Chapter 2

Self Development


Don't judge each day by the harvest
you reap, but by the seeds that you plant..

Robert Louis Stevenson



Sigmund Freud, the famous psycho analyst himself faithfully set aside time each day for self-analysis, a time to explore his own motives and childhood influences.

Identifying your strengths is a great way of boosting your morale. It is equally important to take a good look at your weaknesses.

You can do so by talking to family, friends, colleagues at work to get honest feedback. Some weaknesses could be: impatience, anger, excess weight, poor communication skills, etc.


The weakness could also lie in a language, or a skill, or an attitude or a certain way of behaviour.

One of the most difficult things for humans to do is to recognize their own faults and weaknesses. Half the battle is won if one can begin by acknowledging to yourself your faults. You need to be brutally honest with yourself. You must take personal responsibility for your own growth since the onus lies with no one else. Carrying out an objective, honest self appraisal and getting the feedback from someone close and whom you respect and trust is a good way to start.

Writing your own areas of improvement down and showing them to the trusted friend, colleague, or family member for confirmation and counsel, would be a fantastic second step and the sure beginnings of self improvement.

Make a thorough list of your weaknesses, marking against each a possible source where help can be obtained. Next work at it on your own with a trainer or a virtual trainer. This book offers a virtual trainer option.

Schedule time everyday to track, till you have achieved the level you desire in the area of self improvement you are working on, before you target the next area of desired improvement.

It’s good to stay tuned with the changes in your field of expertise by reading current news/books, checking out on the internet, watching relevant shows, attending seminars, speaking to people from the field, and even taking a few classes to avoid obsolescence of your knowledge. As Will Rogers put it, “Even if you are on the right track, if you just sit there you will get run over.”

However you need not focus only on your professional area. Self development can be learning a new language, learning speed reading, or to play a musical instrument or to paint or to pursue a hobby or to start taking an interest in the arts.

To be conscious of the fact that one should be always growing and evolving is the hallmark of great individuals.

The first step in self-

improvement is

knowing yourself,

especially your

strengths and

weaknesses.