Personal Development: 3 Important Reasons for Private Investigators

Personal development is a major reason some investigators grow and some investigators find themselves in the same place year after year.   What does that mean?  Why are you attacking me, Andrew? Rest assured I am not attacking you or trying to make you feel bad.  Personal development however is why some folks get truly better at the art of investigation, why they are asked to take leadership positions, and why people like working for them.  The folks who don’t work on becoming better get the same results they always have and blame their lack of success on others.

I was talking to a close friend of mine who was one of my very first Private Investigation mentors and we were discussing how much we both have changed over the past couple of years.  We both have changed how we view life, business, ourselves and much more. You wouldn’t believe how his life has changed over the past couple of years. When I share his story I doubt most people believe me.  One cool part of his story is how he left a high-level position in a well-known investigation company to become a full-time health coach. A lot of things had to come together for that to happen. But one thing he said (and I believe this is completely true) is that he has learned over the past year, he knows he could work anywhere now.  And that was a result of personal development.

When he said he felt like he could work anywhere now,  I knew exactly what he was feeling because I feel the same way.  My friend and I have been constantly working on being better versions of ourselves to help folks realize what they are capable of.  Not just in their health.

When I say all of this, I am referring to helping people in their communication, in their leadership, in their belief in what they can accomplish, and awakening someone to understand they can be so much more than they are.  This is something I thought I realized and understood but really didn’t until recently. And only recently have I started to grasp what this means.

Since focusing on growing to become better I can say I am a different father, husband, friend, and leader. The way I view life is much different than I used to in such a short time.  

How many of us go through a year of life and not much changes.  Careers are about the same, daily routines are about the same, relationships are about the same, and we hope that things just change on their own.  We are all waiting for some miracle to happen in order for the direction of our lives to change. We are waiting for the universe to do something. And guess what, usually the universe doesn’t have much planned for us as Jim Rohn would say.

So what can you do to start on the path to changing the direction of your life?  

Speed Up Your Personal Development

One way you can change the direction of your life is by speeding up your personal development.  Why should we wait to grow just by waiting to learn from experiences? There are plenty of people that have done what we want to do and are teaching us how to do it.  People share mistakes, victories, triumphs, lessons, skill sets, you name it. Here is the best thing about all of this; this information has never been easier to locate and learn from.  

One of the first individuals I began listening to on surveillance assignments in 2018 was a man by the name of Jim Rohn. I have since heard just about everything Jim Rohn has on Youtube.  Jim Rohn’s philosophies have stuck with me since then and this guy isn’t even around anymore. He passed in 2009 but thank goodness his teachings are still around to learn from. If Jim Rohn ever recommended a book, I ordered it and would also listen to anyone that influenced him.

One Leads to Another

One of the books Jim Rohn wrote was Twelve Pillars which is a quick but fantastic read.  I listened to the book on Audible. If you don’t have Audible, I highly recommend you subscribe to it so you can listen to books to and from investigative assignments or on surveillance. 

One of the first books I read was a book I always thought seemed like an odd title, “How to win friends and influence people” By Dale Carnegie.  This book started to change the way I communicated with people and my perspective on communication.  This book made me want to learn even more about how to respond to people. One takeaway I remember is about criticism. 

Criticism hurts people’s pride and sense of importance and it can create resentment. Criticism can be dangerous. Another take away which I truly believe is people want to feel loved and feel important or appreciated.  It is human nature for everyone to feel this way. So with that in mind, let’s try to understand why people say what they say or do what they do, so we can then have empathy and tolerance for those folks. 

This book led me to many other books including a very important book called, “The Speed of Trust: The one things that changes everything” by Stephen M R Covey.  I mentioned this in “16 Private Investigator Books You Got to Have.” This book explains the importance of trust and how it can be built and how it can be broken.  Trust is built on competence and character and I would highly recommend reading this book as it will give you a different perspective on trust.

As you grow you will lead.  And as that was happening I began truly seeking knowledge around leadership.  And the “5 Levels of Leadership” was one of the most impactful books I would read on leadership which helped me understand the different reasons people follow leaders.   If you are in a leadership position this is a must-read.

After reading this it was apparent that being a leader wasn’t the goal to aspire to but rather creating leaders was the ultimate goal.  That brought me to “Developing the leaders around you” which helps you identify potential leaders in your organization and develop them.  This is an incredible book.

From there I started digging into many personal development videos from Tony Robbins who I later found out actually worked for Jim Rohn as a younger man.  In one of Tony Robbins podcasts, an associate interviewed Charles Duhigg regarding habits and how habits change everything. I shared this podcasts with some associates and one of them started reading “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg and highly recommended that I read it. I did read it and realized so much about habits. It also is a must-read for anyone at any time. Habits control what we do in so many ways it would truly amaze you.  

These weren’t the only personal development books I have read but these books, in particular, have sped up the growth in areas of my life that I was lacking in quite a bit.

This is just a light discussion on the topic of personal development and I will be digging into different things that I know will create value for you in your professional and social lives.  But I really wanted you to dig into some of these books that I know will change how you view things in your life which will have a positive ripple effect.

What are the Major Areas That Personal Development Can Help You?

Self Awareness

Self-awareness is basically the ability to see yourself clearly, honestly, and objectively.  I know that I can get very animated when discussing topics I am passionate about. My tone gets hirer and while I am not mad or excited by any means, those who see me, see someone who is agitated.  I know this about myself and I have to be careful discussing things I am passionate about. 

I know that I can misspeak and this can be a turn-off to audiences.  Sometimes I have to leverage my wife to relay thoughts as is better at communicating that I am.  

Being self aware, I know my weaknesses and I know my strengths, honestly. Its hard to be honest with yourself about your weaknesses however if you know them, you can make better decisions. 

Improving Your Skills

I shared a variety of books that made me aware of what I didn’t know. And because I became aware of these areas, it allowed me to put a focus on improving them. Books, videos, seminars, investigation mentors all contribute to you improving your skills.

I am not just talking about investigation skills (the mechanics) but the soft skills that are required to building relationships with clients and coworkers or how to bring the guard down of a witness or a claimant.

Your Confidence

As your grow as an investigator in your skillset and in your communication (softskills) and understanding of people your confidence will grow.  And as your confidence grows you will be more likely to move up within the company you work for or even start your own private investigation business.  

So if I could make a recommendation or suggestion for those who are reading this that want to become more than you are, keep seeking knowledge.  Everything we need to learn in life is not wrapped up in high school or college. There are so many teachers sharing life experiences and philosophies that can change our personal philosophies in a good way.  And when these things happen we get to teach and share it with others as well.

What things are you doing to improve yourself this year? Share your intentions in the comment section.