Self-improvement is an approach to living life that aims to develop a human’s potential. It’s based on the idea that we can change ourselves for the better by reflecting on our thoughts and behaviours, identifying goals, planning on how to reach them, and following those steps.
Rinse and repeat – it’s a continuous process that can continue for as long as you like.
The point is to become a better person, who can, in turn, have a positive effect on the world and even help others.
Self improvement is also called personal development, and it can sometimes overlap with professional development.
Living your best life. Being your best self. We’ve all heard these phrases tossed around, but where did they really come from?
Abraham Maslow, 20th century psychologist and believer in human potential, created a theory about how humans develop in 1943.
It’s now known as Maslow’s Hierarachy of Needs, and it popularised the idea that we can’t realise our full potential until the more basic needs have been taken care of.
In the world of 2019, we’re saturated with images from the media that tell us the best ways to live. They tell us what we should want, and what a good life looks like.
If we never stop to think about what we really want out of life, chances are our own thoughts and desires will be swept away in the tide of aspirational social media celebrities and reality shows.
Research shows that this flood is bad for your mental health. It leads you to compare your own life with someone else’s highlight reel.
Many times the photos and videos aren’t a genuine reflection of someone’s life at all, but rather a styled, posed and art-directed photoshoot designed to look like a casual snap.
The result is discontent, anxiety and the feeling that our own lives aren’t good enough.
Shouldn’t you be making the decisions about what you want out of life? After all, you’re the expert on yourself and what you want.
If you’re stuck in a rut, burned out, or hating your situation but despairing that things can ever change, self-improvement can be a lifeline.
It can give you the tools to identify what you’re really unhappy with, so you’re empowered to change your situation.
Perhaps one day, you’ll wake up and realise that those social media posts have less power over you because you know what you really value.
Self-improvement teaches us to step back from our day-to-day lives, to reflect and think strategically about what to do next.
Think of it like an general marshalling his forces. They wouldn’t send their armies out without a grand plan and a strategic vision.
Self-improvement allows you to decide where you want to be, and then figure out the best way to get there.
There are several topics that come up again and again in the self-improvement world.
Mostly they focus on simple steps to build good habits or change the way you behave in certain situations.
Understanding your own thoughts and feelings.
Learn how to set goals which will give your life direction.
Finding out the best way to acquire new skills.
Writing down what you think and feel about your life.
Breaking bad habits and building new ones.
Cultivating positive beliefs around your abilities.
Set yourself up for the day in the best possible way.
The scientific study of human flourishing.
Stop avoiding your important tasks.
Nourish your whole self with holistic health.
Prevent and control anger.
Dealing with difficult people.
Making yourself heard and hearing others.
Strategies for dealing with and reducing stress.
You can always embark on a journey of self-improvement solo, but many people prefer the structure and support that comes with taking a course.
There are many benefits associated with self-improvement courses. Not only are you taking on your transformation in a supportive, guided environment, but you’ll be coached on how to apply your new skills.
You can always embark on a journey of self-improvement solo, but many people prefer the structure and support that comes with taking a course.
Signing up to a course also means that you’ve committed to doing it, and are much more likely to finish what you started.
There are many benefits associated with self-improvement courses. Not only are you taking on your transformation in a supportive, guided environment, but you’ll be coached on how to apply your new skills.
A comprehensive 12-course curriculum from Alain de Botton’s school of life. These courses take a fresh and unconventional approach to classic self-improvement topics, and they’re not afraid to check the assumptions behind many of our ideas around what it is to live a good life.
Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans head up this online seminar, based on their New York Times bestseller of the same name. The idea is to use design thinking to build a satisfying life piece strategically. Check it out here.
This free course covers all you need to know about time management in only two hours, with a final assessment at the end. Check it out here.
You want to:
Here’s a roundup of our most popular articles about improving your life, work, and everything between.
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We’ve covered some basics in the wide world of self-improvement. If you’re itching to get started, why not start reading a book or enrol in a course?
In the end, this project is all yours – the work and the rewards are up to you.
