We all are filled with immense potential and possibilities. Yet, we only tap into a fraction of our full capability. In life, as with most things, it is on YOU to get YOU where YOU want to be. So, knowing how to better yourself is one of the most important life skills you can learn.
The best way to step into your full potential is to learn how to improve yourself everyday. Here are a few tips that you can use.
1. Face Your Fears Head-On
How often has fear kept you from living the life of your dreams? If you’re like most people, probably too many times to count. Although healthy fear keeps you safe, unhealthy fear keeps you stuck in a cycle of defeat and frustration. Facing your fears is the only way to overcome them. As English actress Sarah Parish said, “if you don’t go out on the branch, you’re never going to get the best fruit.”
2. Change Your Story
We all have a story we tell ourselves and others about why our lives are the way they are. If you want to learn how to better yourself everyday, your story should inspire and build you up. As Jordan Belfort said, “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.”
3. Read
One of the most effective ways to figure out how to better yourself is to read. Instead of spending hours of your life figuring out what works, reading allows you to learn from someone who already knows. Reading also helps to introduce you to different viewpoints and encourages new perspectives. When you’re trying to understand how to improve yourself everyday, a fixed mindset can be toxic.
4. Hold Yourself Accountable
The journey to knowing how to be a better person begins with personal responsibility. We all mess up at one time or another. Instead of hiding or denying your mistakes, use them as teaching moments. Mistakes are, after all, one of life’s greatest teachers.
5. Move
You need a healthy brain and a healthy body if you want to better yourself everyday. Movement is underrated when it comes to keeping both of those areas in optimal shape. The human body is designed for movement. Not only that, but the body works best when it’s active. So, run, walk, swim, dance, or do something else you enjoy. Just move, and do so regularly.
6. Sleep
Serena Williams, Usain Bolt Bolt, and Lebron James are some of the world’s greatest sportspeople. When asked what their secret weapon was, each of them said sleep. When it comes to learning how to improve yourself everyday sleep is crucial. Quality sleep keeps the body healthy, strong, and resilient both physically and mentally.
7. Raise The Bar
At the age of 21, he was diagnosed with an incurable disease. Doctors gave him only two years to live. However, he went on to live for over fifty years. Even more impressive, he obtained a doctorate in applied mathematics and theoretical physics. The man was Stephen William Hawking. You get from life what you give to life. So, set your standards high, and want more for yourself. Believe that you can have it, and be willing to put in the work to get it.
8. Stop Dwelling on the Past
It can be tough to know how to be a better person when you let your past hold you hostage. Everyone has a past. The only hold the past has on you, however, is the one you choose to give it. Have the courage to make peace with your past. Don’t judge what happened. Also, don’t judge yourself for experiencing it. Simply ask, “what can I learn from this?”
9. Be Humble
Few things get in the way of learning how to be a better person like pride. Pride creates blind spots that make it difficult to be open to new ideas, advice, and criticism. Humility, on the other hand, allows you to accept your strengths and limitations without defensiveness or judgment.
10. Get a Mentor
Learning how to be a better person can be tough. A mentor can turn confusion into optimism, doubt into conviction, and fear into excitement. They can also offer wisdom and advice from life experiences you haven’t had yet. Find someone you want to be like and whose values align with yours. Also, choose someone who you respect and are willing to listen to.
11. Audit Your Inner Circle
As you take steps to improve yourself everyday, audit your inner circle. The people closest to you can impact your actions, mood, attitude, and belief system. Make sure that your closest friends have traits that support your personal development journey, not hinder it.
12. Set Goals
Trying to better yourself just for the sake of it is rarely ever worth it. Without some goals, you will quit the moment you get discouraged or frustrated. Goals help you determine what you want in life, which is critical if you want to know how to be a better person. Goals also give you focus, and help you stay motivated. Set short, medium, and long term goals. Also, be sure to track your progress. It’s the best way to make sure that you are moving in the right direction.
13. Remove Distractions
If you’re serious about learning how to better yourself, you need to remove distractions. Distractions eat up a good portion of your time, focus, and energy. Working towards being a better person requires your full attention. So, remove the things in your life that don’t matter so you can focus on the things that do.
14. Believe in Yourself
Finally, as you learn how to better yourself, it’s important to have a healthy dose of self-belief. As you embark on your journey, you will undoubtedly encounter different challenges. Believe in your capabilities and ability to learn how to best them.
Knowing how to be a better person is not going to happen overnight. Improving yourself is a daily practice. Sometimes, however, it may feel as if you are on a constant uphill climb. Don’t give up. The time is going to pass anyway so, why not use it to your advantage.
