Rely on Others to Improve Yourself

June 14, 2017

Rely on Others to Improve Yourself

There’s a common misconception that individual development needs to happen…individually. Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite our common cultural notion of “self” improvement, the most successful efforts to self-improve have other people at their core. If you’re looking to gain a new skill or break a bad habit, seek out people (both inside and outside your organization) who are looking to do the same, and meet regularly. You can also join online learning communities, discussion groups, or courses. By exchanging empathy, success stories, and “Watch out for…” insights, you can build the confidence and commitment to push through setbacks and accelerate the adoption of new behaviors. You can also help each other out of ruts. Most important, you create a sense of ownership over one another’s success that results in momentum for change.

Adapted from “Why Self-Improvement Should Be a Group Activity,” by Ron Carucci