Self-leadership Strategies for Success: How Investing in Yourself Influences Your Ability to Inspire
The language of leadership is not an ancient text available only to a select few. The secrets to success are not hidden away in hieroglyphics or whispered only to an audience deemed worthy. Achieving any aspiration originates internally, and the answers many seek for the future can be found in individual influence.
Through self-leadership, it’s up to you to knock down barriers, open doors of opportunity, draw back the curtains of “could-have-should-have-would-have,” and let the light in. For personal and professional success, it’s up to you to know yourself, love yourself, and lead the way.
Know yourself.
Self-evaluation and assessing the parts and perceptions of identity
No one knows us better than we know ourselves, but in the hustle of daily life, we forget to take a step back and consider who we are at our very core. By looking introspectively and gaining insight into why we think the way we do, we deepen our self-awareness.
Are you wondering how to tune-in to what makes you tick? Try lowering your walls and disarming your “guards.” Next, ask trustworthy people who know you best for feedback on your strengths and shortcomings. Be appreciative, and act on their compliments and criticisms. Follow up by working on your weaknesses and make a conscience effort to summon your strengths.
Taking tests like the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator and the Enneagram Personality Test may also offer an outside, unbiased perspective.
By learning more about your character through curiosity, you cultivate the courage to work towards being your best authentic self. Grounded through growth, you can celebrate your unique traits and embrace letdowns as learning experiences.
When you positively frame your failures as a means to move forward, you empower yourself to self-correct and reshape the perceptions and behaviors that may be holding you back. By being open to the possibility that you are flawed, you become more comfortable challenging firmly held beliefs based on your past, and open yourself up to new experiences, edging you closer to your ultimate goals.
Once you educate yourself on the ethics that guide you, your moral compass creates your character’s backbone. Your values and ideals then become a priceless propeller for a reputation of inspirational integrity.
Love yourself.
Self-esteem and the strength of living your truth
In an airplane emergency, there’s a reason why flight attendants advise you to place an oxygen mask on yourself before any travelers beside you: because you cannot truly help someone before helping yourself first.
Being purposefully positive and persevering takes practice. Self-doubt can be detrimental to your opportunities and outcomes. By projecting your passions and intentionally tweaking your internal dialog, you will feel your life start to improve. The optimistic impact you will have on others will be recognizable in real-time.
Don’t let doubts distract you from your goals. Below are a few tips for building, monitoring, and maintaining your self-esteem.
Build your self-esteem through natural rewards.
Seek meaningful activities that align with your purpose, mantras, and mission statement. Embrace what works for you and make use of your specific talents with tenacity.
Use environmental cues to encourage constructive behaviors.
Create to-do lists and hang personalized notes or motivational quotes in plain view.
Apply constructive thought patterns to your cognition.
Disassociate from destructive thoughts and analyze the real reasons behind your self-judgments. Replace insecurities with positive thought patterns. Cover yourself in kind words.
Counteract every internal negative belief with compliments, and write down your supportive sentiments to make them stick. There is truth to the phrase, “if you can see it, you can achieve it.” Use mental imagery to improve performance.
Quit the comparison game. You can’t find your way out of the weeds if you’re focused on someone else’s path.
Lead the way.
Self-management and structuring your motivations
Once you get to know and love yourself from the inside out, opportunities to lead the way will come calling, and when they do, you’ll be ready. As a confident leader, you won’t hesitate or pause for permission. You will be focused and flexible and adapt to the fluidity of plans.
You will not be startled by setbacks, but jump at the chance to solve the situation. A part of a team, you won’t just point out problems, but persist with possible solutions. With a calm demeanor and controlled impulses, you will respond rather than react.
With a new grasp on your future, you will set the stage for success, choose directions, and make decisions. You will even take the initiative and implement ideas.
An innovator in all that you do, you will accept accountability for managing time and resources effectively. You will be honest with yourself about prioritizing your time and triaging tasks, making it a point to avoid burnout.
After using your curiosity to soul-search, you’ll understand the importance of inquiry, and you won’t be afraid to ask proactive questions about getting what you need to succeed.
Self-leadership provides countless life lessons and significantly reduces strain and stress. Self-leadership strategies improve life fulfillment and increase energy in those who actively implement enhancements over their lifespan.
By digging deep and deliberately finding your core self, you build the confidence you need to take accountability for your access to the world, boosting your career, and ultimately sustaining your success.
Are you interested in learning more about what it takes to lead? Check out our Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership!
Goodwin University is a nonprofit institution of higher education and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), formerly known as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Goodwin University was founded in 1999, with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.