SELF IMPROVEMENT

What do you really want out of life? Is it a higher rank in the workplace, a more loving relationship or your own successful business? Humans are wired to want to “do better,” as in the past this led to a stronger chance of survival. Today, this instinctive trait appears as a desire for self-improvement, leading us to better our lives.

No matter what you’re pursuing, self-improvement is a critical part of your progress and happiness. But all too often our efforts at self-improvement fail. We aren’t sure which direction to head in, so we end up stumbling around hoping we’ll just happen upon the job, relationship or life we want. If you’ve ever fumbled through a dark room in search of a light, you know this “tactic,” such as it is, often fails.

But when you aim to improve yourself, you need to find direction. You can do that by creating a clear, actionable plan to reach your self-improvement goals.

SETTING SELF-IMPROVEMENT GOALS

There are two steps in setting a self-improvement goal.

1. Identify your objectives.

If you don’t have specific goals in mind yet, think about what you ultimately want to accomplish. Picture yourself a year from now, two years from now, five years from now: What is it you’re doing? When you identify your end goal, you can work backwards and generate the landmarks you’ll need to hit to attain it.

If moving up at your job is your end goal, then you may decide that your immediate objectives may include taking classes or gaining certifications that are helpful in your field. If you ultimately want to become a better parent, then learning how to better communicate with your child might be something to work toward in the short-term.

2. Establish your purpose.

What is the purpose behind your goal? This is a critical question to ask yourself. It’s easy to say, “I want to move up at my job and make more money,” but why? All the self-improvement ideas in the world won’t be helpful if you have no reasoning behind them, so determine what will ultimately bring you the most fulfillment. Do you want to excel professionally so you can feel stable and provide for your family, or is a higher-earning job a way to pursue your other passions? Is being a wonderful parent important to you because you had a rocky childhood

When you have your ultimate purpose in mind, you won’t become deterred when problems or plateaus arise.

SELF-IMPROVEMENT TIPS

Looking for ways to improve but not sure where to begin? Start assessing these areas of your life.

Career: Whether you want to open a business or move up in the ranks at your company,  you can always improve in the workforce. Learn a new skill, attend an immersive business event or connect with a mentor who can help you identify your strengths.

Relationships: Relationships are the bedrock of your life. You have relationships with your family. Coworkers. Friends. Romantic partner. Can you deepen some of these bonds? How can you be more present for your loved ones?

Finance: Do you want to get better with money? You can. Learning about how to attain  financial freedom is a fine place to start in your self-improvement journey.

Health: Your body will function far better with more energy, and the better your body functions, the more you’re able to achieve in your life. You can strengthen and build up emotional, physical and mental health.

YOUR SELF-IMPROVEMENT PLAN

What should you do now that you know what areas of your life you want to improve? The Tony RobbinsWheel of Life assessment can help you identify where you are in your self-improvement efforts, and show you how to get to where you want to be. 

Once you’ve completed the assessment, develop an effective self-improvement plan. 

Get clarity: Hone in on where you are and where you want to be. What do you want, and why? When you have absolute clarity on what it is you want, you’ll stop at nothing to achieve your goal.

Find the tools you need: How do you make the progress you want in your career? What do you need to thrive? Is it working with a business coach, or taking additional educational courses? Lock in the strategies and tools you need to succeed.

Take massive action: Motivate yourself to take massive action as you put your self-improvement plan to the test. Keep your focus on your ultimate purpose and get your state of mind where it needs to be. By cultivating a sense of mindfulness, you’ll continue working toward your goals even when you face challenges.

Measure your progress: Find ways to track your progress as your self-improvement plan moves into action. Set metrics that allow you to measure your success. How will you know when you’ve moved ahead of your career? Give yourself clear objectives to hit, like taking a certain number of professional courses in a set period of time, so you can track your progress as you go. 

ADDITIONAL SELF-IMPROVEMENT IDEA

Self-improvement doesn’t stop just because you’ve completed one goal or another. Here are some other ways to enrich your life and attain your dreams:

Learn from others: Speak to people you admire and find out how they overcame challenges and created the lives they wanted. By learning how others succeeded, you’ll be driven and inspired to succeed as well.

Set SMART goals: Having trouble reaching your self-improvement goals? Break them down and make sure you’re following the SMART goal-setting process: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and within a Timeframe. By establishing goals in this format, you’re building your path to them.

Change the way you think: If you spend a lot of time questioning yourself or even putting yourself down, then you’re getting in the way of meeting your goals and improving your life. These are limiting beliefs, and thinking about yourself in a more positive way sets the stage for you to improve the way you treat yourself and others.

By ; Rachael Nyanchama