If you’re like most people, this is the month when you stop dead in your tracks and realize that you’re running out of time to start those darn New Years’ Eve Resolutions you made back in January.

You may want to something simple like becoming more proficient at using a software program like Word or Excel to make your job easier … or learn some fundamental management skills such as leadership, team-building or interpersonal communication skills to show your bosses that you’re ready for more responsibility.

Or maybe you’ve reached the end of your rope and you’re thinking about chucking it all and starting a brand-new career from scratch. But regardless of where you are, there’s only ONE THING that’s holding you back from improving your career.

You.

Take A More Active Role In Your Own Personal Development!

Have you ever wondered why it’s so hard for some people to take that first step towards self-improvement? Especially when you consider that most of us are pretty sure about which parts of our careers need fixing?

If you want further proof that there are millions of business professionals just like you looking for answers, go to one of the Internet bookstores and type “Self Improvement” in the search function … then try to plow your way through the thousands and thousands of results you’ll get in return – and that’s JUST in the book section! Face it … if you want more out of your career – and your life – you’re in the majority … NOT the minority.

So What’s Holding YOU Back?

For most people, three things keep us from venturing out on that limb of self-improvement:

• Perception oftentimes becomes reality.
• People tend to resist change — and improving yourself means change.
• Refusal to leave your own comfort zone!

In a nutshell, at some point, somebody told you that you couldn’t do something or put you in a “box” that defined who and what you were. It might have been a boss, coworker, customer … whoever! You may not have agreed with the criticism, but it still planted a seed of doubt in your mind that eventually made you talk yourself out of achieving more in your career, simply because you no longer believed that you could achieve them. Thus, perceptions (yours, or someone else’s) became your reality.

After a while, you became comfortable with who and what you “thought” you were and putting forth the effort to change seemed to be more trouble than it was worth. For many people, staying out of the line of fire was Option #1 during the last couple of years with a tight economy and high unemployment.

Turn The Page Towards 2008!

So now that you’ve decided to improve your lot in life, how do you go about it? For starters, try these four steps:

• Remove the self-doubt! If it’s important enough to you, remind yourself how much you want it every day and keep striving towards your goals.
• Act now! Leaving it to “tomorrow” or “next week when I’m not so busy” is a surefire way to stay stuck in your rut. Before you leave the office today, find something you want to improve upon either personally or professionally.
• Remove your fear of the unknown by changing your perspective. Whereas some people are fearful and uncertain about the unknown, others look at it as a chance for surprise and adventure. When viewed in these terms, what is there to be afraid of?
• Ignore what other people think. Hey, you work in the corporate world and you know that there’s plenty of people who never think anything will work. Naysayers are a dime a dozen, but positive people are worth their weight in gold and get noticed by the people in charge every time!

Don’t wait until 2008 gets here before you start making positive changes. Everyone makes those New Year’s Resolutions, but then they’re forgotten by February. Starting now, in September, gives you a 3-1/2 month head start on those procrastinators. And just think how far ahead of the game you’ll be when January does roll around!