Don't Let Your Personality Hold You Back - 10 Tips For Development
Don't Let Your Personality Hold You Back - 10 Tips For Development
You’ve probably heard that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but we all know appearances matter too! How else would our parents have gotten us to brush our teeth and wash behind our ears when we were kids? Everyone has their own unique personality, and some are more popular than others. But not all personalities are created equal, and some are valued more than others in the workplace. We’re going to look at how you can grow as a person and make yourself more appealing to potential employers by using these 10 tips!
1) Be Presentable
In a world dominated by appearances, it’s easy to let your personality be shaped by your ego. But if you’re trying to make your way up in business, having a snobbish attitude or an overly flashy wardrobe might backfire. Present yourself professionally, but don’t worry too much about being perfect or appealing to others. When you let your insecurities and vanity get in the way of forming solid relationships with people at work—no matter who they are—you run into all sorts of problems down the road.
2) Pay Attention To Details
Paying attention to details is an important part of any job. Unfortunately, some people are naturally bad at paying attention to details. This often means they don’t get hired for positions that require it, and in general are not viewed as reliable employees. If you know you struggle with paying attention to details, there are several things you can do about it: Consider taking a class on listening carefully or studying psychology; learn how our brains process information; become aware of why certain situations cause distractions; and work out ways to stay focused during challenging tasks. Understanding why your mind wanders helps make it easier to ignore those thoughts when they happen again.
3) Improve Your Memory
Memory improvement is a big part of being an introvert. If you are constantly remembering people’s names, faces, and facts you will seem like a social rock star. Plus, it improves your confidence by showing that even if there’s a lot going on inside your head (all good stuff, remember), you can still function in any environment. Simply put: memory training is a means to an end and that end is more confidence and appreciation for yourself. Your phone has some great tools for learning how to improve your memory! There are also many apps out there specifically designed to help with memory improvement.
One of my mentors once told me to Listen carefully. I've carried that advice with me in every interaction since then. It's a simple idea, but an important one—and it illustrates why listening is so vital for your personal development. Listen carefully and you'll hear what others have to say; listen carefully and you'll be able to discern actionable feedback from busy work or distractions; listen carefully and you may learn something new about yourself. As they say, there are few things more practical than a good theory. And if your theory is simple enough, it just might stick with you long after you’ve heard it.
5) Make Eye Contact And Smile
It's always a good idea to make eye contact when you’re speaking with someone and to offer a smile. Eye contact makes people feel listened to, which goes a long way toward earning their trust. Smiling lets them know you’re happy, so they can relax and feel at ease in your presence. Eye contact and smiling are good ways to avoid being perceived as stiff or cold in professional interactions; try using these techniques regularly when communicating with coworkers, clients, or customers. You may be surprised by how much easier it is to build rapport with others once you start making eye contact and smiling more often!
6) Know How To Accept Compliments
While it's not difficult to learn how to accept compliments, we know that sometimes it can be hard to get past feelings of self-doubt. If you're reading know how to accept a compliment and instantly think: what if they say it wrong? or What if I don't deserve it?, take a moment and remind yourself that receiving a compliment is one of life's best pleasures. To make accepting compliments easier, here are some tips for working on confidence and building a better sense of self worth.
7) Show Empathy Towards Others
Think of an annoying person you knew at one point in your life. What caused you to think that way? Were they constantly late? Was their voice just grating? Did they try too hard to be friends with everyone, and as a result made no one feel special? Did they have a lack of empathy for others? This sort of behavior is something we all recognize in others. But rarely do we acknowledge our own faults and how we can change them. If you want people to love spending time with you, then start showing more empathy towards others. Making a concerted effort to show empathy will make people like and trust you more instantly, which in turn will lead to those very same people loving being around you.
8) Manage Stress Well
Stress isn’t good for you. We all know that. Stress is related to a whole host of psychological and physical issues, like lower immunity, higher blood pressure, decreased cognitive function and changes in sleep patterns. So it goes without saying that reducing stress is a good thing. That’s easier said than done, though. In reality, people deal with stressful situations every day; some more than others, some better than others. But it can be made easier if you just manage your stress well as an individual.
9) Set Goals And Take Action
Goals don’t have to be set in stone—but you should take action every day to move closer to your desired future. Instead of thinking about what you want in a few years, start considering how you can make it happen today. When setting goals, focus on small steps instead of drastic changes. This will help you realize your objectives more quickly, keep momentum going and feel more confident about yourself along the way. In addition, planning out specific steps can help reduce feelings of self-doubt or failure: if things don’t go as planned for a given day or week, ask yourself if something went wrong or did you miss an opportunity?
10) Always Keep Learning
One of my favorite bits of wisdom comes from Sir Isaac Newton, who said, If I have seen further it is by standing on ye shoulders of Giants. With that in mind, always be reading and learning. As human beings, we’re all limited in some way; if you read about people who are more talented than you or make better decisions than you, you can learn from them. Humans make mistakes constantly—you can avoid making them yourself by taking lessons from those who’ve gone before you. Reading forces us to think about new problems we may not have encountered before, and it helps keep our brains limber when we go through life.
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