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Now I know you summer fans will not like me saying this, but it’s around the corner and we can’t ignore it– fall is coming. While many think spring is the time for renewal and change, I also consider fall to be the start of something new. Kids go back to school, summer holidays are over, and a regular work schedule returns (says the one who enjoyed an extended European holiday in August).
With this new season fast approaching, I figured it would be a good time to consider what I could do to re-invigorate and ready myself for the coming months. How could I get inspired?
I recently read a blog on Harvard Business Review and it talked about inspiration and its contributing factors. The author, Anthony Tjan, says that self-inspiration begins when we are pushed to action and thought. He adds that self-inspiration is multi-faceted, with three internal processes that serve as drivers: Evolving Self, Congruent Self and Courageous Self.
- Evolving Self means you begin to push yourself toward your full potential by letting go of elements of the old you and integrating new and better traits.
- Congruent Self is your personal integrity, how true you are to you. As Anthony says, “I say what I think, what I think is how I feel, and how I feel is who I am.”
- Courageous Self is the determination to remain loyal to the Congruent Self, no matter what the risk.
Deep stuff, right? But practices we can all learn from and live by.
On the journey to becoming your better self (be it professionally and/or personally), it’s important to remember that while external factors play a role in your development, true growth starts from within. And as I welcome cooler temperatures (this week notwithstanding) and the start of a busy trade show and sales season, I look forward to focusing more on finding inspiration in me and only then, looking to others for the same.
