A personal growth plan is a document that helps you figure out your personal and professional goals, map out the path to get there, and ask for support from the people around you. In a personal growth plan, you set aside the objectives and plans at your current jobs and engagements, focusing instead on yourself and your career development.
For me, seeing consistencies and changes in my personal growth plan gave me the clarity I needed to decide to focus my next year on growing as a creative musician. My first personal growth plan a year ago was centered on how I could succeed as a product manager. My second personal growth plan a year later helped me see that although my short-term goals had changed, my long-term goals hadn’t. I had stronger ambitions for how people would perceive me than I had earlier dared to express. And my increasing desire to explore music wasn’t necessarily just a fluke or a hobby; it was actually deeply enmeshed in my desire to create experiences that move and matter.
I never fully finished my second personal growth plan. What’s below are the key pieces I had written when I paused, realized that I knew enough that I wanted to direct my life differently, and began to take action.
At the end of the day, I’m incredibly fortunate to have had options. I considered continuing to explore my musical side with 10-20 hours a week, as I was already doing, and to see if anything took off before I took more drastic action. I realized, though, that I could give myself the luxury of a year to focus on exploring music with much more of my time and energy, and learn more about myself sooner. I decided to take that path. We’ll see how it goes!
Personal brand
I want to be known for…
- Creating experiences that genuinely move and matter to people
“Wow. That was a powerful experience.” “Listening to that gave me the chills.” “I felt like I was floating.”
“Her subtleties transform what could be cliche into something beautifully nuanced and breathtaking.”
“Her work made me think about my life and relationships differently.”
- Leading toward ambitious goals with both inspiring vision and practical execution
“She helped us believe that we could achieve this crazy awesome goal by showing us how awesome it would be. By introducing X, Y, and Z, she then directly helped us to reach that goal.”
“She oozes competence.” “I can always rely on her.” “I’m excited to follow her lead.”
- Caring deeply about helping people achieve their goals
“I faced an important life problem, and she helped me figure it out.”
“She helped me get that opportunity. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her.”
“I know and feel that she truly cares about helping me achieve my goals and dreams.”
- Expressing authentic vulnerability and passionate joy
“Her self is evident in her work.”
“She shares her true self with me. I know that I can trust her with my real thoughts and feelings.”
“She looks really happy and engaged right now. You can tell that she’s totally in her element.”
Long-term objectives
Years and years from now, I want to…
- Continue building close relationships and a caring family
- Do work that helps people become more confident, caring, and thoughtful
- Create, direct, and perform beautiful, moving music
Short term objectives
In the next 6–12 months, I want to…
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Goals (6–12 months)
Can be product, career, personal, skill development, etc
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Skills/Experiences
What steps must I take in the next 6–12 months to achieve this goal?
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People
Who can support me and how?
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unfinished |
unfinished |