Self-Improvement: Taking a Step in the Right Direction
You want to improve yourself, and this explains why you are reading this article right now. It is very possible to “get there,” only if you are willing to take the right steps in the right direction. Before you take off, you need to have the right mentality about self-improvement. The reason why “get there” is in quotes is because “there” does not exist. Self-improvement is not a destination but a journey. If you have the right mentality and take the right steps, you will not fail along the way.
If you have embarked on the journey of self-improvement, have a pal to whom you are accountable for your progress. This keeps you motivated to your goal. For instance, if your aim is to lose two pounds every month, having an accountability friend will keep you glued to the goal, because you will not want to weigh yourself in their presence only to find that you have lost nothing or you have in fact added two pounds!
Be an accountability pal to yourself. This means that you will track your progress based on results. An achievement of a certain goal can be quite motivating, thus enabling you to achieve even more in the next step. One rule in self-improvement about goals is that a goal is not a goal if it is not quantifiable and assessable.
As you push towards the goal, find the “why” in all that. The “why” is usually the motivating factor behind every goal. For instance, the “why” behind you wanting to sell one hundred muffins a day may be a pending debt. Your aim for losing a total of ten pounds may be fitting in your wedding gown or simply a promise you made to your husband. Any time you think of this goal, you cannot help but say no to that offer for an ice cream treat!
Make incentives and rewards for yourself along the way. For instance, give a $100 bill to an accountability pal to keep as an incentive. When you achieve the goal by a certain set time, the pal is to return the cash to you. However, if you do not make it, let the cash be given to a certain charitable trust (you should have decided which one before giving your pal the money). Reward yourself when you achieve a goal. For instance, if you make your target sale, promise yourself something, for instance a new outfit or a pizza treat. Enjoy the journey as much as you can; do not get too overwhelmed about the goal.