Self Development

Have you explored the difference between SELF FULFILLMENT and SELF DEVELOPMENT?  Beginning in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, people began talking about “finding themselves”.  Some of us who were growing up during that period were confused with this concept because we didn’t know we were lost!  Those folk who engaged and are engaging in the pursuit of “finding themselves”  are usually searching for a way to become self fulfilled. When you talk to them the conversation usually focuses on how they can achieve a state of happiness and feeling good. 

I think the pursuit of self development is a higher calling; it is the development of our potential so that we can fulfill the purpose for which we were created. No matter how it makes us feel, self-development always has one effect- it draws us toward our destiny!  

Will Smith’s movie probably should have been termed “The Pursuit of Self Development” instead of the “Pursuit of Happyness” as his character epitomized a person who was invested in his destiny through self-development.  His wife on the other hand epitomized the pursuit of self fulfillment. Both characters truly thought their idea was correct.  However, as the movie aptly demonstrated, because they could not align their disparate visions they were not able to pull together in their pursuits.  They were indeed unequally yoked!