How to Self-Improve

Quora Question:  ​Can you improve well by just believing in yourself and writing, or should you read books on self-improvement and do both? What’s the best way to improve oneself?

There are several steps to take to improve yourself. But, as Tasha Eurich says in her book titled Insight: “In the absence of a committed effort to build self-awareness, the average person makes only meager gains as they grow older.”

The same goes for self-improvement. Merely believing in yourself will not get you very far. Of course, believing in yourself can help motivate you in your goal of self-improvement. But, you will also have to make a “committed effort.”

That will probably include the following:

Seek out people who will challenge you: Too often, people only associate with those who are just like them in their ideas, experiences, and beliefs. But to engage in self-improvement, you need to seek out people who will challenge you in some way. So, have discussions with people you disagree with. Not to persuade them that you are right, but to learn about how they think and to challenge your ideas. You will benefit from the engagement.

Seek out experiences that will allow you to grow: If you are nervous about speaking in public, take a class in public speaking and then seek out opportunities to use that new skill. Travel to someone new. This will also allow you to interact with people who will be different from you which relates to the point above.

Seek out knowledge: Reading books about self-improvement will be a very useful part of the process. I will post some recommendations below. But, as you read these books, don’t simply read a book and then move on. Take the actions advised in the book. Most good self-improvement books will contain tips on actions to take. So, it is critical to implement those steps.

Share your journey with others: You might also benefit from sharing your experiences with others through social media or writing a blog. This will also help you engage with people who will challenge you and provide you with encouragement and motivation to continue.

Here are some excellent self-improvement books:

Bill Burnett Designing Your Life
Adam Grant Think Again
Michael Syed Black Box Thinking
Tasha Eurich Insight
William Irvine The Stoic Challenge