Developing yourself takes time and dedication. It’s not easy to change our perceptions, and learn new things so we need to find the courage to step into the discomfort that arises when we move beyond our comfort zones. Here’s a few things you could do;
Read about what you want to improve
If you want to get better at a certain skill, read about it,meditate, read books that explain it in detail and it’ll always stay top of mind.
Find a mentor
There are moments in life where we need to lean on people we trust for advice or assistance. These people can help to guide, and shape our present situation and future opportunities for the better. A mentor can be anyone from a peer who knows something you don’t, and you want to learn, all the way up to someone vastly more experienced.
Reflect at the end of each day
The best way to get value from every day is to make reflection on that day a priority. If you want to take self-development seriously, you need to be constantly aware of how you can improve. And the only way to know how to improve is if you reflect and ask yourself where and how you still need some work.
Create a strong practice process
To improve, we must put in the time, and have a regular practice that builds discipline. It’s our habits that unfold the results. You have to put in place the daily habits that will allow the things you want to change to change.
Find others to push you and train with
Before you can find the people you need to push you forward, you must decide exactly what this goal looks like to you. Once you know what you want this support to look like, evaluate the people you currently surround yourself with. Spend time with people who are working on similar things as you, and you’ll find yourself growing with them at a faster rate than if you had tried to do it all alone.
Create a reward and punishment system
When you know how to use rewards and punishments in the right way, it will seem as though reaching your goals is an inevitable outcome. Self-punishment can encompass a wide range of behavior such as skipping a movie night because you failed to do your work for the day. This is necessary for people who need to break bad habits.
Stay honest with yourself
It’s possible to live life without realizing that you aren’t being honest with yourself. Being honest with yourself is key to living your life to the fullest. Being honest allows you to have a positive mindset even when life throws lemons at you.
Find role models you can look up to
Our society has many good role models but when it comes to our surroundings, you could find that there are not that many. It’s helpful to be able to look to others for inspiration, motivation, or even just daily reminders of how you can continue moving forward on your journey.
Measure your progress
Put more thought into your progress checks. These checks can motivate you, help you catch yourself when you’re slacking, and tell you when to change course. Regardless of how delicate the thing that you want to work on is, you have to find some way to measure your progress. It’s the only way you’ll know if you are moving in the right direction.
Consistency is the key
The path to being consistent is not easy. It is lined with so many distractions. However, that should not undermine your pursuit because in the long run, only being consistent will yield better results. Self-development doesn’t happen overnight. It happens slowly and deliberately.
Self-development is a daily practice and lifestyle. It is a lifelong process upon which you can continue to improve. Focus on developing the skills that will best help you reach your goals.