Do you invest in yourself — in your self development? This may be a tricky question at first, because you could say that everything we do is an investment in ourselves. After all, we work, have relationships, hobbies and so forth, and all of these are things we invest with our time and energy. However, investing in your self development is not quite the same thing. It’s deliberately learning skills and taking actions that will improve ourselves in some way. Many of the things we normally do are simply to survive, or based on momentary whims or pleasures. There is nothing wrong with this, but it’s not self development.
Moving Forward, Standing Still, or Falling Behind
There’s a saying that has some truth to it — “if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind.” Life just seems to be set up this way –we have to keep growing, learning and expanding our horizons or we tend to get left behind. For one thing, we are always getting older (sorry to remind you!). We are always spending our money, and time always passes whether we are moving forward or not. So in order to keep up with life, we need to be aware of ways to improve ourselves.
The Importance of Setting Goals
Goals are more than whims or wishes –they are actions or events that you are actually working towards. By thinking of –and writing down, this is important– goals, we start to set into motion the forces that allow us to achieve these goals. Write down goals even if you don’t have an immediate idea of how you will achieve them. Just having the goal will set you in the right direction.
Action Steps
Action steps are those actions we take that move us closer to achieving our goals. Sometimes we have to think of action steps before we know much about how to achieve the goal. For example, if you want to learn the skill of fly fishing (not all goals have to be about money!) and don’t know anything about it, your first action step may be to call Joe, your friend who is an expert fisherman. The same holds true for any goal. Action steps bridge the gap between goals and achievement.
Rest and Action: Both are Needed
You cannot be a “goal achieving machine.” Your body and mind need regular rest. Not only sleep, but relaxation and “time outs” where you aren’t trying to do anything. This is important not only too rewind, but to allow your mind some space where it can come up with new ideas. Some of your most important breakthroughs can come about at a time when you aren’t even looking for them. So take time to meditate, take walks or pursue a fun but “useless” hobby. Alternating work and rest is a powerful way to stay focused and move forward.
These are some ways you can start investing in yourself and pursue a course of self development that is rewarding and enjoyable.
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