoring early and mid-career professionals as well as current and future executives and leaders. She is a member of the International Organization of Life Coaches, serves as a thought-leader for KuelLife.com and is also a regular contributor to PsychReg and Sixty and Me. You can read more about Joan here: Joan Senio.
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