The Most Important Self-Determination Skills (With Examples)

Motivation is the driving force that inspires us to move forward in different ways, whether the goal is a physical conquest, a mental obstacle to overcome, a habit or lifestyle choice we want to change, a personal relationship, a professional ambition, or even the desire to motivate others.

Extrinsic motivation, which is guided by external influences such as prestige, career advancement, or a financial reward, is a common motivator for many people.

But intrinsic motivation guided by internal principles, such as morality and personal beliefs, can be even more impactful and give people the conviction of self-determination they need to make a long-term and sustainable change.

What is Self-Determination?

Self-determination is guided by both types of factors at play. It is the result of external factors applying pressure on an internal belief system and creating the motivation to make a change, hopefully for the better.

On a personal level, self-determination often requires people to consider what they’re good at, what they want to be better at, and how they can achieve that goal. Self-determination drives the decision-making process and gives people the extra push that motivates them to work hard to reach their goals.

Why Is Self-Determination Important in the Workplace?

Recognizing and encouraging self-determination skills can help individuals take personal control of life choices. While this doesn’t necessarily guarantee a positive outcome, it has been shown to positively impact satisfaction in life when people feel a sense of control and can say, “Well, I tried,” instead of lamenting about potential missed opportunities they never attempted.

On a more immediate level, self-determination is a trait that can be appealing in the job market and set you apart from other candidates. Not only does it drive employees to improve their skills and try something new, but it also aids in self-evaluation to assess one’s strengths and also determine where performance can be improved. Other benefits to determine at work include:

1. Creativity. Complex problems often require creative solutions, and determination when confronting a particularly difficult problem is key.

2. Optimism. Determination involves focusing on the potential benefits and having faith that the hard work will pay off in the end.

3. Extra effort. Someone who is motivated is willing to go above and beyond the minimum work expectations to reach a goal.

4. Guidance. Actively engaged employees are committed to hitting milestones and seeking the best outcome not only for themselves but also for the company and their teammates.

5. Motivating others. Seeing determined people work hard and reach success has a way of inspiring others to feel empowered as well and follow suit.

What Are Some Traits of Determined People?

Determination is an important life skill and management skill. You probably know some truly motivated people. Perhaps it’s your college roommate who graduated summa cum laude, or the entrepreneur who opened a successful business down the street, or a coworker who has been jumping up the ranks at work.

If you’re looking to improve your self-determination, you can learn a great deal from observing and interviewing motivated people around you. Some of the key traits they share are:

• Setting small, achievable goals. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. The best practice to reaching a lofty goal is to break that journey down into a series of smaller goals so you can work your way up gradually to your ultimate achievement. A simple first step can be as basic as setting a New Year’s resolution.

• Refraining from negativity. Whining and complaining aren’t productive, and it isn’t going to help you reach your goals. Determined people understand that hard work is part of the process, and they’re ready to put their heads down and power through the challenges.

• Taking command of their lives. Some people lead a rather hopeless existence, convinced that they have no control over their lives and outside forces are what will affect their futures.

  Determined people, on the other hand, believe that their actions, decisions, hard work, and preparation give them the advantage to take control of their own lives and steer them in the desired direction.

• Focusing inward on personal goals. Determined people don’t care if their colleagues think they’re working too hard or prioritizing the wrong tasks. They’re able to tune out the criticism and remain focused intently on their own goals.

Self-Determination Skills

To improve your self-determination and become a more motivating force to be reckoned with, a certain skill set is key. Working to develop these important skills will improve your level of determination over time:

1. Choice-making skills. The ability to express a preference between two or more options.

2. Decision-making skills. A more in-depth analysis of choices that requires someone to consider possible alternatives, the potential consequences of each action, the probability of those results, and then ultimately choosing the best option.

3. Problem-solving skills. The process of identifying a problem and its possible solutions and understanding the pros and cons of each solution, then choosing the best method to resolve the issue.

4. Goal setting/attainment skills. A critical factor in self-determination that allows an individual to set a target result.

5. Self-regulation skills. The process of setting goals, developing a plan and then implementing it, evaluating the outcomes of the action plan, and adjusting accordingly.

6. Self-advocacy skills. The ability for an individual to assertively express needs and desires and then take action on their behalf.

7. Positive self-efficacy. Encourages individuals to believe in their ability to perform and achieve their goals.

8. Self-awareness skills. Allows individuals to identify and understand their needs, strengths, and limitations.

Self-Determination Written Activities

Below is a list of topics designed to assist in promoting goals and motivation. Write down your answers to assess your self-determination and see what your strengths and opportunities for improvement are:

1. Self-awareness for young children

   • I am good at these things:

   • I find these things hard:

   • My favorite part about school is:

   • Things I dislike about the school are:

   • Things I would like help with:

   • When I need help, I know I can ask these people:

2. Self-awareness for older children

   • List three of your greatest strengths.

   • What two things seem to be harder for you than they are for your peers?

   • What are two of your favorite things to do?

   • What are two of your least favorite things to do?

   • List three of your recent successes (big or small).

   • List two things you did recently that you could have done better.

   • Who do you turn to for help when things are hard?

3. Self-awareness for adults

   • What are your greatest talents or skills?

   • Which of your talents/skills gives you the greatest sense of satisfaction?

   • What talents/skills do you admire most in others?

   • What talent/skill do you wish you could develop yourself?

   • List your five greatest strengths.

   • List your three biggest weaknesses.

   • List your best qualities/characteristics.

   • What behaviors, traits, or qualities do you want other people to admire in you?

   • List the three most important things to you in your life.

   • Do you spend as much time as you would like on those three things? Why or why not?

   • What makes it hard for you to be your true self around others?

   • In what ways are you trying to please others with the way you live your life?

   • Who are the people with whom you feel like your true self?

   • List three things you are most proud of in your life.

   • What do you hope to achieve in life?

4. Decision-making for adults

   • Identify the problem you need to solve.

   • What possible actions could you take? List your options.

   • Weigh the consequences and then list the pros and cons.

   • Consider your values. What is important to you?

   • Describe what you will do and explain your decision.

   • Evaluate your choice. How do you feel about it? Did you make a good decision? Would you take a different action if faced with the same scenario again? What did you learn?

5. Problem-solving for adults

   • Identify the problem. Break it down into smaller steps and decide what you need to focus on first.

   • Write down ideas that might help solve the problem. Don’t dismiss any possible solutions, even if they seem silly.

   • Weigh the consequences. List the pros and cons of each option.

   • Choose one of the possible solutions that might be likely to work based on the advantages and disadvantages.

   • Describe what you will do and explain why you made that decision.

   • Plan out step-by-step what you need to do to carry out this solution. Is your plan realistic and achievable?

   • Did you achieve what you wanted? If not, how could you have done it differently? Did you make any progress toward your goal? What have you learned?

6. General emotion regulation

   Think of a specific example of something that happened in your life.

   • Why did this situation occur?

   • How did you feel about it, both physically and emotionally?

   • How did you want to react to the situation?

   • How did you react?

   • How did your emotions and actions affect you later?

7. General self-awareness test

   Values and life goals:

   • What does your ideal “you” look like?

   • What dreams and goals do you have?

   • Why are these dreams/goals important to you?

   • What is keeping you from these dreams/goals?

   • Rank ten of the most important things in your life (career, family, relationships and love, money, etc.)

   • Consider the amount of time you dedicate to each of the things on your list.

   • What would you recommend to your children to do or not to do?

8. Personality

   • Describe yourself in three words.

   • Has your personality changed since childhood?

   • Is your personality similar to either of your parents?

   • What qualities do you most admire in yourself?

   • What is your biggest weakness?

   • What is your greatest strength?

   • What things scare you?

   • Do you make decisions logically, or intuitively?

   • How would you complete the question: “What if?”

9. Relationships

   • Describe your ideal intimate relationship in one sentence.

   • How satisfied are you in your current relationship?

   • If you had only a few minutes left to live, who would you call? What would you say?

   • Who have you loved the most?

   • Describe the best moment of one of your relationships.

   • Describe a devastating moment in one of your relationships.

   • Do you treat yourself better than you treat others?

Self-Determination Online Assessments

The American Institutes for Research, working in conjunction with Columbia University, developed AIR Self-Determination Assessments that measure the knowledge, abilities, and perceptions that enable self-determination in an individual.

The AIR Self-Determination Scale indicates a profile of an individual’s level of self-determination. It also identifies specific educational goals as well as areas of strength and areas that could use improvement. Links to the AIR Self-Determination Assessments are below:

• Student Form

• Parent Form

• Educator Form

Activities to Help With Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is intricately tied to self-determination. Being aware of your strengths, weaknesses, needs, and desires will help you set new goals and find the motivation to achieve them. Here are a few activities designed to help become more self-aware:

1. Journaling. Writing down your thoughts at the end of the day when experiences are still fresh will give you a unique inside look at your emotions and the way you perceive and respond to situations.

   Journaling will provide you with a way to release your emotions as you replay them and record them on the page. During periods of reflection, flip back to past entries with 20/20 hindsight and remember how you reacted at the moment.

   Did you approach situations rationally? Did the course of action you took end with positive results? What could you have done differently?

2. Meditation. Successful meditation requires you to remain in the present moment and not dwell on the past or ponder the future.

   Find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed, then sit with good posture, keeping your neck and back straight. Focus on your breathing.

   Develop an awareness of the breath entering and leaving your body, of your chest rising and falling, of the air entering through your nose and being expelled through your mouth. Take note of your thoughts, but remain focused on your breathing.

   You might start with short meditation sessions and gradually increase how much time you spend on the activity. Regularly clearing the mind can greatly reduce stress levels and help you refocus on the moment at hand.

3. Grounding. Grounding, also sometimes referred to as earthing, is the process of making direct skin contact with the earth. In its true form, the concept of grounding centers around the electrons in the earth having a positive impact on your body.

   Grounding can be achieved simply by walking barefoot outdoors or lying down on the ground outside.

   Simply reconnecting to nature can have a profoundly calming effect on the mind and body. When grounding for the sake of self-awareness, it’s important to be conscious of your surroundings and your thoughts, but most importantly, just as with meditation, you should be focused on the present moment, not the past or the future.

Final Thoughts

Self-determination and self-awareness are different for everyone. Taking the time to analyze your strengths and weaknesses, goals, desires, and challenges ahead can help you immensely in both your personal and professional life.

Seek out ways to measure your self-determination. Keeping track of your progress will help you to stay focused on the journey, and it also might showcase compelling points to add to a resume since motivated and hard-working candidates are ideal to employers looking for strong new team members.

Fully understanding your strengths and weaknesses means that you should be able to immediately provide an answer if you’re asked what you’re good at and what you struggle with.

Perhaps your goals are driven by a desire to be financially stable or change careers to a job that you’re proud of. It’s not uncommon for a career to be a driving force behind self-motivation. If your goals align with a company’s vision, your track record of determination and goal-setting may very well be the slight edge you need over an otherwise equally qualified candidate.

Self-determination is an important skill on a resume. To better illustrate just how motivated you are, consider ways to work your dedication and progress into responses to open-ended interview questions.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.