Individual problems and crisis arises in the time you least expected it. You say to your self that it is still alright and these cannot affect my goals and interpersonal relationship with others. But the mere fact that these problems concerned your self development and improvement, these counts and should be takes into consideration. I, myself experience such problems like disorientation of my goals and objectives and trapping my good ideas into myself to earn temporary companionship. This may sounds funny but this is the truth and the real me.
I tend to earn the trust and companionship of every people I want to be with by just agreeing in every thing they say not minding my own ideas. These I utter, through my self observations on my past works and responsibilities given to me. Sometimes in my secondary years, I was given the task to manage our little antique shop. My parents have to visit my grandparents and I should take care of our shop. At that age, I thought I was already ready to be given such responsibilities. Yes, nothing happens bad to the shop but I don’t really enjoy my stay during that time.
And because of that thing I become hot-tempered. Sales are not that good and reputation of our shop became unacceptable. And that happens because of my hot-tempered self. During my freshmen years here in college, I was a bit shy but approachable. But as days passed by, I came along. I found my real buddies here in college and we have been through a lot. I may say that I became obviously addicted to our happenings and night-outs. But due to this we became much closer with each other. Sometimes when a dispute arises on our group I am the one who became the mediator.
When it comes to academic responsibilities appointed to each one of us, I will be the last to perform. This I may consider as one of my self problem during my freshmen years. Self improvement starts in your own or may be with the help of organizations or groups. But this may only take place if you have the values and the willingness to do so. Student organizations in particular might help each one of us to improve and enhance our potentials in many aspect, may it be socially or academically. In this group of individuals, different characteristics, habits and behaviors meet with a common goal.
Aside from the main goal of the organization, individual goals are also to be maintained. This may be go in two ways: 1) the goal to be involved, attached, and included; and 2) the goal to be independent and self-relied (Kegan). Various organizations practice methodologies to maintain such specific goals of the members. Attachment and involvement can be achieved through the projects done with the help of each member while being independent can be possible the time an individual is given his own responsibility as a member of that organization. Leadership skills are also practice upon entering organizations.
Being well prepared and motivated by works of past members of the organization can give the members reason why to attain the same achievements their past members have achieved. Here, hard work and own talents are tested. Through these organizations, one can say “why follow when you can take the lead”. This is true to such extent that many leaders of our society have once a member of many student organizations. Individual development is a self responsibility to improve through reflections and assessments. And at this point, I should start the voyage of self-improvement and development.
Being hot-tempered to the works you don’t really value is a forgivable crime for it only shows that a person should love first what he is doing rather than making the works done without loving it. As what I have stated above, I once became an example of that personal dilemma. Unacceptable results from what I have done in our shop maybe prevented if I had that self control and sense of self-responsibility. Nevertheless, if only I said to my parents that I am not enjoying my stay in our shop then they would make some adjustments that would make me feel comfortable with our shop.
This experience makes me more sensitive in accepting works and responsibilities. But this doesn’t mean that I only accept simple and easy jobs. This only points out that before accepting works or jobs, I should have a clearer view and knowledge of what it is and what should be done to make the work successful. I should also have the vision not only to maintain the quality of the work but also for further improvements. If not particular with the work given to me, I should have the courage to ask experts and counselors that would make me finish the job with quality.
Being friendly and finding a buddy is a good thing especially when you have found a good influence one. In my experience as expressed above, my buddies molded me to what I am now. Though I once became dependent on them when it comes to academics, they still have made me realize that I should have the courage to face the world on my own. They have instilled to me that every works given to us require responsible and quality outcomes. Responsible in such a way that you do all you can to make the work or the job a good and quality one.
Here not only knowledge is the requirement but strategies, strategies to be able to finish the job in time and economically sound. This is a quality that one should possess to attain or maybe surpass their expected outcomes. For example, a group project should be done for a span of one month. Though one or two of the members of your group have knowledge in that particular project, you should not take it as an advantage and start the project say one week before the submission. You as an experience and self developed individual should make things in order.
Say starting the project the time you were given the instruction. This may be done by giving individual works to the members and then synthesizing it after some time. This would make time required shorter. From my experience as a freshman, this makes sense. A work may be easy in the beginning not until you have started it an early time. Self-development is not only needed by students in particular but most necessarily by the professional one. Here, the world of self-improvement is as serious as eight to ten years of your academic stay in secondary and tertiary level.
Not only should you have the knowledge, talents and perseverance but the sense of involvement and commitment. Albeit, such traits are easy to say still span of time is needed and experience should come along. These traits that should be possess by each of every one of us start by planning. In professional world, a good method is the Individual Development Plan (IDP). Professionals believe that personal development is also the same as career development. Well-prepared IDP includes professional development brought by seminars and trainings and enhancement of skills.
How to develop yourself may it professionally or academically come into many ways. The following are among the ways to develop one’s self; 1) identify your principles; 2) set concrete and specific goals; and 3) prioritize. You should know your principles in life to be able to have a pattern that would help you in attaining big dreams and goals in life. Specific and concrete goals may give you a measurable and a feasible results rather than giving a vague goals. You should also know how to prioritize things. More important things should be given priority regardless of how hard results are to be achieved.
Here time should also be considered. Know important things but are not urgent (Covey). These three should come along with one another. The absence of one can provide an inefficient development and may alter the continuing development of an individual. Such development strategies may bring good things like: more challenging works and assignments; clearer path for career improvement; and attaining less stress and time efficient works. For the above reasons and reflections, I may say that I still have a long way to go in self-improvement and this start the time I write this paper.
Self-improvement is not only particular with the ways that should be done but the love you give to the works and responsibilities given to you by making a quality and feasible results.
References:
The Evolving Self. retrieved from http://www. amazon. com/Evolving-Self-Problem-Process-Development/dp/0674272315. july 7,2007 Personal development and career success. from http://www. best-of-time-management. com/personal-development. htm. retrievedjuly7, 2007 Individual development plan. retrieved from http://sdps. ucdavis. edu/forms/idp. pdf. july7, 07