Continuously Improve

"We have an innate desire to endlessly learn, grow, and develop. We want to become more than we already are. Once we yield to this inclination for continuous and never-ending improvement, we lead a life of endless accomplishments and satisfaction." - Chuck Gallozzi

All progress in our lives is the result of a conscious choice to take action. But, that’s easier said than done. The key to improvement is the ability to think beyond the moment and ask yourself, “What will this choice ultimately create in my life? Where will it lead? Who will I become as a result?”

We must seek to find ways to improve ourselves on a daily basis, if even in the teeniest-tiniest way. Be better today than you were yesterday, and be better tomorrow than you are today.

Some practical ways to add value and improve yourself every day:

• Read a little bit every day: Books are a concentrated source of wisdom. The more you read, the more you expose yourself to knowledge. In addition, experts have shown that 20 minutes of reading daily, collaborate with brain stimulation and stress reduction.
• Learn something new: Is there something new that you always wanted to try? A new sport, or cooking, dancing, or craft? Learning something new will allow you to grow in various areas; physically, mentally or emotionally.
• Improve your skills: Practice. Work to get better. You earn more experience as you work on building your skills. Whether it is in sports, music, cooking, crafts, building. You can always strive to be stronger, faster, better.
• Make the most of each day: Wake up early.  It is a known fact that waking up early improves our productivity and quality of life. When you wake up early your mind is more proactive and moves you during the day.
• Exercise a little bit every day:  This doesn't need to always be a strenuous workout, but if you can, do it. It can mean starting small; a few push-ups and sit ups. Anything to get your blood flowing and heart rate going. Maybe go on a walk or ride a bike. Do yard work that utilizes physical strengths.
• Practice getting out of your comfort zone. Growing in this area takes as much, if not more focus, desire and drive. Real growth comes with hard work and effort. Lean in to your fears. Release worry. Believe in yourself.
• Make lists: Create a to-do list to help yourself keep organized and focused. Set goals, small and big. Small goals and teeny-tiny improvements are great to check of your list, and reinforces accomplishment and self-esteem. But also work to achieve big goals too. The larger the goal, the greater your ability will become in the process. 
• Create new (good) habits, and work to release old (bad) habits: We become what we continuously think and do. Make sure your thought and actions align with your purpose and passions.  We are and become what we repeatedly do.
• Look to add value to someone or something, daily: In order to live an extraordinary life of significance, you have to seek to find opportunities to pay-it-forward and add value every day in small and large ways. Opportunities are there if you look for them. Plan on it!

Whenever you set out to improve yourself and your skills, work on changing a behavior, better your relationships, or improve a process or a system, it helps to start out with small manageable action steps. This will increase your chance of creating long-term success. And it creates less resistance and fear. Don't try to do it all at once. This can create a state of overwhelm, and eventually lead to burnout, frustration and a likeliness to give up or quit. When you start with small, achievable steps you can easily master, it reinforces your belief that you can improve. By the way, you'll be surprised at how much you can actually get done. The more you get done, the more inspired you will be to continue doing more.

Affect the things that are in your control, and it all begins with the person that stares back at you in the mirror. If it is to be, it is up to me.  Do your best, always. Give it your all! Only worry about trying to be better than yourself! There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. Competing with ourselves is much healthier than competing with others. There is no cheating, no envy, no resentment, no sore losing if we compete with ourselves. Aim for constant improvement and excellence and make sure your goals and dreams are big enough to help pull you through. Expect greatness! Be the best version of yourself you can be. 

Start today and work to continue to improve every day. The journey is never ending. There is always going to be growth, opportunities, improvement and adversity along the way. Learn from it. Grow from it.

Make today great!

Curtis

"To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side as long as you are true to be the best that is in you." - Christian D Larson