Personality Development

Who do you think of when you hear the word personality? Barack Obama? Amitabh Bachchan? Jacinda Ardern?

Probably all three, right? All of them are famous for their striking personalities that make an impression on people. What makes them stand out is their distinctive personality that inspires millions of people.

 What does personality mean? It’s a collection of traits, behaviors and attitudes that define a person. The word personality comes from the Latin word persona which refers to a theatrical mask worn by performers for different roles.

Today, it means much more than that.

When you say Amitabh Bachchan has personality, you think of everything about him that impresses you. His acting abilities, baritone voice, ageless fitness, choice of roles, hard work and determination, and body language.

It’s difficult, but not impossible, to improve your personality. Personality development investing in yourself, your qualities, and your growth.

What is Personality Development?

Personality development is defined as the development process that enhances the personality, attitude, behavior, and making unique from the crowd.

Everyone possesses the qualities that make him/her different from the rest. Every person has a mix of good and bad qualities, which determines their response towards people and situations. The factors, such as genetics, environment, parenting, etc. can influence personality among different people.

Research of psychologists reveals that a person can easily change his/her personality if he/she wishes to do so. These traits are stable over time and can be improved if a person wants to.

We can become, what we want, i.e., the best version of ourselves.

Importance of Personality Development

Let’s look at the reasons why it is important to develop one’s personality:

• Personality Development Enables You To Discover Your Qualities

• It Empowers You To Make The Right Decisions And To Choose Wisely

• It Builds That One Winning Quality In You- Confidence. Confident People Are More Equipped To Succeed In The Long Run

• It Assists You In Communicating Clearly, Convincingly, And Precisely

• Once You Know How To Develop Personality, You Will Be Seen As A Leader By Your Peers And Colleagues

Personality Development Tips

• Don't compare ourselves with others
  We should never compare ourselves with others. Everyone possesses different qualities; It lowers our confidence and self-esteem. It acts as an obstacle between our personalities and does not let us bloom our strengths.

• Be kind to everyone.
  We are always taught to be kind to others since our childhood. Still, some of us fail to do so. Studies show that kindness to self and others brings happiness, prosperity, wisdom, and other positive traits.
  It is further categorized into four steps, which are listed below:

  1. Remember that we deserve kindness and affection from ourselves.

  2. Remember that we have no right to be unkind to others.

  3. We should be aware of the emotions and feelings of others.

  4. Remember that mistakes are a part of life. Learn to start again after learning from our mistakes.

• Be friendly
  Some people can easily talk to anyone around them. Such persons are more likable; No one wants to communicate with a straight face person. We should learn to smile. Be friendly and try to help others as much as we can.

• Be passionate
  Such people are different from the crowd. They value the power of time, are obsessed, and have strong beliefs. It makes us live our life to the fullest. So, we should be passionate about our life despite any opposed situations.

• Add style to our look.
  Adding styles to our look enhances our personality. The keys to add styles are enthusiasm and a relaxed mind. Never let anyone distract the concentration at the workplace. Always try to keep the mind calm and relaxed.

• Don't fear mistakes.
  Mistakes often happen, and there is nothing to worry about. It is a part of life. Learn from the mistakes and try to come back with more confidence.

• Practice communication skills
  Communication is the successful transfer of views and feelings. It is essential to practice good communication skills. Such skills help us to develop healthy relations and confidence. Our positive behavior, body language, gestures, facial expressions, etc. also play a vital role to enhance our personality.

• Focus on the appearance
  The dressing is a significant part of our appearance. We usually have different dressing styles for office, parties, colleges, etc. A person should be well dressed according to the environment; It is the first impression on the people around us. But, the dressing does not mean to be uncomfortable. Try to dress in comfortable attire.

• Do not Copy anyone
  During a group discussion or any communication, some people copy the speaker due to a lack of information. It creates a negative impression.
  Everyone has its perspective. We should try to represent the information in our own words.

• Be strong
  Never let the pressure to overcome the skills. Be strong and face every task with confidence. There are two outcomes of a challenge, either lose or win. Lose does not mean that we are not capable. Instead, we learn something invaluable.
  How well we perform during a challenge is an outstanding achievement. Do not focus on the final results. Be strong, and always try to give the best.

• Remember the power of breath.
  Sometimes, it becomes challenging to stay calm during pressure, headache, etc. In such situations, a deep breath can give us freedom from pressure and fear. Once we become habitual, the power of a deep breath will diminish all our stress.

• Be confident
  Confidence defines the strength and ability to face problems. It not only enhances our personality but also removes our discomfort for effective communication.
  Don't let overconfidence to overcome ourselves. Overconfidence lets us misjudge our learning, values, opinion, and abilities.

• Always focus and maintain eye contact.
  Lack of focus and eye contact shows the disinterest of an individual. It not only distracts the mind of the speaker but also creates a negative impact.

• Set the goal
  Many people believe in hard work, but do not have a direction or goal. Note down what we want to become and what directions can take us to that goal. 

Stages of Personality Development

There are five stages of personality development, which are listed below:

1. Oral Stage

2. Anal stage

3. Phallic stage

4. Latency stage

5. Genital stage

Let's discuss each stage in detail.

1.Oral Stage

It spans between 0 to 1.5 years of age in which the newborn’s or the infant’s mouth is the pleasure seeking centre. The infant achieves oral gratification through feeding, thumb sucking, biting and babbling. 

2. Anal Stage

It spans between 1.5 to 3 years of age in which the anal area gives pleasurable feelings. The child experiences pleasure by retention or expulsion of bowels. The child learns to control the bodily functions of urination and defecation. At this stage, there is conflict between desire for babyish pleasure and demand for adult controlled behaviour. 

3. Phallic Stage

This stage spans between 3 to 6 years of age and the pleasure seeking area are the genitals. The children begin to realize the relationship between males and females and become aware of the relationship between their parents. The male child experiences the Oedipus complex which involves love for the mother, hostility towards the father and the consequent fear of punishment or castration by the father (Oedipus was a Greek king who unknowingly killed his father and then married his mother).

The girls at this stage develop Electra complex in which the girl show love for their father and symbolically marry him and raise a family (Electra was a Greek character who induced her brother to kill their mother). By the end of this stage, the Oedipus complex and the Electra complex are resolved in which boys give up sexual feelings for their mothers and begin to see their fathers as role models rather than as rivals while the girls give up their sexual desires for their father and identify with their mother.

4. Latency Stage

This stage spans between 6 to 12 years of age. During this period, the child continues to grow physically, but sexual urges are relatively inactive. Much of the child’s energy is channeled into social or achievement- related activities. 

5. Genital Stage

This stage spans between 12 to 18 years of age and the repressed feelings of the earlier stages are once again exhibited. People learn to deal with members of opposite sex in a socially and sexually matured way.