Maharashtra SSC Personality Development Grade key terms

The ability to notice and understand your own thoughts, feelings, strengths, weaknesses and habits, and to recognise how these affect your behaviour and the people around you.

The overall value and confidence you place in yourself, built from your experiences, achievements and how you believe others see you. Healthy self-esteem is realistic rather than boastful.

Belief in your own ability to handle a task or situation successfully. It grows when you practise a skill, receive honest feedback and recover from small failures.

Deliberately thinking back on what you did, felt and learned so that you can repeat what worked and change what did not. It turns experience into learning.

A written or mental list of what you do well and what you find difficult. It helps you choose realistic goals and decide where to ask for help or training.

The sense of who you are, formed from your values, family background, culture, interests and roles. It gives continuity to your choices and shapes how you present yourself.

Paying full attention to a speaker, noticing both words and feelings, and confirming what you heard before replying. It reduces misunderstanding and makes the other person feel respected.

Verbal communication uses words, while non-verbal communication uses tone, facial expression, posture, gestures and eye contact. When the two conflict, listeners usually trust the non-verbal signals.

The messages sent through posture, gestures, facial expression, eye contact and the distance you keep from others. Open posture suggests interest; crossed arms or fidgeting may suggest discomfort.

Expressing your needs, opinions and boundaries clearly and respectfully without attacking others or giving in silently. It sits between passive behaviour and aggression.

Specific information about how someone's behaviour or work was received. Useful feedback describes the behaviour and its effect rather than labelling the person.

The ability to sense and understand another person's feelings and viewpoint, and to respond in a way that shows you have understood, without necessarily agreeing with them.

The set of skills for recognising, understanding and managing your own emotions and responding well to the emotions of others. It supports cooperation, self-control and sound decisions.

Managing your impulses, emotions and reactions so that you act deliberately rather than instantly. It includes pausing before replying when you feel angry or upset.

The practical steps you take to reduce or cope with pressure, such as planning work, breathing exercises, exercise, rest, talking to someone and breaking large tasks into smaller ones.

The capacity to recover and keep going after setbacks, failure or stress. It grows through support from others, a sense of purpose and practice at solving problems.

Recognising early signs of anger and using calm-down strategies such as counting, stepping away, breathing slowly or expressing the concern later in a controlled way.

Deciding on a specific result you want to achieve and describing it clearly enough to plan and measure. Good goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

A goal written to be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. The format turns a vague wish into a target you can track and adjust.

Short-term goals are reached in days or weeks and build momentum; long-term goals take months or years and usually depend on completing a series of short-term goals.

A step-by-step list of tasks, deadlines and resources needed to reach a goal. It converts intention into a schedule you can follow and review.

Deciding the order in which tasks should be done by judging urgency and importance. It helps you spend limited time on what matters most rather than on what is loudest.

Planning and controlling how you use your time through schedules, to-do lists, deadlines and limits on distractions, so that important work is finished without last-minute panic.

Postponing tasks that you intend to do, usually because they feel difficult, boring or frightening. Breaking the task into small steps and starting for a few minutes often reduces it.

The process of gathering information, listing options, weighing consequences and choosing a course of action, then reviewing the result later.

Guiding and influencing a group towards a shared goal by setting direction, supporting members and taking responsibility for outcomes, whether or not you hold a formal title.

Entrusting a task and the authority to do it to another person, while keeping responsibility for the result. It develops team members and frees the leader for other work.

Working cooperatively with others towards a common aim, sharing information, dividing tasks fairly and supporting members when they struggle.

Addressing disagreement by listening to each side, focusing on the problem rather than the person, and finding a solution that both parties can accept.

Willingness to work alongside others, share resources and adjust your own preferences for the good of the group rather than competing for personal credit.

The principles and beliefs that guide what you consider right, important and worth pursuing. They shape your choices and are shown through consistent behaviour.

The standards of right and wrong conduct that guide behaviour in study, work and public life, including honesty, fairness, respect for others and avoidance of cheating or exploitation.

Accepting ownership of your duties, choices and their consequences, and doing what you promised without needing to be watched or reminded.

Acting honestly and consistently with your stated values, even when no one is watching or when dishonesty would be easier. It builds trust with others.

Behaving as a constructive member of your community by following rules, respecting public property, helping others and taking part in civic life such as voting or local service.

Knowing the range of education, training and work options available, what each requires, and how your interests, strengths and subjects connect to them.

Practical abilities for everyday living, such as managing money, communicating clearly, solving problems, coping with stress and making informed choices about health and work.

Defining a difficulty clearly, identifying its causes, generating possible solutions, choosing one and checking whether it worked. It is more effective than reacting emotionally.