Self-Leadership and Why It Matters

Leadership is often spoken of in professional development trainings, seminars, summits, think tanks, books, and more. It's usually a major topic for dialogue, as it should be, to increase the performance of executives, project managers, entrepreneurs, pastors, and servant-leaders from all backgrounds.
 
Many leaders are always looking to improve their leadership skills and how to manage, and serve people, teams and organizations better.  How they lead determines the outcome of their efforts, which often includes the impact of revenue and peoples' lives.
 
Before you can lead others and lead them effectively, you must have the ability to lead yourself.  The term, "Self-Leadership" isn't sexy or popular, however it's essential to creating a life that is productive and meaningful.
 
Let's define what "leading" means.  Merriam-Webster dictionary describes "leading" as guiding or directing someone in a certain direction. "To lead" means many other things, but in this blog we'll focus on the previously mentioned definition. When talking about self-leadership, you can take that definition and apply it to yourself. This means you are directing and guiding yourself. That generates the next question. How and where are you directing yourself? You must then ask... Have you made any progress in your life so far and do you know where you're going?
 
If you're not happy with where you are, then you haven't led yourself well, at least not to your satisfaction. You know the common adage, "If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting the same results."
 
How can you change your self-leaderships skills, so that you begin to produce the quality of life you desire? Here are 3 simple steps to getting started:
 
1. Change your mindset. If you don't know what to do, that means you need new information. Find a personal development coach that can teach you new strategies and give you tools to change how you see yourself and the world. You can also invest in a seminar that offers teachings on creating a new perspective on life. Read a book that can infuse you with fresh ideas on recharging your life. You don't have to do all of these things, but begin with at least one of these steps to renew your mindset.
 
2. Protect your environment. Here's another piece of common sage advice, "If you're the smartest person in your group, it's time to find a new group."  We are all a product of our environment and if it's not challenging you, then you're not growing. Develop new relationships by joining Meetup groups, business organizations, and other groups based on your interests. This creates countless opportunities to meet people that will help sharpen and challenge you, along with holding you accountable to achieve your goals.
 
3. Create higher demands on yourself. We're often stifled when we keep doing the same old thing year after year. Place a higher demand on yourself by doing something you've never done. I wrote a more extensive blog on this point, "Break Out of That Rut & Shake Things Up." You need a new challenge that will bring a little spark and wake up your senses. Implement a new exercise regimen, run a marathon or travel abroad.
 
Self-Leadership is directing yourself to live a quality life, so that you are focused, disciplined and positioned to grow spiritually, mentally and physically on a consistent basis.
 
The person that has no rule over their own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls." ­–Proverbs 25:28