Steps to Self Improvement: Climb Your Way to Success

Do you want a better you?

The steps to self-improvement are available to everyone.  You can start now and climb your way to a successful life.

You just have to decide to start climbing.  There is an overwhelming amount of material out there to guide your ascent.  However, most people out of laziness, ignorance or confusion simply stay right where they are instead of choosing to take that first step.

By reading this article, you are well beyond most people.  You are demonstrating that self-improvement interests you and you are educating yourself on how to become more successful.  I commend you and encourage you to continue your journey!

The Steps to Self-Improvement That I Use

The steps needed to improve any area of a person’s life are essentially the same.  You can follow these steps no matter what it is about yourself that you want to enhance.  Want to lose weight?  These steps will work!  Want to become better at time management?  These steps will work!  Want to get out of debt?  These steps will definitely work!

How do I know they will work?  Because I’ve used them myself to improve several areas of my life over the years.  They are the true basis of any personal development.

Here are the steps to self-improvement that I use:

1.  Realize an Area I Want to Improve

The very first step in self-improvement is to — realize an area I want to improve.  There is a lot packed into that short phrase.  Let me break it down: 

• First, I have to realize (acknowledge, conceive, grasp) there is something that needs improving.  I have to see it for myself that I need to change something for the better in my life.  This is often difficult.  I can more easily see what needs changing in others than in myself.  Just recognizing an area I want to improve in is a huge first step.
• Second, I have to narrow it down to an area (singular, specific, only).  We often try to change too much about ourselves at once.  Focus is a very important part of successful self-improvement.  I have to Isolate the one most important thing that I want to improve about myself and work on that alone.
• Third, it has to be a change that I (me, myself) want (desire, crave, yearn for).  It can’t be something that my wife or parents or friends or boss wants for me.  It has to be something that I am personally motivated to change about myself or my effort is doomed from the start.  It is often difficult to clarify this.  It is easy to confuse my desire to please others for my own motivation.  However, it is imperative for successful self-improvement that I take the time to work this out.
• Lastly, I have to be willing to improve (change, correct, adjust) this area of my life that I’ve singled out.  This usually requires that I let go of some of what I’m clinging to now and adopt new attitudes, behaviors and thinking about this area I want to improve.  Of course, this isn’t usually easy.  This is where people start talking about how to change habits, etc.  That’s why it is important to think through change carefully before trying to do it.

2.  Educate Myself on Better Behavior

The next thing I do once I pick an area that I want to improve is educate myself on how to get better.  I find books, blogs or individuals that can teach me new ways to get different and improved results. 

I remind myself that you can’t keep doing the same things you’ve always done and expect different outcomes.  Being willing to accept this new education is crucial to self-improvement. 

Initially, I tend to scoff at and reject the new ideas that I acquire through this process.  Sometimes I think they sound too hard or too time-consuming or too ridiculous.  I’ll often squirm pretty hard and rationalize until the cows come home in an attempt to talk myself out of what I’ve started.  It is kind of like how our physical bodies reject organ transplants despite the fact they are done to save our lives.

This is why it is important for me to work through each of the points in Step One above before I begin.  Without a solid basis for the why of my self-improvement, my effort would wither and die right on the vine during Step Two.

Eventually, I find something I think will work and that I can embrace.  I try not to rush it.  I give myself time to let the new ideas sink in before I ever start to attempt any real change.  Once my brain is fully marinated and has started to buy into these new ideas and only then do I move on.

3.  Decide on the New Results I Desire

Based on my new knowledge of what is possible, I envision for myself the new results I desire.  In other words, I set some goals for what I think I can accomplish by implementing the better behavior.

I hype myself up by daydreaming about what my life will be like once I get to where I want to go.  Emotional engagement is very important for me.  It is the basis for keeping myself motivated.  I have to clearly picture in my mind the ways I’ll feel better, the adoration I’ll receive and rewards I’ll experience for making the needed changes.

I try hard to be realistic here.  The danger is setting goals too high or too low.  Goals that are set too high will only lead to disappointment and discouragement.  Goals set too low aren’t generally motivating enough for me.  Hopefully, I’ve identified a trusted source in Step Two that includes guidance for what to expect once I incorporate their suggestions.  If not, I exercise my own best judgement.

Overall, I have to get myself to buy into the dream that lies just beyond the work needed to reach the promised land.  Once I have this clear picture in my head, then I’m ready to set out on this new adventure!

4.  I Start Slowly Incorporating Change

I’m a big believer in the baby step approach to change.  I like to slowly ramp up from where I am to where I want to be so I don’t frighten my brain and send it into panic mode.

I begin by weaning myself off my old behavior that didn’t work while substituting the new behavior that I think will work.  I pick the new behavior that appeals to me the most as the place to start.  A few early wins usually help me to get traction.

I like to have a written plan to follow.  For me, this usually isn’t my own written plan, but one that I’ve found documented by someone else in a book or on a blog.  I’ll sometimes customize their plan, but mostly I try to trust their advice because this is uncharted territory for me.

I work my way through the trusted baby steps over days, weeks and months.  At first, the new behaviors are sometimes difficult, sometimes awkward and sometimes uncomfortable, but if I stick with them they usually become second nature very soon.

After a month or so, I look back and realize I’m doing things differently than what I did before!

5.  I Evaluate the New Results

Finally, once I come to the realization that my new behavior has taken hold, I take a step back and evaluate the results that I’m getting.  I ask myself things like:

• Am I getting different results than I was before I started this new behavior?
• Are the results I’m getting a true improvement over what I was getting before?
• Are the new results (if there are any) worth the effort?
• Are there any changes I can make to get better results?

One pitfall I look out for is change that doesn’t produce any new or better results.  This is not self-improvement.  It is simply a different way to achieve the same or a similar outcome.  Our minds are tricky little devices and they can often woo us into thinking we are changing when we aren’t really.  I try to guard against this by being objective about answering the questions above and by gauging my outcomes against my original expectations.

If things are better, then I’ve successfully accomplished the self-improvement desired.  If they aren’t any better, then it is time to make adjustments and try again.  Sometimes, it takes a long time to find just the right recipe to get the results I really want.  Other times, I find I’m realizing better results in just a few days. 

The key is to be able to step outside yourself and think logically about the process without letting yourself get sucked down into the quicksand of despair.  Also, I highly encourage you to reward yourself along the way.  I celebrate my victories and milestones in small, but meaningful ways.  It helps me stay focused.

These Steps to Self-Improvement Work Every Time

These steps have worked for me in a wide variety of situations.  I think they’ll work for you too.  They are universal.  Apply these steps to whatever it is you want to improve in your life and you’ll be stepping up to a better life in no time!

What did I miss?  Is there something I can do to improve these steps?  Leave me a comment and let me know!

Photo by eperales