The sum total of the knowledge that a person possesses, the cumulative experience that he undergoes, the manner of one’s conduct and the cultural and ethical values carried by the person combine to make the total person. The outward projection of this person is what is commonly called Personality.
There are still die-hard believers who cannot accept that personality development is possible. They believe that the traits of one’s personality are inherent and God-given, and cannot be altered. Most experts of Human Science no longer accept this view. It has been conclusively established that deliberate and conscious efforts can and do result in personality development.
The first step in any exercise of this nature is to understand oneself. The pre-condition to any learning, including learning about personality development, is the willingness to improve and accept one’s shortcomings. This is the most difficult part. It is very easy to fall into the trap of fragmenting a person into many parts. Merely because a person plays several roles does not mean that a different person is surfacing every time. It is necessary to begin with a holistic view of a human personality.
Knowledge of what one knows is of course, very important. But more important is the acceptance of the ignorance of what one doesn’t know. Thus, humility strikes out as a trait, which the wise must possess. In any attempt at personality development, if humility is found to be lacking, all efforts to suffuse it back into the person’s system must take precedence over everything else.
Conviction is the next trait, which brings glow and strength to the personality. It simply means- believing in what one knows, to be true and right. It means not to waiver in the face of adversity and to accept loss over unbecoming gains.
Experience no doubt brings about an element of confidence in one’s personality. The trouble begins when the knowledge of repeated experience begins to cloud one’s vision to the extent that new ideas and visions are rejected without a fair try. Likewise, forming opinions about people, events and so on, without seeing all sides is a personality defect and can be removed by conscious effort.
The apparent manifestation of one’s personality is automatic and irrepressible. Those who come in contact with you learn many unsaid things about you. Your words said and unsaid, gestures and body language are constantly transmitting information about your personality, which anybody around you is free to perceive.
A major impediment in personality development is the underlying habit-pattern of a person. A person may have all the right knowledge and skills, yet suffer from inadequacy of attitude. Unfortunately, habits die hard. The habits and attitudes picked up by a person during formative years usually stay for the rest of his/her life. Any attempt at personality development without identification and acceptance of bad habits, is futile. Overcoming these comes later.
It is but true that impressions are made on impressionable minds only. Minds remain impressionable when one is young and yet developing. The right time for personality development is when one is growing and not when one has grown. With age one may imbibe more knowledge, acquire more skills, but the underlying traits which constitute the fibre of the person are difficult to change. Not impossible though, if one is willing, humble and honest.
Author: KIRAN JAWA incharge-Junior Wing
Date: 5 Oct,2010