I’ve been trying to help people be more successful for a long time. In all that time I’ve seen people fall into two major categories; those who accept responsibility for their own personal development and those who affix the responsibility for their development to someone else.
That someone else may be a teacher, their employer, their boss or someone close to them. The “someone else is responsible for me” group all have one thing in common. When I say all I really mean ALL, as in every single one of them. What they have in common is that they are less successful than they could be, usually much less successful.
Successful people accept full responsibility for their own personal development. They look for, and find, ways to improve their skills and abilities on a continual basis.
They do not expect their employer to pay them for learning. They don’t expect time to be provided to them during the work day to take a class or attend a workshop. They will certainly accept those benefits if offered but they throughly understand the difference between accept and expect.
Successful people are willing to invest both their own time and money to close whatever skill gaps they have identified. They realize that their development is their responsibility and no one else’s.
Less successful people wait. They wait to be offered, for free, the training they need to succeed. They wait for the training to happen on company time. They maintain the attitude that if they are going to improve themselves then somebody else is going to have to take the lead in their development.
Even if all those conditions are met they still don’t do as well because the motivation to succeed just isn’t there. They are improving to keep a job, not advance their own abilities.
If you want to be more successful then invest in yourself. An investment in yourself is the surest investment that you can make. Invest in yourself for yourself. Invest in yourself because you’re worth it.
If you believe you have what it takes to be successful and that all you need is for someone to believe in you then YOU should be that someone. Never wait, not even for a second, for someone else to take the lead in your self-improvement.
Keep telling yourself, if it’s to be it’s up to me. Then stop talking to yourself and start doing for yourself.
Great post! And if you can’t find the training you want, then try anyway. Teach yourself by trial and error as you go. It’s better to fail trying than to fail by not trying or blaming someone else or your lack of training.
Thanks, Mike…
Very true Mike. The lessons I’ve learned by trial and error seem to be the ones that have the greatest impact on me ones I remember the longest. Unfortunately some of them I have forgotten but I know that I’ll be reminded again before too long. 🥴
I think I will re-read this post again on Monday because 1) it’s inspiring and gets my adrenalin going, and 2) it reinforces the benefit in spending less time waiting for the opportunity to arise or for someone to guide you, and more time seizing the learning experience!
Ultimately, with less risks and mistakes being made, the less you are learning.
Thanks, Hunter
Thanks Hunter, yes learning comes with risks but I like to think if I’ve learned something’s then it wasn’t really a mistake. It’s also much easier to find that guide you speak of ON the path to success than it is to find a guide before you find the path. So no one should wait, pick a path and begin the journey, the guide shows up when we need them.
Reblogged this on Gr8fullsoul.
Your post boosts me to keep on going on the track of self-improvement.
Thanks so much, Mr. Keating
Wish I’ll never miss any of your articles and posts or what you publish
Ever since I’ve been reading you on Twitter ( not more than two weeks)
I am growing up for the better, with a much more clear mindset
Long to meet you one day
Best regards, Thiam Mékà de Goguenheim
Thank you for your kind words sir, I am very pleased that you find my posts useful.
This post made me regenerate my thoughts toward my future. I will be always reading this post 👌
Thanks, glad you found it useful.