The Self Development Challenge

Many organisations today have placed more responsibility for personal and career development in the hands of each individual.

All too often, under pressure of time and energy, and because of a lack of clarity about how to go about self development, this is not a straightforward process.

This is because self-development concerns more than learning new professional skills. It's about understanding our personal strengths, weaknesses, inclinations, aspirations, and behaviours.

It's about making the most of our possibilities, and finding the opportunity to grow and develop in what we already do, and to prepare ourselves towards what else we want to do and be.

It starts with developing a self-awareness and clarity about who we are and what we want to do, and importantly, what kind of a person, manager, leader of others do we want to be.

It needs to be planned for too. Figuring out the steps to help us get there. Undertaking self development is an ongoing process and journey where the scenery changes as we proceed. For it to work effectively it needs to become as important to us as fulfilling our responsibilities or earning our living.

These insights are designed to give some starters for people, who wish to take a fresh look at the challenge of planning for and undertaking self development.

Self Motivation

Motivation is the source of our energy. It needs to be maintained and worked for. In leadership you can only motivate others if you are motivated yourself.

We are all motivated by external and internal factors. We can seek to learn something simply because we see it necessary to hold down a career for example, or because someone else has pointed out a need. Both these are external motivations, and have limited lasting value.

Self motivation is about your own drives. Wanting to be the author of your own destiny, and make a contribution that counts. This gives us long range motivation. We also all need short term motivations that inspire us, and fortify us against the difficulties and challenges that life throws up.

Maintaining motivation is a crucial key to managing ourselves and our energies. It comes way before time management on the scale of importance. Motivated people find or make the time that they need.

7 Starters in Finding, Maintaining & Developing Self Motivation

1	Start simple. Describe your circumstances to yourself and remind yourself what you enjoy about what you do, and what you will enjoy about the challenges ahead.
2	Try questioning yourself regularly about why you do what you do. Look for reasons that give you personal inspiration or satisfaction, rather than allowing yourself to think you do things because you have to. Even things we have to do, you can inspire yourself to do a better job in, or to develop a skill or quality whilst doing it.
3	Each week tell yourself the story of your successes. Confirmation is crucial to maintaining your motivation. If you're not being confirmed in what you do, seek a meeting with your boss and go through all your achievements with them on a regular basis.
4	At whatever age you are learn to develop a youthful vigour. Remember you are young to the rest of your life. Doing something new or different, or looking at what you do in a new way, gives energy and vitality.
5	Think about your long terms goals and aspirations regularly, but remain flexible about how you may achieve them. Accept changes on route as a fact of life.
6	If you have lots of responsibilities, you can give all your energy and motivation to what you do. Remember to keep some for yourself. An interest or pursuit that's for you alone.
7	Try to get less involved in the things that burn up your motivation and energy wastefully. Cynicism, self-doubt, unresolved-conflict, unrealistic targets are just a few examples.