SICIC premature...

You just never stop learning... I sometimes get a little irritated with
having to learn the hard way, or feeling like I'm banging my head against
the wall when I realize I have been hear before and still not learned the
lesson.

Yesterday, I was getting upset about the workload I am putting myself under
in order to create something I want to be special for all those who join me
at the Self Improvement Portal at www.self-improvement.org.uk
Today, I realized I have made a fundamental - and utterly avoidable -
booboo. Instead of Managing the company (see below), I have been trying to
do almost everything myself - and getting nowhere!

SICIC's launch last week was a disaster.
The website isn't completed properly; there is little of interest for people
when they go there, and it definitely is nothing like what I want it to be.
But what are the alternatives? Well, one alternative is to hire some
software and website designers to create the web site I really want. The
other, is to find people who will do an article for the site. In tandem,
these two solutions will create a website that functions properly, looks
good, and is populated by interesting articles. The best bit is I get to
work on the business of creating a community rather than running around like
a headless chicken dealing with the minor, time consuming problems
associated with software integration and the like.

SICIC, although a not-for-profit company, is not a charity so cannot get
funding. It needs to be a viable business so that it can deliver to the
community it is set up to serve. My funds are now very limited - or "frugal"
as one person put it lately. But I'm determined to make this venture
succeed. I feel it is a worth while cause and people interested in personal
development will appreciate it once it is up and running properly.

You could help out!
If you are a writer, feel you have something to say, or have little to do on
a cold winters evening. You can write a 300 - 1000 word article on a
self-help topic and submit it under one of three categories: Book Review,
Personal Experience, or Factual/How To/Educational, and win a prize. The
best will be published on our NEW website with your name. The best articles
will be get prized.

Software/PHP designer?
I am looking for a kind hearted, personal growth enthusiast who is also a
PHP scripter or designer to help out with upgrading my pitiful effort, to
something resembling a community website people will be proud to be a part
of. If this sounds like you, and you are willing to do it for the kudos and
admiration of (hopefully) thousands of community members, let me know.

Self Improvement Community Interest Company

Most people have heard of personal development, but most do not think of the people who engage in personal growth activities as being a part of a community. Just as those who are interested in Yoga (for instance), can be said to be a section of the personal growth community - in that they are interested in a particular route to self improvement and seem to gravitate toward each other by joining courses, retreats and the like – so too do people interested in their (and others’) personal growth.

The Self Improvement Community Interest Company (SICIC for short), was set up by me to cater for the needs of the personal growth community. A Community Interest Company is a particular kind of company (registered in the UK). It is a not-for-profit company dedicated to working in the interests of the community it serves. The "community" is a community of like-minded individuals who share an interest, or even a passion, for personal growth - especially for themselves but also those engaged in guiding others.

What I am going to share in this blog is some of the reasons why I think this company is needed, and who is setting it up. Starting with a list of what (in relation to this company) the term ‘personal development’ is not.

What Does Personal Development Mean?

When the company talks about Personal Development, it is NOT talking about:

• Medical improvements
• Education of children or youths
• Further or Higher Education of adults toward Vocational or Academic qualifications
• Career or CPD (except where it might relate directly with personal development skills/knowledge)
• Religious or New Age Personality Guru worship

Therefore falls outside mainstream funding from government for education, medicine or career development.

When the company talks about Personal Development, it IS talking about:

• Empowering people through their lifelong process of self improvement
• Developing self esteem, confidence, assertiveness, stress management, emotional intelligence, self awareness, and numerous other skills
• Using NLP, relaxation, meditation, goal setting, creative visualisation, TFT, and a myriad of other techniques, with an emphasis on self-help
• Being advocates of using safe therapeutic processes as self help (not denying there may occasionally be need for professional therapeutic (or medical) intervention)
• An interest in human potential

Who Runs Self Improvement Community Interest Company?

There are, at present, two members who are also the Directors. The CEO is Colin Ellis (yes, that's me). I have been studying personal growth for over two decades, teaching personal development within Adult Education and Further Education for over 10 years, and also a fully qualified and insured therapist for over 3 years.