Personal Development Plan (PDP)
Need a personal development plan
Instructions
The Purpose
Within some circles in the Church, the concept of "planning" seems to conflict with the practice of being "led by the Spirit of God." Although it is absolutely critical that we seek God's guidance and direction in all we do, scripture provides ample support for the practice of planning (see appendix to this document). No one would argue that the function of planning is fundamental to good business practice. I would argue that it is also fundamental to our personal growth and development as individuals. It is part of "walking the talk" and putting faith into action (i.e. "faith without works is dead").
This course is designed to intentionally move you beyond good intentions to action and personal growth. Your journal entries have given you the opportunity to reflect upon how your life currently aligns with some of the concepts, principles and points of learning from the course. The Personal Development Plan (PDP) will now take you several steps further by giving you the opportunity to create a practical plan of action in the areas of educational, vocational, and career growth.
For this assignment you will articulate your vision, dream and/or sense of calling for the future and develop a minimum of 3 goals - a 1-year goal, a 3-5 year goal, and a 10-year goal - that will move you forward in the vision/dream/calling you have for your life. Your goals should be tangible and concrete, and your overall plan should identify specific areas for personal development and growth in either the goals or strategies sections of the plan. For example, a student's 3-year goal might be to secure a job in marketing/promotion with a large non-profit humanitarian organization upon graduation. This is an acceptable, specific, concrete goal. However, the student will likely need to develop particular knowledge and skills over the next three years to put himself/herself in a position to be hired by such an organization. These areas of development, in this case, should be covered in the student's strategies.
An initial strategy might be to begin doing research on humanitarian organizations of interest to learn about what skills and experience are actually needed to secure marketing jobs within these organizations. Another strategy could be to secure an internship with such an organization prior to graduation to gain experience and to further develop their skills. Additional strategies would also likely be needed. Action steps would subsequently be identified for each strategy - specific, concrete, time-oriented tasks and action items to implement the strategy.
Each section of your PDP will include the following components (see further explanation/instructions below):
1. Personal Profile
2. Goals
3. Obstacles (to achieving goals)
4. Strategies (for achieving goals, including how to overcome obstacles)
5. Action Steps (for each strategy)
6. Measures (for evaluating your progress on your goals and action steps)
The Process
Step One: Prayer
As you work on the various components of your development plan in the coming weeks, regularly ask God to help you to see yourself through His eyes. Ask Him to show you His vision, dreams, desires, goals, strategies, and action steps for you in each area. Allow Him to highlight His priorities for you at this time of your life and for the foreseeable future. May these plans be "God-breathed" and in alignment with His purposes for you.
Key Questions: God, what are you specifically calling me to in this area? What are your priorities for me in the area of my spiritual growth in the coming year? What is your vision/calling for my educational - vocational life/my career and what specific goals do I need to work toward to accomplish this? How will my spiritual growth inform my vocational/career/educational growth?
Step Two: Personal Profile (750-1000 word reflection/summary)
1. Since spiritual growth is integral to growth in other areas of our lives, consider these key questions as you write your personal profile: Where am I on my "journey" of spiritual growth? Where would I like to go and/or who would I like to become? What is God calling me to in this area?
2. Key Questions for Education/Vocation/Career: Based upon my findings from the Character Index, 16 Personalities, and Strengths assessments, as well any other assessments I have done, how has God gifted and designed me? What is the vision, dream, and/or sense of calling God has given me for my life (as best I can understand it at this time)? How does my gifting and design align with my vision, dream, and/or calling?
Step Three: Goals (no word count requirement)
Key Questions: As best as I am able to understand it at this time, what is God specifically calling me to in this area? What specific growth/development goals is God asking me to set in this area? In light of the vision of who I would like to be and what I would like to do in the future, in what specific areas do I need to grow/develop to move me closer to that vision? Where do I want to be in this area in the future?
Step Three: Obstacles (no word count requirement)
Key Questions: What currently hinders my progress, growth or development in this area? Are there any heart/character issues at the root of this obstacle? Could these heart/character issues be obstacles in and of themselves? If so, how can I overcome these so that I can truly make progress in this area? What challenges can I anticipate as I move forward in this area?
Note: Be sure to look at potential inner heart/character obstacles, as well as obstacles that might tend to be more external or circumstantial. For example, a person could identify "over-commitment" as an obstacle to their growth goal of developing greater intimacy with God. Indeed, this may be one obstacle to overcome and would warrant a strategy for becoming less committed. However, this strategy would primarily focus on the external circumstances of the person's life, whereas a root cause of the struggle could possibly be an inner obstacle of "approval addiction," as Ortberg pointed out. In this case, a strategy for overcoming approval addiction would also be warranted if the person truly desires lasting change and growth in this area.
Step Four: Strategies (no word count requirement)
Key Questions: How will I achieve my goals? How can I overcome the obstacles and challenges identified above?
Note: Identify multiple but complimentary strategies for achieving your goals. Be sure to include strategies for overcoming the obstacles you have identified. See further explanation of the difference between goals and strategies above in the "Purpose" section of these instructions.
Step Five: Action Steps (no word count requirement)
Key Questions: What are the specific steps and tasks involved in actually implementing my strategies above? Where can I schedule these into my calendar?
Note: Ensure that your steps are SMART - that is, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-oriented. Use the SMART criteria to test each of your action steps.
Example of a non-SMART action step:
- I will start reading my Bible.
Examples of SMART action steps:
- I will download a daily Bible reading plan from the Discipleship Journal website by Monday, October 8.
- I will begin reading my Bible according to this reading plan for 20 minutes each morning before I go to work starting Tuesday, October 9.
- I will immediately begin setting my alarm clock for 20 minutes earlier to ensure that I leave enough time for my reading.
- If in the coming days I find myself hitting the snooze button and oversleeping, I will move my alarm clock to my bedroom dresser to force myself to get out of bed and to prevent oversleeping.
Step Six: Measures (no word count requirement)
Key Questions: How will I know that I am making progress on my goals? How and when will I assess/evaluate my progress and make necessary adjustments to keep me moving forward on my plan? How will I ultimately determine whether or not I have achieved my goal within the time frame I have set?
Note: Some of your "measures" will actually become action steps. However, list these as "measures" and specifically show how these action steps will actually help you measure and assess your progress on your goals and strategies.
Use all of the materials from the class as you develop your plan; for example, return to your reflection journal entries and consider you strengths and challenges in various areas. See the suggested format for your Personal Development Plan below.
Suggested Format:
UNIV 100 Regent Foundations for Success
Personal Development Plan
Submitted by (Your Name) on (Date)
I. Personal Profile (750-1000 word reflection/summary)
II. Goals
A. Goal (1-year)
- Obstacles (be sure to look at potential inner heart/character obstacles, as well as obstacles that might tend to be more external or circumstantial)
- Strategies (in addition to general strategies/action steps for achieving your goals, be sure to also identify strategies/action steps for overcoming the obstacles you've identified)
o Action Steps (be sure action steps are tied to each specific strategy)
- Measures (these may actually take the form of action steps but should be listed separately and should clearly demonstrate how they will measure/assess progress on the goal and strategies)
B. Goal (3-5 year)
- Obstacles (be sure to look at potential inner heart/character obstacles, as well as obstacles that might tend to be more external or circumstantial)
- Strategies (in addition to general strategies/action steps for achieving your goals, be sure to also identify strategies/action steps for overcoming the obstacles you've identified)
o Action Steps (be sure action steps are tied to each specific strategy)
- Measures (these may actually take the form of action steps but should be listed separately and should clearly demonstrate how they will measure/assess progress on the goal and strategies)
C. Goal #3 (10 year)
- Obstacles (be sure to look at potential inner heart/character obstacles, as well as obstacles that might tend to be more external or circumstantial)
- Strategies (in addition to general strategies/action steps for achieving your goals, be sure to also identify strategies/action steps for overcoming the obstacles you've identified)
o Action Steps (be sure action steps are tied to each specific strategy)
- Measures (these may actually take the form of action steps but should be listed separately and should clearly demonstrate how they will measure/assess progress on the goal and strategies)
Appendix: Scriptural Support for Planning
God to Moses: Set up the tabernacle according to the plan shown you on the mountain. Exodus 26:30
King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. 1 Chronicles 28:2
Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple... He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things. 1 Chronicles 28:11-12
"All this," David said, "I have in writing from the hand of the Lord upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan." 1 Chronicles 28:19
The book of Nehemiah: A careful read of the book of Nehemiah will reveal that Nehemiah had a very clear goal for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and specific plans and strategies for how the accomplish this, including how to deal will the opposition and obstacles the people would face in pursuit of this goal.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Psalm 33:11
The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways... Proverbs 14:8
A prudent man gives thought to his steps. Proverbs 14:15
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3
Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. Proverbs 20:18
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5
Proverbs 31:10-31 - The wife of noble character is characterized by a lifestyle of diligent and careful planning and management of her resources to bring blessing to her household.
But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands. Isaiah 32:8
Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? Luke 14:28