by Brian McDonough
Arguably one of the most discussed but neglected concepts among Army Leaders is one’s self-development. Every day leaders must balance responsibilities to their organization, their soldiers, their families, and themselves. Leading soldiers at any echelon is one of the most rewarding privileges one can have. However, leaders often neglect self-development in their attempt to achieve balance.
Within the Army Profession, all Leaders must continually develop themselves as students of the Profession of Arms. FM 6-22 Developing Leaders states, “The gravity of the Army mission and the world’s dynamic nature make continual learning and self-development crucial to personal success and national security”. Every day, technology is evolving, the geopolitical landscape is changing, and future wars will only become more complex. As Army leaders, we owe it to our Soldiers and ourselves to pursue continuous self-development. Critical aspects of achieving self-development are developing a routine, continuous self-discipline, and capitalizing on momentum.
Develop a Routine
The most effective way to strike balance in our lives and incorporate self-development is to establish a routine. First, to understand what an effective routine encompasses, we must define our goals. Defined goals serve to guide routine development and assist in the prioritization of our time and efforts. In James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones he states, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” An effective system ensures that we are investing our time and efforts with our priorities.
Within the Army we utilize “battle rhythms” to establish our routines. Per FM 1-02.1 Operational Terms, a battle rhythm is a “deliberate daily cycle of command, staff, and unit activities intended to synchronize current and future operations”. Battle rhythms develop units by consistently synchronizing efforts and our personal routine does the same for our self-development.
Recently, my battalion commander and I discussed the breadth of books he read during his time in the military. When I asked how he achieved it, he stated plainly that about ten years ago, he decided he would read at least one chapter of a book every day. He explained that the length of the chapters may have varied, but the daily routine of a single chapter remained the same. His ability to maintain this routine contributed greatly to his self-development over many years.
It is important to understand that developing a routine may require consistent refinement through a trial-and-error period. Your first attempt at an effective routine will probably not be perfect. The refinement must continue until you can establish a routine that is achievable and efficient. We must acknowledge that no day, week, or month is the same. As life events occur, we must adjust our routine. Therefore, developing a routine is an iterative process. The better we can execute a routine that supports our goals, the more self-development will occur.
Continuous Self-Discipline
Once we have an established routine, we must maintain continuous self-discipline to fully commit to it. Self-discipline is defined as “correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement.” Jocko Willink, in his book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, discusses a simple test to measure self-discipline.
When the alarm goes off, do you get up out of bed, or do you lie there in comfort and fall back to sleep? If you have the discipline to get out of bed, you win—you pass the test. If you are mentally weak for that moment and you let that weakness keep you in bed, you fail. Though it seems small, that weakness translates to more significant decisions.
The self-discipline applied to our routines must be continuous. If we begin to stray from our routine, we will very quickly see the second and third order effects of that decision. For instance, prior to conducting military operations, Soldiers conduct routine pre-combat checks to ensure their equipment is prepared and in working condition. A part of a Soldier’s pre-combat checks is to ensure they have a new battery to power their night vision goggles (NVG). Neglecting to inspect the battery of their NVG can directly affect the Soldier’s ability to see during limited visibility operations. Without functioning NVGs, they also cannot use their weapons systems laser to engage targets effectively either. The soldier goes from being an asset to being a liability to their platoon and their team, all because they were not disciplined with their pre-combat checks.
There are two perspectives that can aid us in maintaining continuous self-discipline. The first perspective comes from a phrase often used in the Army: “set the conditions.” To set the conditions, you provide the applicable tools and time for the specific tasks to be achieved. For example, to ensure we get out of bed when our alarm goes off, we will set the conditions by going to sleep at a reasonable time.
The second perspective is all about remembering your “why”. As I apply self-discipline within my routine, I constantly remind myself of my “why.” A goal of mine is to improve my physical fitness. My “why” is to meet the requirements of the military profession, to set an example for my soldiers, and to be in strong health. I’ll continuously set conditions for myself by following a workout plan, laying out my gym clothes, and ensuring my alarm is set each morning. The daily reminder of my “why” and “setting conditions” for success fuels my energy to maintain the necessary self-discipline to be successful.
In all, continuous self-discipline ensures that you maintain an effective routine, enabling you to follow through on your self-development goals.
Capitalize on Momentum
Executing a disciplined routine and the self-development that accompanies it builds momentum. Momentum is defined as “the ability to keep increasing or developing. ” As leaders, we must expand and continue to build on the momentum of our self-development process.
For example, Soldiers and Officers alike attend various Professional Military Education (PME) Institutions throughout their careers. PMEs provide excellent opportunities for self-development, due to the wealth of knowledge taught, predictability of schedules, and limited responsibilities. A student departs their PME with a greater knowledge base and are much more competent and confident with their craft. In order to maximize our self-development it’s critical we continue to expand on the concepts, techniques, and practices beyond our PMEs. We can achieve this by reading, conducting practical exercises, or through comprehensive conversation with our peers, subordinates, and superiors alike. Most importantly, as students of the profession it is crucial that we continue to expand on our goals and knowledge base as we continue to develop.
As leaders, we must recognize that the momentum we build can just as easily be stalled or lost. On our self-development journey there will be opportunities and obstacles. Ryan Holiday, in his book The Obstacle is the Way, states “if you think it’s simply enough to take advantage of the opportunities that arise in your life, you will fall short of greatness.” For us as Army leaders, not only must we rely on opportunities such as PME, we must build on them through our self-development. Holiday goes on to state “What you must do is learn how to press forward precisely when everyone around you sees disaster.” Due to the responsibilities and demands of the Army Profession, obstacles are a constant, and at some points may seem like actual disasters. However, as leaders who pursue self-development, we cannot allow these obstacles to impact our growth.
Lastly, to build momentum takes patience and commitment. The best way to begin building momentum is focusing on one task at a time. Small victories will slowly string together and become a bigger victory.. A poor runner that wants to improve their aerobic endurance simply needs to start running. A small victory may just be showing up to the track or maybe even running for ten minutes a day for a whole week. The following week, they then expand on their goals, increasing it to twenty minutes a day. Although it may not be evident at first, their aerobic endurance is improving daily. Making small goals and meeting them initiates a chain of momentum towards meeting bigger goals. The chain of momentum drives our will to continue on our self-development journey, moving us towards our desired end state.
Conclusion
A leader’s own self-development is crucial—and often overlooked. It is a practice much easier said than done. Self-development not only improves our own confidence and competence, but it ensures we are best prepared for our soldiers and, when selected for higher leadership positions, with increased responsibility. An effective routine, continuous self-discipline, and capitalizing on momentum are keys to a leader’s self-development plan. As leaders we must continuously strive to lead with the best version of ourselves and ensure the crucial self-development of leaders does not get forgotten.
Brian McDonough is an Infantry Officer in the United States Army and an instructor at 2-11th Infantry Regiment (Infantry Basic Officer Leaders Course) at Fort Moore, GA.
