This post is all about these 7 killer personal development tools to become a better person!

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Working on becoming your best self is a lifelong journey, it’s constant work and showing up every single day.

But although it sounds overwhelming to think of personal growth as an everlasting path, it’s still one of the best decisions you can make for yourself.

But how can you keep yourself motivated to push yourself to keep improving? How do keep that consistency even on the bad days when you don’t feel connected to yourself?

Well, the answer here is using personal development tools. These types of tools are designed to help you become a better person, even if it’s one step at a day. 

So whether you are looking to build better habits, organize yourself better, find better strategies to achieve your goals, or learn how to better manage your goals you are in the place!

Because in this blog post, you will find the master list of the best personal development tools to become the highest version of yourself.

Ready to take on the challenge? Let’s begin! 

What are the best personal development tools?

The truth is there is no exact list of self improvement tools because we are all different.

We all have a different set of strengths, challenges, needs, and goals. 

So before we get into this list I want you to write 3 of the biggest struggles you are facing when it comes to personal development.

This will help you choose which tools for personal development are best for you as well as your biggest priorities.

Then as you read this list of personal growth tools choose the ones that resonate the most with you.

And having said that, let’s jump straight to the top 8 best personal growth tools to become the best version of yourself!

Planner/ Agendas

We actually believe we could never plan our time and be in control of it. The good news is, this is a lie.

And this lie is your brain’s way of protecting you from trying new things, out of your comfort zone.

Your reptilian brain* would rather go with the flow and decide at the moment whatever feels best and comfortable.

*The reptilian complex is a part of the human brain that controls emotions and human behavior. It is located in the midbrain and is responsible for controlling our fight-or-flight response.

But planning means making decisions ahead of time that are going to benefit you in the long term.

You design your dream life by planning it in advance, by sitting down and actually committing to the actions and habits that are going to bring you closer to your goals.

This is why it’s so important to have some kind of planner/ agenda right at hand to organize your day to its greatest potential.

Now as to the type of planner think about how you feel best organized. Do you prefer to plan day-to-day? Or to schedule your weeks or months at a time?

Maybe you are more of a to-do list kind of gal. But whatever it is make sure to experiment with each option until you find what is best for your productivity and focus.

Gratitude Journals

I am a huge supporter of practicing gratitude. Aside from the appreciation of the good things you have in your life, it has a ton of benefits. Starting from self love and ending in developing a growth mindset.

But how is that?

Being grateful is a crucial part of personal growth because gratitude is our inner compass. It helps us overcome limiting beliefs, love and accept ourselves; be more positive in our lives, improve our self esteem and self awareness as well as deal with challenges when working towards our goals.

Gratitude has the power to heal us, and to become better every day. It inspires our creativity and keeps us motivated. It’s a huge mood and health booster, improving our overall well-being. 

Gratitude is an energy and a way of being. One that we can adopt and let flow through us bringing with it all the wonderful things in life.

And the best part is that you don’t need much to start embracing this positive energy into your life. You can start with as little as a list of three things you are grateful for every morning.

Related: 5 simple ways to practice gratitude daily you start doing today

Personally, my all-time favorite way of practicing gratitude will always be with a journal. Especially with the “Five Minute Journal”. I love the simplicity and minimalism of this journal.

But above all, I appreciate that this gratitude practice is divided into morning and night. Giving you the opportunity to start and end the day on the best note.

This journal also includes a simple goal-setting and affirmations section, so that you use every day as an opportunity to get closer to your goals and keep yourself motivated.

But if you are more of a digital gal, I got you because in this post you will also find the 6 best apps to practice gratitude.

Learning how to be grateful in addition to acting with gratitude has the power to transform our lives. Whenever we embody gratitude we adopt a sense of meaning, feel more connected to others, and act with kindness and compassion.

So if you were waiting for a sign to start practicing gratitude, it’s this one! Get yourself inspired with these gratitude journals and start your ritual of goodness today!

Top personal development tools. Audible

I truly believe books are a girl’s best friend (and I say this with a totally unbiased opinion as a huge bookworm).

There is something magical in stopping and concentrating on a piece of knowledge. As you absorb the new information, it is transforming you inside.

But sometimes life gets in the way. And between all the tasks, responsibilities, work, and commitments we have, we don’t always have the time to read.

But that doesn’t mean you should quit all together your New Year’s resolution of reading more because I found just the solution for you.

You might not be able to go to the mountain, but you can bring the mountain to you.

How many “dull” moments do you have a day? You know the time you spend going from home to work by car or even public transport. What about when you are cleaning, walking, grocery shopping… 

The great thing about listening to audiobooks is that you can take these not-very-productive moments of your day and use them for a better purpose.

Not to forget that listening to an audiobook while doing these things makes the chore much more interesting. 

So basically we’re making a “heavier” and boring activity much more entertaining while learning something new.

Here are a couple of my top self improvement book recommendations, if you don’t where to start:

• Make your bed. Admiral William McRaven
• The four agreements. Miguel Ruiz
• 12 Rules for Life. Jordan B. Peterson

You can buy these books separately or subscribe to the audible plan and have access to their unlimited audiobook library right here!

Podcasts

Continuing our busy-bee-lives problem, if you are not a fan of books but still want to invest daily time in yourself, why not try a podcast?

Podcasts are a great alternative to still get our daily dose of self improvement. Even if we don’t have the time to commit to it by reading a book or an article.

If you are looking for the best self improvement podcast, check out this blog post!

The best tools for personal development. Masterclass

Could you imagine being able to learn about any topic you are interested in from the hand of experts and celebrities for less than 20$/month?

Well, stop dreaming because it actually exists and it’s called Masterclass.

What I love about the Masterclass platform is its unique approach to learning. With its more than 180 classes taught by the world’s best on cooking, leadership, photography, writing, music, sports, and more.

Could you imagine your teacher being Natalie Portman, Gordan Ramsey, or even Anna Wintour?

Each class includes around 20 video lessons that are 10 minutes long on average, as well as an in-depth workbook.

You can try their platform for 30 days for free right here!

The James Clear Newsletter

I have to admit, ever since I read the book Atomic Habits, I fell in love with the work of James Clear. 

So obviously when I found out he had a newsletter I couldn’t resist not signing up. (I mean free and valuable advice on how to build better and healthy habits?- I´m in!) And I have to say to this day it has not disappointed me.

We spend a toon of time in our inbox and to be honest, most of it comes down to discounts for “your next flight to Bali” or the next super promotion you cannot miss.

But why not sprinkle our time in our inbox with some self improvement time? Why not fill instead your inbox with emails you actually want to read and know will help you improve yourself?

You can join James Clear’s newsletter and start your journey toward building better habits right here!

P.S. If you are looking for more bomb-ass-no-bullsh*t-newsletters filled with actionable and real steps to help you build your dream life, you should really consider joining The Coffee Chat Club!

Enneagram personality test

The Enneagram test is a personality test that gives you a number from 1-9 and shows you what your personality looks like in both healthy and unhealthy states. 

This is without any doubt my favorite personality test I´ve ever done because of how accurate and exact the test is.

What makes it different and accurate is that all enneagrams are connected through this system. So even though you are predominantly one number you still have “two wings”.

For example, I am a type 3 (the achiever) enneagram, but I also have traits from the type 6 (the loyalist) and type 9 (the peacemaker) enneagrams.

Source: The Skimm

This is because even though your basic type dominates your overall personality, the wing complements it and adds important info to your overall personality. 

Your wing is like the “second side” of your personality. It gives invaluable information to understand yourself better, including your behaviors, mindset, motivations, and aspirations in life.

Aside from this, the enneagram test also gives you insight into yourself in relation to other enneagram types, how you respond depending on your levels of development, and whenever you feel stressed or at peace.

Here is a basic free enneagram test. And here is the best one.

Once you do the test you can discover in depth your own enneagram type and the other 8 right here. 

P.S. I would love to know what your enneagram is in the comments!

And that is all for today, my friend! I hope you enjoy this ultimate list of the best personal development tools.

Here is an overview of all the tools mentioned throughout the post:

• Use a planner or agenda. Planning means making decisions ahead of time that are going to benefit you in the long term. By being intentional with your time you are committing to the actions and habits that are going to bring you closer to your goals. Which is one of the reasons this tool is so essential
• Gratitude planners. Gratitude has the power to heal us, and to become better every day. It inspires our creativity and keeps us motivated. If you are looking for a new gratitude journal, check out this post to find the best one for you. But if you are more of a digital gal, here are the 6 best gratitude apps.
• Audible and podcasts. Have a busy schedule? Feel like you never have the time to actually read books? Then podcasts and audibles are your new besties. Check out here the list of the top 10 self improvement podcasts.
• Masterclass. The perfect platform to learn about any skill you are interested in from the hands of the best professionals in the field.
• The James Clear Newsletter. Since we spend so much time in our inboxes, why not turn it into a productive and (actually) enjoyable task? Start saying no to spammy emails and yes to newsletters that are going to help you thrive. Like the James Clear Newsletter.
• Enneagram Personality Test. The only thing I’ll say about it is once you get your results it will feel like reading

Remember to start small. Choose one change that you want to make in your life, or one area that you want to improve.

And use the tools mentioned that make you feel most comfortable to start implementing this change.

But overall be consistent and don’t give up. As we said at the beginning of this article becoming the best version of yourself is a freaking mission on its own. But that is what makes it so beautiful.

So despite the setbacks and the mistakes, don’t give up and keep pushing yourself every day to be and do better.

Remember that you are worthy of even your deepest and wildest desires!

Now I´d love to hear about you! Which was your favorite personal growth tool? Read ya in the comments!

Related blog posts:

• How to conduct a self-performance review (with examples)
• 5 Simple ways to practice gratitude daily
• Top 10 personal growth podcasts you need to listen