The potential for improvement lies within you. We all have the power to change and improve our lives.
No matter where you are or what you have done before, there is always room and opportunities for growth; the choice is yours.
All growth is from within, but it has to be nurtured. Take a seed, for example: with the right nutrients and conditions, it sprouts into a tree and bears fruit. Whether that fruit is good depends on how consistently you nurture it.
The same is true for human beings, but even more so, because we choose and control what we want. You decide where you want to go and what you want to do.
In other words, you have free will. You have the will to be or not to be, the will to do or not to do. The earlier you realise that the power and potential for improvement are within you, the better you can lay a solid foundation for yourself.
The more you realise that the authority and ability for improvement are within you, the more easily you can chart your own scope for growth.
But unless and only if you tap into this inner resource, personal improvement will always remain potential. That is the difference between successful and average people.
The most successful people have known how to tap into this power to realise their full potential. We have heard of sportsmen and women who were highly rated early in their careers but never fulfilled their full potential.
They say the greatest tragedy of the average person is being buried with their unsung songs. They die before they realise their full potential.
Be a Student of Yourself
This may sound absurd to many, yet it is true. If you want to succeed, you need to keep being a student of yourself.
Yes, a student of yourself. Take time to fully understand your emotions, your desires, and your thought patterns.
Know your weaknesses and your strengths. Funny as it may sound, some people don’t even know their weaknesses and strengths. Learn everything you need to know about yourself.
We are all made differently; I believe that God does not make duplicates. What may work for me might not necessarily work for you.
Study and know yourself. I have found that writing things down helps me to remember a lot of stuff. I am not super intelligent, so I cannot totally rely on my memory alone.
That is why I carry a notebook with me most of the time. This notebook has so many things written in it. I constantly write down ideas and what I am learning.
I have attended so many meetings, and it is amazing to notice that many people do not take notes. Worse still, they do not carry notebooks to meetings.
Well, I guess it is just me, but I have noticed that taking notes works wonders for me. Every time I sit down to review my notes, everything starts to flow back. This has really helped improve my productivity.
Being a student of yourself means trying out so many things and finding what works best for you. Not everything will work for you.
For example, I recently discovered that playing soft classical music in the background while working actually works well for me.
Playing high-energy music while exercising or staying fit is very helpful. These are the small discoveries I have made about myself.
Studying yourself is a lifelong process. It means that you must continuously pay attention to yourself.
This process also requires some personal time. Time to sit alone and reflect, time to introspect. I usually do this early in the morning and late at night just before going to bed.
Keep Your Eyes on the Ball
You cannot hit a target you cannot see. Life is like a game of football; the general idea is to score more goals than your opponents.
In football, the goal is to hit the ball past the opposing goalkeeper. To do that, you must ensure that your team keeps possession of the ball. You can do this only by keeping your eyes on the ball’s movement and ensuring you control it.
In life, however, you set your own targets, and you must do this. If you have not yet found your life’s purpose, I strongly encourage you to do so now and begin working toward it.
Unlike in a football match where you outscore your opponents, in life, you will fail many times. Your goal is to keep moving.
The more you move, the closer you get to achieving your life’s purpose and the more progress you make. This is the only way you can measure your progress.
Remember that you should measure personal development only by yourself, not by outsiders. Don’t use other people’s progress as a yardstick; rather, use them as motivation.
Just like in football, your opponents are also trying hard to score; you must be prepared to face life’s adversities. Don’t let what people say about you distract you.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and you can’t control what people think of you.
Think of people as spectators watching a football match; they can only cheer and grumble based on what they see and feel.
They have no control over the game, but you control the game called life. It is entirely and squarely in your hands.
What matters most is what you think about yourself. That should be what propels you. If you think you are successful, well and good; enjoy your success.
Just keep your mind focused on the task at hand. Work to improve on it and give it your very best shot.
Conclusion
“Consult not your fears, but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you have tried and failed in, but for what is still possible for you to do” – Pope John XXIII.
We all can improve our lives. This potential for improvement is God-given. God gave us the power and will to decide what we want for our lives.