University of Colorado Boulder

Leading Oneself with Personal Excellence

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University of Colorado Boulder

Leading Oneself with Personal Excellence

Ron Duren Jr.

Instructor: Ron Duren Jr.

4,216 already enrolled

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

52 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
Build toward a degree
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

52 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
Build toward a degree

What you'll learn

  • Explain how the paradoxical pursuit of happiness impacts our wellbeing.

  • Learn how to decrease anxiety with increased personal agency

  • Develop a mindset that promotes resilience to better deal with adversity.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

15 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Principles of Leadership: Leading Oneself Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

We begin this course by questioning a common—but potentially faulty—flight path: the pursuit of happiness. Like chasing a tailwind that keeps shifting, pursuing happiness directly can lead us in circles, never quite reaching cruising altitude. This week, you’ll explore research on the hedonic treadmill, the paradox of happiness, and models of well-being that offer a more grounded, sustainable approach. By the end, you’ll begin recalibrating your internal navigation system—one that’s built for meaning, not just momentary lift.

What's included

5 videos6 readings3 assignments

In a world full of turbulence and attention hijacks, staying on course has become a rare skill—and a competitive advantage. This week, you’ll explore how distraction derails performance and how your brain’s craving for instant gratification often pulls you off your intended path. Through strategies rooted in neuroscience and behavior design, you’ll learn how to sharpen your focus and extend your runway of attention when it matters most. By the end, you’ll begin training your brain to fly with more patience, discipline, and purpose.

What's included

2 videos2 readings3 assignments

This week, we’ll examine what truly keeps you moving forward—especially when motivation disappears. You’ll explore the surprising roots of procrastination, how it disguises itself, and how to overcome it with strategies grounded in psychology and self-awareness. You’ll also learn how to enter flow state more often—where focus, energy, and satisfaction align to create your highest-performance zone. When you understand your internal propulsion system, you don’t have to wait for motivation—you can fly through resistance with intent.

What's included

3 videos2 readings3 assignments

This week, you’ll learn what it means to fully take the controls of your life—through personal accountability, agency, and self-efficacy. In a culture where blame and complaint are common defaults, reclaiming your internal authority is both radical and empowering. You’ll explore the dichotomy of control—what’s in your hands, what isn’t, and how to navigate that distinction with strength. When you steer with clarity and take full ownership of your role, you become the captain of your ship—and the pilot of your own story.

What's included

5 videos2 readings3 assignments

We end our course with one of the most essential leadership skills: the ability to navigate life’s inevitable storms. When adversity strikes—and it will—how you respond matters more than what caused it. You’ll explore the differences between resilience, grit, fortitude, and mental toughness, and learn how to build these capacities over time. These aren’t traits you're born with—they're skills you can train, making life not just more endurable, but more meaningful.

What's included

4 videos2 readings3 assignments

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Build toward a degree

This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹

Instructor

Instructor ratings
(15 ratings)
Ron Duren Jr.
University of Colorado Boulder
6 Courses19,756 learners

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