5 Smart Steps to Investing in Self Development

The other day I was taking time to read and reflect as a part of my own personal development plan and it struck me how important this time is. Investing in self development wisely is critical to your growth, well being, goal-focus, and regaining energy that you give out every day. If you don’t invest in you – who will? More alarmingly: what happens if you don’t?

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Those that do not invest in personal growth; may suffer from mental burn-out, the mid-career slump, or an inability to continue functioning at a productive level. They might fall behind in their careers, feel frustrated, or become professionally stagnated. All the sudden the career path isn’t so clear anymore or perhaps it just feels like a long dark tunnel.

Self development is invaluable to not only ensure your own success but it also enables us to develop others. – John Maxwell

This is true no matter who you are and what you do regardless if you are a high-powered executive or a stay at home mom and anything in between. Self development all requires our energy and our time. I will caution you, however, to be smart in your investment. Time is a precious commodity that is in short supply. You cannot borrow it, buy it, beg for it, find it, or make more time. You can only manage what you have.

To avoid waking up one day either miserable with your life or wondering what you did with it, here are some self development tips:

Know Your Strengths

Understanding what you are good at is key to your future development personally and professionally. As you learn and grow your core strengths could shift or expand as new paths open up. It’s exciting and rewarding! For example: my mother said that I’ve been project managing from the day I was born. I enjoy working towards a goal and making things better. As I gained experience and matured I found that I also love helping people. At my core: I have a passion for improvement and I am people-centered. All this culminated into what I do now: Professional Development Coaching. If you don’t know your strengths: get with a coach and have an assessment done so you can spend energy in the right places.

Focus

Where do you want to go in life and do you have a self development plan? Some people find themselves scrambling in their mid-career to make up for lack of early planning. I didn’t ‘wake up’ until I was almost 40 and finally realized that having a plan is the soil in which your future growth will flourish. Understand your strengths and focus early as possible and get a gameplan. Whether that plan includes additional education, certification, another language, or a skill: put it on your Action List.

Invest Wisely

Time is precious – we are always talking about ‘making time’, but that’s impossible. If I could make time I’d be the richest person in the world! Do not confuse self development with self gratification. Ben Franklin said: “an investment in knowledge always pays the best interest”. I’ve learned that I’m much more productive if I skip watching TV and read a self development book instead. I also feel better about how I am spending my time. Being ‘busy’ doesn’t mean you are getting things done. Understand where you are spending your time and look for ways to make it time well spent.

Use it or Lose It

Nothing is as sad as wasted expertise and skills. If you learn something, plan to use it. If you don’t plan to use the knowledge and skills you have: then you have just checked a box on your life plan without anything to show for it. Even worse: you will no doubt lose that precious knowledge and skill soon if you do not apply it. Even if it’s a new sales technique you read in a book, a new method to connect with others, or a leadership principle – put the skill into practice.

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Recharge Your Batteries

Self development takes accountability and establishing a positive routine – don’t forget to relax and take time doing something that lifts you up. Kudos to you if absorbing self development material gives you energy. But for some it’s a day at the beach, a round of golf with friends, a bike ride, yoga, or playing with your children. Whatever that is – take time to refresh your mind and body. You will find that life’s challenges are better met with renewed spirit.

Personal development will prepare you for opportunities so, when they arrive, you are able to act on them! If you wait to prepare until the opportunity comes: how can you make the most of it? I find it amazing that seasoned professionals still believe that they do not need to focus energy on personal development. I have heard: “If my company thinks I need a skill, they can pay for it” or, “I’m too busy to sharpen my professional acumen”. We are all busy, perhaps not necessarily on something that will add real value in our lives. The worst thing a smart professional can do is ignore their own path to success. Success doesn’t happen by itself, there is no ‘success fairy’ granting wishes to good little workers. Success is obtained by being prepared and taking the initiative to ensure that you are ready to take that next step, so invest your time wisely!

Want to know more about a personal or professional development plan – click here.