I have read a bunch of books about Personal Growth, for I have been obsessed with improving myself for a decade. How I can improve myself every single day is constantly in my mind. So naturally, I have studied quite a lot of books to understand what Personal Growth is. Through my reading, I have found out that the personal growth helps you develop a good character. It will also help you to know the importance of character development.
Here is what I think about personal growth:
- Understand who you truly are
- Find your purpose in this life
- You ought to do only one thing daily: Focus on your dreams
- Read many books to improve yourself daily
- Practice your skills assiduously for your mission in this life
Why Is Personal Growth Important?
Personal Growth is extremely important to all of us. If we do not improve ourselves daily, it is tantamount to wasting our time on our brief sojourns to this planet. If you don’t try to improve yourself daily, your life will be the same as yesterday and you will feel bored to death. It is your duty to enjoy your life every single day since life is extremely short journey, and Daily Personal Growth is the key to enjoy your life maximum on this delightful earth. When you begin improving yourself daily for your dreams, you will be happy and start understanding that every single day has its own miracles and opportunities. And to cap it off, you will wake up with too much excitement, for you have important mission in your life: Improving yourself to achieve your dreams. I wrote my beliefs about Personal Growth in Liberation – Seeking the Meaning of Life:
- Japanese never change. They are just jealous of my free spirit and envy my free life. I know that at the bottom of their hearts, they secretly want to see the world, but they simply can’t do that because of fear of losing their jobs. And the worst part is that they never admit it because of their pride. What a bunch of vainglorious creatures! They are lamentably unable to realize one of important tools to improve themselves, experience. Just working five days a week like a machine for all their lives without experiences is just killing time. Making money and protecting their security might be good; however, without any enjoyment in one’s life, without any real friends in one’s life, and without any great adventures in one’s life – everything crumbles away from your fingers eventually. I have a few times left, so I should enjoy the rest of my time here at the most. Forget the inevitability of my return to Japan soon but enjoy tonight at the most and thank God for giving me the great opportunity to have this awesome experience.
- I lit a cigarette afresh. “Henri, what I know is only one thing: I want to be a writer – that’s all,” I said frankly, “I still don’t know how. However, each day I’m trying to improve myself, so that when the right moment comes, I can smash under the world’s chin with all my might to make myself known. It seems to everyone that I’m frittering away my time, because I don’t take a job, but I just walk on the streets leisurely and go to cafés to read books every single day – I look like I’m doing nothing to everyone’s eyes: a lazy bastard, but not to me. To be honest with you, I’ve constantly been writing a book in my head and constantly been trying to understand myself. I admit I haven’t written any books yet, but I’ve been developed by life itself, day by day.”
Importance of Admitting One’s Ignorance
Every single day has opportunities to improve yourself, so don’t miss them. If you feel embarrassed to admit your ignorance in public, stop feeling embarrassed forthwith. If you don’t, you will lose opportunities to improve yourself and expand your horizon in daily life. Teachers are everywhere if you look at daily life closely. For me, I am willing to admit my ignorance so that I am able to learn new things and improve myself in daily life. I just hate to miss opportunities to improve myself that daily life can offer us because of silly pride. Here is excerption from Mexican Rhapsody – Having a Second Chance:
Mr. Virgin always pretended to know everything under the sun despite the fact that he did not know anything. He did not know who Strindberg was or any great writers but knew of only a few Japanese writers. Unfortunately, he could not admit his ignorance due to a small guy’s pride. I have met a number of Japanese arrogant jackasses who behave exactly like him all my life. Japanese people are extremely narrow-minded creatures and live in their small world without rhyme or reason. And on top of it all, they are unforgivably vainglorious creatures. They always want to show off themselves as better than they actually are; they never admit their ignorance. The biggest problem for them is that they are very insecure. As a result, they cannot admit their ignorance openly; they are ashamed of asking questions to learn something new. The most embarrassing thing for the Japanese is to admit their ignorance in public. For me, I do not understand such ludicrous pride. I am willing to admit my ignorance so that I am able to learn new things and improve myself in daily life. In fact, my friends, my friends’ parents, and even total strangers have become my teachers along the way. Because of silly pride, the majority of Japanese have lost opportunities to improve themselves and expand their horizon. Every time I see vainglorious Japanese cockroaches that pretend to be aloof, I am blushed by shame. As a matter of fact, Mr. Virgin had never read any books except weekly video game magazines at the office. He was a thirty-year-old virgin – he played video games all day on his day-offs. Dostoevsky once said, “He thinks that he knows everything; in truth, he does not know anything.” Mr. Virgin was the epitome of a Japanese vainglorious muttonhead, and I was very sorry for that.
Never Stop Improving Yourself
Please never stop improving yourself. Personal Growth is very important for you to enjoy your life maximum. It’s a good thing to improve yourself to feel alive each day. And I really don’t understand why people stop improving themselves when they have time to do so. Unfortunately, I’ve seen so many people who stop improving themselves after graduating from university; I don’t comprehend why they voluntarily stop improving themselves. Lifelong learning is the key to achieve your dreams, so why don’t you stop improving yourselves voluntarily? You had better keep on improving yourself daily for yourself. I would like to finish this essay with a conversation that I had with a stranger once upon a time in Mexico (From Mexican Rhapsody: Having a Second Chance).
To my great amazement, a total stranger is standing right before my eyes as large as life when I come back to the world from the excursion of my childhood. No sooner than he recognizes that I begin noticing his presence, he starts the ball rolling by catechizing, “Excuse me, I hope I’m not disturbing you. Are you Japanese by chance?”
His face is shining benevolence with a traditional Mexican mustache. I am startled by his sudden appearance and helplessly captivated by his honorable mustache. I cannot keep my eyes off his sovereign mustache and respond by looking at it dizzyingly, “Yes, I am.”
“It’s scarce to meet Japanese in Mexico City. May I ask what you’re doing in a strange land?”
“I’m writing a book,” I replied laconically.
He is tickling his mustache and says delightedly, “Hm… it’s fascinating. It’s rare to meet a writer in Mexico City, to boot. What a heavenly coincidence! I am, too, a humble servant of God – I am a poet. May I have a seat next to you?”
“Go ahead. Please have a seat,” I say, smiling.
He sits down on the bench, takes his cap off, caresses his hair backwardly, puts it back on his head, and inquires, “Where do you live?”
“I’m living in La Condesa with a Mexican friend, who has been offering me to stay at his apartment for gratis so that I can focus on writing. Other Mexican friends are helping me as well.”
“You don’t say!” he exclaims, his mustache seems upward.
Pause.
“It’s a miracle because it’s difficult for us to find good friends nowadays. We can’t trust anybody these days, unfortunately. What is wrong with people? Anyway, I’m astonished to know that you have such great friends who are willing to succor you. You’re a fortunate man.”
I am nodding gladly.
“By the way, you’ve told me that you’re writing a book, so have you ever published any books so far?” he queries curiously.
“No, I haven’t published any books yet. This is my first earnest attempt to write a book. And I’m proud to announce that I’ve already completed writing my first book.”
“Wonder to hear that!” he offers me a handshake. “May I ask you how long you’ve been writing?”
“I’ve been writing for good nine years. To tell the truth, I could not write anything for over eight years despite my earnest striving. However, I believed someday I could write in spite of the fact that everybody thought I was incurably lost.”
He looks at me with wondering eyes and remarks, “What a staunch heart you have!” His mustache is vibrating from too much excitement.
He falls to thinking for a while and carries on, “You have the incredible faith in yourself. Such a powerful faith like yours can change the world, I guess. By the way, it’s hard for me to believe that you didn’t give up. Only a few people have the guts to go through such hellish long abortive periods. I admire your courage to the heavens. You know, I’m an engineer and fifty-seven years old now. I began studying philosophy and phycology three years ago. I’ve been reading Kant, Aristotle, Plato, Nietzsche, Spengler, Schopenhauer, Spinoza, Bergson, Freud, Jung, etc. Why? Because I want to understand human beings and the meaning of life. Besides, I want to improve myself. It’s a good thing to improve oneself, you know. I don’t understand why people stop improving themselves when they have time to do so. Like you, I’m a dreamer in my heart. I’ve been writing poems for years. My family always encourages me to publish them; nevertheless, Mexico has a few serious readers compared to other countries. It’s our culture, I admit. Mexican people prefer to read entertainment books than serious books, such as literature, poetry, philosophy, etc. As a result, it’s difficult for me to find a publisher here. But I’ll try to publish my poems even if nobody reads them. I love depicting human emotions and feelings. I really love writing poems. I’m not writing them for money but for my sheer pleasure!”
Here I cannot refrain myself anymore and divulge, “Yes, I thoroughly understand you. Likewise, I’ve been obsessed with improving myself for years. I’ve seen so many Japanese who stop improving themselves after graduating from university; I don’t comprehend why they voluntarily stop improving themselves. Unfortunately, they’ve busied making money and forgot essential things, such as improving themselves, having new experiences, trying to understand their purpose for life on earth, and so on.”
“You’ve knocked me over. You definitely have your unique thoughts and diligently walk on your own private destiny. You’re still young and yet possess a solid determination. I’m decidedly inspired. By the way, would you like to read one of my poems?”
“Yes, I’d love to.”
“I don’t have them on me right now. But I can bring them tomorrow. Why don’t we meet again tomorrow?” he suggests, stroking his almighty mustache with his right thumb.
“I wish I could; I’m going to Playa Del Carmen tomorrow. I have another friend there to invite me to stay at his apartment.”
“You’re truly a confounded man. I’m quite overwhelmed. You have another great friend in Playa Del Carmen to wait for you to boot. You have to thank God, you know, for being born under such a lucky star. Not everybody has fortunate enough to have such great friends.”
Pause.
“Anyway, I should go because my wife is waiting for me at home. I truly hope I can see you again. I always saunter around the park after 6:00 p.m. Please come here again when you return from Playa Del Carmen. I’ll check some information about Mexican publishers for you. I hope I can give you some good news next time I see you. And also, I’d like to discuss my poems with you. It’s been sensational to meet you. Thanks for the peachy chat,” he stands up and offers me a cordial handshake.
“Pleasure is all mine. Thanks for a great time. I hope you’ll find a home for your poems shortly.”
“Thanks for the inspiration. I’ll compose a poem tonight. So long!” he walks away, fondling the left edge of his splendid mustache.
I have never seen anything like that in my life. What a majestic mustache he possesses! It seems to me that his mustache corresponds to his emotion as though it were alive. Anyway, I have to go back to the apartment to be packing for tomorrow. By Jove, he has the monumental mustache!
