According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, self-improvement is about bringing positive change in oneself through consistent action. Continuous self-improvement efforts fill a person with motivation which increases their problem-solving and self-care skills. On the other hand, many people fall into the trap of perfection which leads to dissatisfaction and unwanted anxiety. So, you should be prepared beforehand for these issues. There are different areas of an individual where self-improvement can be made:

• Leadership, 
• Communication, 
• Time Management, 
• Problem Solving, 
• Creativity, 
• SMART goal setting

“It is the duty and high privilege of every human being to endeavor to improve himself. An effort at self-improvement is the definition sometimes given for religion. It may relate to our actions or to our convictions. In our actions we should aim at goodness; in our convictions, at the truth.”– Joseph P. Bradley

Benefits of Self-improvement

There are several benefits of working on self-improvement goals such as strengthened life satisfaction, boosted confidence, and increased professional development. Additionally, upgraded mental health, increased self-awareness, and many more. Hence, it becomes imperative to continuously work on one’s self-improvement.

The important point is that improvement in one area encourages improvement in other areas. For instance, improving communication skills motivates one to improve the quality of relationships. In addition to this, problem-solving skills also help in enhancing time management skills.

5 Ways to Bring Self-improvement in Life

Practice Self-reflection and Gratitude

Self-reflection is about being aware of one’s thoughts, actions, feelings, and motivations. In other words, this is self-examination. The link between self-reflection and self-improvement is that if one is not aware of their values, goals, motivation, and behavior; it becomes difficult to spot areas of improvement and powerful internal motivations for bringing change. 

Gratitude is about being appreciative and thankful for whatever one has in life. 

According to research, gratitude brings increased happiness, boosted immunity, and strengthened mental health. From all of this, it is clear that a habit of gratitude is needed for self-improvement at multiple levels. 

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”- Melody Beattie

Be Aware of One’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Being aware of one’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial for bringing lasting self-improvement. An individual can have multiple strengths that can be used to improve areas of progress (weaknesses). 

For example, a person who has good computer skills but bad mathematical skills can use their computer skills for improving their mathematical ability. On the other hand, a girl with good interpersonal skills but bad public speaking skills can take support from her social circle for improving her public speaking skills.

Set SMART Goals

Making SMART goals is about creating specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. While creating short-term or long-term goals, one should be mindful that they are realistic; the goals can be demotivating otherwise. 

SMART goals can be used in multiple settings such as schools, organizations, offices, health care systems, and therapeutic settings to bring the desired change. We all know that bringing change at any level –  personal, professional, and social- is a challenging task. So, the SMART goals strategy makes the process easier.  

For example, an individual sets the goal of healthy eating and creates an action plan for it:

• Increase the intake of wholesome foods by specifying a time for shopping in the schedule and will 
• Count the calorie intake goal (of 2000 calories per day) for the next 2 weeks.
• Keep track of the progress in an excel sheet.

Work on Bad Habits

When one has developed self-awareness about their goals, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses, it becomes easier to work on one’s bad habits. To break bad habits, an individual should,

• Write them down
• Identify their triggers
• Find their alternative
• Start small
• Be prepared for mistakes
• Prepare a reward for yourself

When you write down goals, it becomes easier to hold oneself accountable. This means that identifying the triggers of bad habits helps in coming up with an action plan; having an alternative is crucial to efficiently replace bad habits with good ones. 

For instance, a bad habit of procrastinating with funny videos on youtube can be replaced with motivational TED talks of healthy productivity; a bad habit of junk food can be switched with healthy snacks like fruits.

Learn From Role Models for Self-improvement

The importance of learning from role models can be understood from the following quote,

“Very few men are wise by their own counsel, or learned by their own teaching; for he that was only taught by himself had a fool as his master.”– Ben Johnson

Role models and mentors are important as they are the evidence of success; they are the physical model of one’s desired values, qualities, and principles. They can significantly improve one’s outlook towards life, and self-improvement. This means that role models and mentors can speed up one’s learning and growth by manifold. 

Final Thoughts

All in all, we all have the desire for self-improvement in different ways; all it takes is a consistent effort towards one’s goals. Moreover, it is important to make a flexible action plan so that it benefits the individual rather than burdens heavily. Mistakes and failures are a normal part of the growth process so they should be seen as a learning opportunity. Taking small steps and gradually building upon them is the sustainable approach; taking big steps and ending up quitting halfway through it is demotivating and discouraging. Keep in mind that all the effort and investment for self-improvement will pay manifold in the end.