Module 1 • Personal management


There are four areas you can concentrate on to sharpen your saw or, in other words, to improve our motivation. If you don’t focus on these areas, you will discover sooner or later that something is missing: you struggle, feel lonely or, even worse, you are unsuccessful.


These areas are:


1. Physical There is a saying that a healthy body feeds a healthy mind. Your body needs regular exercise; you should eat the right kind of foods and rid yourself of bad habits such as smoking. Stress management and other relaxation exercises are also very important. If you look after your physique, you will limit the possibility of developing serious heart and other stress-related diseases. Most important is that you feel good about yourself.


2. Mental You are currently investing in yourself by improving your mental capabilities. Most people however stop doing that the moment they leave school, college or university. After that, your mental development becomes your own responsibility and most people stop right there. New techniques, methods and technology are discovered daily, yet you think that you don’t have to bother. Thus you are not only losing your own competitive edge, you become unsuccessful. You should continue to stimulate yourselves mentally by reading books and magazines on various subjects.


3. Spiritual Your spiritual dimension is your core, your centre and your value system. It is your anchor, it gives you direction and a sense of purpose. It does not matter what your religious beliefs are, we all know what role it plays in our lives and whether we are neglecting it. Go to church, mosque or other places of worship as often as you can.


Have you ever been part of a conversation on a very interesting subject and had nothing to contribute?


4. Social-emotional


The first three saw sharpeners are closely related to habits 1, 2 and 3. The social-emotional area relates to our interaction with other people. As humans we love to interact with other people. We enjoy spending time together, to socialise, give and ask for advice. People provide the mirror of how we view ourselves. Sometimes we enter into a serious relationship and even marry someone. If we neglect this dimension, we become lonely, are less prepared to open ourselves to others, find it difficult to trust and suffer from many other negative feelings that limit our potential.


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