The Endless Pursuit of Self Improvement
One of my favorite activities is self improvement. I like to experiment. I constantly try to find better ways to perform tasks, explore new ideas, and discover something I’ve never known before. Whether it’s minimizing my belongings, embarking on a new challenge, or optimizing something as simple as a morning routine makes me feel like I’m improving my life and myself.
Mindless Doing
I frequently ask myself “Why am I doing this? What purpose does it serve?“. I discovered that I was doing a lot of unnecessary steps and daily rituals that brought little value to my life.
These two questions force me to understand why I do what I do. I begin to analyze each step and break it down into its most basic purpose. Only then do I learn the importance or non-importance of it. Using this method helps me save time for more important things in life.
It took some time before I saw the physical and mental clutter start to clear. What happened next was incredible. I found more time to run, work on a new project, write blogs, and play the piano. Its amazing what a little self awareness and organization can do. I have more time to pursue my passions and focus more effectively professionally instead of being lost in a busy world to busy work. It feels like waking up to a new day, all rested and ready to go.
Self Improvement: Always Assess, Grow, and Learn
At this point, many people may think they’ve reached the finish line. They’re done. Complete. They win! I disagree. This process is ongoing and always happening. If not, I will eventually be back to square one, busy as can be with no reprieve in sight. This constant assessment keeps my priorities in order, and leaves time to discover and learn.
It’s important to always explore ideas, put myself out there, and try something new. Mistakes will happen. However, I embrace mistakes as an important part of self discovery and growth. Without mistakes, how will I truly learn? Every step backwards prepares me to take two steps forward and tackle the next challenge.
However, it’s just as important to not try too many things at the same time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and then the enjoyment is lost. Therefore, I have a personal rule to try only one or two things at a time. This allows me to enjoy the experience, be in the moment, and to really focus on what I’m doing and how I’m doing it. Skills and hobbies aren’t an end game, they are something to enjoy over and over again.
Success in small steps
I’ve learned goals are easier to achieve when done in incremental steps. By doing so, my bigger endeavors reach a higher level of success since my vision at the beginning is never the same as the end. This is actually a good thing. It means I’ve discovered, made mistakes, learned from those mistakes, and adjusted accordingly.
With every small adjustment, I feel a little better about myself. I’m happier, more confident, and flexible on life’s surprises both good and bad. I appreciate my accomplishments more, both big and small, and I feel like I have a better outlook on life. For me, the endless pursuit of self improvement is here to stay.