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We all endeavour to further our personal growth through various means. However, accepting ourselves as we are, with the positive traits as well as imperfections, is as important a goal as growth. Read on to find out more.

The first step toward balancing the twin desires of self-acceptance and personal growth is to understand that they are not necessarily at opposite ends. In fact, growth is often impossible without self-acceptance.

"I believe self-acceptance and growth are directly related.  Self-acceptance is very crucial as it can help one lay out their precise growth plan. It is about accepting where you stand  at present and figure out the journey or growth from that point. In my opinion, it is extremely important to maintain a balance between self-acceptance and growth. An individual can do so by assessing themselves from time to time, which would make them re-visit their growth or even reconsider their entire growth plan," says Harshita Mann, director, Lancers International School.

"Self-acceptance and personal growth are two sides of the same coin. One cannot be achieved without realising the other. They both complement each other. Unless one ascertains key strengths and the focus areas, growth cannot be achieved, both in personal as well as professional fields. Self-acceptance leads to awareness of both strengths and weaknesses. The key to balance it out is to keep small measurable goals as we go along and keep evaluating the resources at hand, skills, experience required, etc. This way, one is never too far from the true picture and can alter personal growth plans accordingly," adds Sharad Sharma, director and chief of HR, Vertex Customer Services India Pvt Ltd.

A constant quest

The need to grow cannot be mistaken for dissatisfaction towards one's current state. In school, we may have been taught the axiom, ‘Be happy with what you are', but the wish to improve and push oneself is a natural human desire.

"The quest for growth is a never-ending process. While one may grow vertically in his/her professional career only upto a certain level, one keeps enhancing his/her knowledge and broadening exposure at all levels. The quest to grow is fuelled by external factors like inspiring leadership as well. The desire to grow is a positive attribute and cannot be mistaken as being dissatisfied. In the long run, a state of dissatisfaction can be an impediment in one's quest for growth," says Sharma.

"Everything you do today is evolving and developing, especially in India. The youth today wants to keep up the pace with the moving world and wants to keep learning. Some of them enjoy multi-tasking and cross-training across various functions. Growth today is all about learning and doing new things; being responsible towards the organisational goals is growth," adds Yogesh Bansal, founder and CEO, a business networking site.

Nobody's perfect!

The real problem is when perfectionism becomes an obsession. It is important to accept that no matter how much you grow and improve, you are never going to be robotically perfect because that's what makes us human and differentiates each one of us.

"One cannot be perfect at everything. I believe that even if you do seven of ten things right, you are doing very well for yourself. Yes, you should try and make the effort of being a 100 per cent accomplished professional; you should have the zest to be perfect. It is true that the more you accept where you are, the less motivation there is to grow.  And the more you push yourself to grow, the less satisfaction you derive from your current position. The only way out, I believe is in accepting that learning is a life-long process and needs to continue. So, striking a balance between the two is utmost important," explains Bansal. Thus, true self-acceptance can never be a hindrance to personal growth.

— Ankita Shreeram