Personal Development And Ethics - Term Paper Example

Mohammed Alatteya Personal Development And Ethics Personal Development And Ethics Personal development has been variously defined as development of ones capabilities or potentialities, efforts toward self-fulfilment either through formal study programs or on ones own, or the state or process of improving or developing oneself. It all adds up to increasing one’s skills and transforming one’s self in accordance to one’s own image of an ideal. Merriam-Webster Online dictionary describes ethics as “the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation”. (Merriam-Webster Online dictionary) One’s ethical principles are not a set of rules handed down at birth. One develops these over time and many factors influence how they’re crafted. However good and bad or right and wrong are very broad terms and differ from society to society and within different cultures, races and peoples. There are a whole lot of grey areas and overlapping nuances between the rigidity of good and bad or right and wrong. Perhaps the meaning of these terms may even vary depending on our own experiences. For example we have all been taught that taking another person’s life is wrong. When a murderer who is convicted of mass murder is brought to book many of us may think that he deserves the death penalty, yet somewhere in our hearts we may find the compassion to allow him the option of a life sentence that would possibly allow him to repent and do some good. Consider however that the victim is a loved one, would you then feel any compassion for the murderer? Here then is the difference in each one’s ethics. So, we may define them as a personal code of conduct or those principles by which one makes choices in life regarding what is right or wrong, good or bad. 2 The process of personal development begins long before we even understand the meaning of the term in its entirety. A baby needs love and care and deprived of these the baby may suffer ill effects that can irreparably warp his/her personal development and lead to personality problems in later life. A young child’s personal development begins, in the home and he/she usually has a role model in whose image the child would like to transform him/her. This image changes as one grows and is usually different at different times in one’s life. A child’s earliest role model is a parent – a picture of a young boy comes to mind proudly proclaiming his father’s physical strength or his prowess in sport or his intellectual abilities and vowing to grow up to be just like him. However as the child is exposed to powerful influences outside his home, his priorities change and his vision of who he will grow up to be, too will change. Some things however may remain constant. The values of right and wrong are first learned in the family. When a parent teaches a child what is right and wrong, the child does not accept it blindly. He/she observes the parent and this dictates the ethical behaviour of the child in later life. As a child is exposed to influences of community, religion or school, his ethics take shape and may remain his guiding principles all his life. Yet there will often be thin lines differentiating right and wrong in his later life and he will then have to make choices that will depend on his personal development. The concept of personal ethics is extremely complex, and develops from a variety of factors. There are very subtle differences between ethics, beliefs, morals and values. To most of us these would be synonymous. We depend on these to guide us to make the right decisions at crucial crossroads in our life. However we mostly make these decisions without thinking very 3 deeply about them. We do something just because it feels like the right thing to do. This is because these ethics are so deeply etched in our psyche that what is right manifests itself without much thought. It is an almost involuntary action. However, there are times when one has to deeply think these out because there are other factors involved that do not allow us to simply take into consideration more than what is just right or wrong. For example we know that telling a lie is wrong and as a rule this is very straight forward, but in certain circumstances if a small lie is for the greater good then one makes a choice whether to tell the absolutely truth or to make the concession and go ahead with the lie. As personal development differs from one person to another, so too do personal ethics. Personal development is an ongoing process and may and often does carry on throughout one’s life and is a choice made by the person concerned. Although personal ethics too are personal choices, they are often governed by factors like culture, religion family and experiences as well as the society in which we live. For example prejudices of caste colour and gender were rampant in many societies not so long ago and have not been completely eradicated even today. Yet people living in those societies did not consider them wrong and it took a long time for people to come to terms with the fact that all human beings are equal. Personal development involves opening new doors that enable one to understand one’s potential and fully unleash this in order to live a happy and fulfilling life. The term personal development encompasses a whole host of possibilities. Personal development can be physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual and is usually a combination of all of 4 these together with a strong ethical code that enhances one’s personality and enables one to become a better human being. Each one of us wants to be good looking. The term beautiful or handsome is something we would all like attributed to ourselves; yet not all of us are beautiful or handsome, but we all take special efforts to look our best. Those efforts that we take to make ourselves look good are the simplest forms of personal development. No one can deny that a smart well dressed or well groomed, confident person makes a good impression and is an ideal that most people strive for. Personal development in this sense would mean changing some aspects of our physiology – Putting on weight or losing some of it and combining good health and good grooming to achieve the desired result. Self confidence stems from the knowledge that one is looking one’s best and this itself goes a long way in making us face the world with poise and self assurance. Physical attributes of strength and stamina are desirable to one who aspires to be an athlete or sports person. Honing one’s physical abilities to conquer new heights in the field of sports is the goal of a person who strives to be the best in this sphere and therein lies his/her personal development. However personal development even for an athlete or sports person is not limited to acquiring physical strength and stamina. A strong mental balance and faith in one’s abilities; a steely ambition and the will power to strive ceaselessly is required to enable the person to overcome obstacles in the path to his success. So here is a combination of physical and mental development. It takes determination and long hours of counselling oneself to put failure behind us and renew our efforts to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. 5 Fulfilling one’s dreams and aspirations through achieving one’s goals in a chosen career or profession, requires personal development in the intellectual sphere. Improving one’s capabilities and talents in the chosen field are an important part of personal development without which one cannot hope to realize one’s dreams and become the person one aspires to be. Hence personal development in this sense would require one to cultivate new skill sets and develop professional potential in one’s chosen career path and perfect these in order to get to the top. These would involve taking a degree in the sphere of one’s interest and making every effort to absorb new ideas and the latest technologies to be able to be an asset at the workplace where one’s interest lies. Developing creative thinking skills, and keeping an open mind while assessing the value or merits of new ideas without rejecting them out of hand because they have not been accepted before are valuable additions to one’s personal development. There are many instances where a person is accomplished in his or her chosen field and yet is facing setbacks or not achieving his or her due. The solution to such a problem would be to introspect and find where one is falling short. Most of us tend to blame others or circumstances, but fail to understand the true cause of failure. At such times, the solution lies in looking inwards and having the strength to understand our shortcomings and being able to overcome them. The ability to introspect and analyze one’s self and one’s short comings is a major factor in personal development. Many people are often plagued by a sense of low self worth. This is often a result of some adverse experiences or failures or trauma in childhood. This state of low self esteem is the cause of great unhappiness and can cause feelings of envy, resentment and anger that often lead a person to make more mistakes and often set him 6 back rather than solve his problems. Personal development involves understanding our deficiencies and making efforts to remedy them. If a person is shy and an introvert, he may find it difficult to communicate with others and take people along with him. If such a person wants to be a leader, he must develop communication skills, oratory skills and listening skills. These are the tools that will help him achieve his goal. Effective communication is a skill that is very necessary to personal development. It is not just necessary in our work life but is effective in relationships and helps cut down misunderstandings or if these arise in resolving these between people we care for and whose well being and happiness is very dear to us. Most people are talkers and think they can best put forward their case by explaining their views or relating their experiences. Although this is important, listening to others often helps one to understand a lot of things that are not actually said in so many words but are implied. There are vital clues to problems that are not voiced but hinted at obscurely. Listening skills are an important asset to leaders who must be able to take others along with them. For such people to be able to take correct decisions they must be able to judge from what is said as well as that which is left unsaid. For people who want to be leaders or doctors or counsellors such skill sets are a must in their personal development. Personal development is not just physical or intellectual. Developing the human mind is a very important part of personal development. Here the human mind does not allude to the intellect but to emotions. Emotional equilibrium is having control over one’s emotions. Being able to keep them in check especially during periods of extreme stress is the most difficult part of personal development. This is today referred to as emotional quotient or 7 emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is often described as understanding and managing one’s own emotions and feelings as well as taking into consideration those of others. Developing emotional intelligence is so highly valued in today’s work environment that sometimes intellectual ability takes second place. This is because the outcome of this kind of intelligence helps one reduce stress and increase harmony both in dealings at the workplace as well as in personal relationships. Since emotions rule almost every aspect of our lives, developing emotional quotient is a must in our personal development. It helps assess people’s behaviour and attitudes and is a huge advantage in enabling one to influence thoughts and behaviours in others to become effective leaders. The root cause of conflict is the inability to look at something from someone else’s point of view. Emotional intelligence inculcates the ability to look at another person’s problem compassionately and then find ways to skilfully untangle it. It helps to build constructive thinking and facilitates achievement of goals through motivation and understanding. There have been many instances of very intelligent people who have not been able to get to the top despite their superior intellectual powers; and yet others who may be less intelligent but have surpassed them because they are more considerate and therefore better able to manage their colleagues. In today’s work environment, the pressures are so great due to cut throat competition that one needs to keep calm in stressful situations. A person with emotional intelligence is always in control hence he is better able to work under pressure. Anger management comes easily to such a person, so he is not easily ruffled. We all know that when we are angry we do and say things that we usually regret later. A person with high emotional quotient is more likely to control his anger and take 8 cool calculated decisions. Therefore building emotional intelligence is a key factor in personal development. Another important aspect of personal development is one’s attitude. A positive attitude is a person’s tendency to look for positives in any situation. We are all familiar with the story of a glass half filled with water. A person with a positive attitude will call it a glass half full while someone with a negative attitude will say it is half empty. Building on positives can bring about change whereas looking at the negatives will take one nowhere. Positive thinking can be learned. One must learn to watch one’s thoughts and nip negative thoughts in the bud. This is achievable and the benefits of a positive attitude will reflect not just in success but it has also been proved that it has tremendous health benefits. A person with a positive attitude is also fun to be with rather than someone who is a pessimist. Therefore this kind of person is popular and well loved. A positive attitude will result in perseverance and effective problem solving strategies resulting in success. Personal development must include a positive attitude and this is a habit that can be cultivated. Spiritual intelligence is a new discovery in today’s materialistic world. Although more difficult to achieve, it leads to an immense sense of fulfilment and happiness. It is a state of mind that transcends the humdrum everyday existence and takes you onto a higher plane where you begin to question the purpose of your life. It acts as a shield from the little disappointments and hurts that are a part of everyday living. It gives us the strength to overcome hate with love, and guide others on this path. This has nothing to do with religion. It is about finding meaning in experience and an awareness of who we are. 9 Cultivating our inner strengths, and helping us learn from our mistakes, it inculcates in us the value of the courage of our convictions. It gives a healing touch to the soul when grief or depression overcomes us and frees the mind from all tensions. It also teaches us lessons in humility because spiritual intelligence shows us how tiny we are compared to the vast universe in which we exist. Spiritual intelligence is said to result in the ultimate success – success that gives profound happiness and satisfaction to one’s innermost being. Spiritual intelligence is being increasingly sought after in corporate circles today, hence cultivating it could give an interesting and very useful dimension to personal development. All these intelligences and the requisite skill sets however are only outer embellishments. An inner core consisting of a strong code of ethics is the foundation on which personal development must necessarily be built. Ethical norms vary from person to person, yet there are some that are common to all of us and develop from a variety of factors. They are principles that we inculcate in ourselves and instil in our children to guide us in various situations. They are not just the values that we grew up with. Shaping our ethics is an ongoing process and our ethics are a result of the varied experiences of our lives. These are things that we come to expect from ourselves as well as others. Honesty, fair mindedness, respect for others, loyalty, punctuality, compassion for those less fortunate than ourselves and a desire to help the needy are some values that are universal and make us better human beings. Many of these are learnt from early childhood and most of them are severely tested during periods of stress. The true test of one’s moral fibre is in his adhering to these codes of conduct in trying circumstances and periods of personal 10 distress. These principles provide guidance in our interaction with others. At times there may be a conflict of these principles and that is when choices will have to be made on the basis of the circumstances under which they occur. Ethics can be broken down into personal ethics, business ethics professional ethics and so on. These ethics govern individuals in their various activities. They relate to the environment in which they are applicable and a person is usually bound by them in his profession or the environment in which he works. In short our ethics must allow us to live together in society productively and in harmony. Personal development and ethics must necessarily go hand in hand because one is incomplete without the other. Personal development allows one to unlock hidden talents and strengths and is a tool for achieving our personal goals that lead to happiness. Ethics provides the moral fibre to achieve these in fair and just ways that do not harm anyone else in the process. One’s personal development and ethics play a vital role in one’s pursuit of acquiring wealth or fame or happiness. Personal growth or real happiness often involves moving out of our comfort zone. This requires real courage and this courage stems from the code of ethics that we have developed. Human life is a journey. As we make our way through this journey, through the ups and downs, the highs and lows the trials and tribulations; our personal development and the core values and ethics that make up our personalities decide how we fare and how successful and happy we are. Moreover it is these standards of personal development and ethics make us what we are and give meaning and purpose to our lives. Works Cited "ethics." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2010. Merriam-Webster Online. 14 January 2010 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethics Read More