“Work harder on yourself than you do on your job. If you work hard on your job, you can make a living. If you work hard on yourself, you can make a fortune...
Income seldom exceeds personal development.” Jim Rohn.
If you think that a “self-improvement journey” sounds a little sentimental or hokey, you’re wrong. Some people have this stigma attached to self-improvement that needs to be set right. Self-improvement doesn’t imply that there’s anything wrong with you.
It’s about unlocking the hidden potential already there so you can live your fullest, healthiest, happiest, most abundant life possible. Who wouldn’t want that?
But it’s not as simple as improving some area of your life and then all is good. Your evolution is a journey, with starts, stops, milestones, setbacks, major achievements, and monsters to fight along the way. Hopefully, you’re already committed and well on your way in your journey, but if not, that’s ok.
You’re here now, reading this, and I want to help you get on the right track. In this blog, I’ll show you how to start your self-improvement journey, what activities you absolutely must be practicing making progress, and how to maintain momentum when the going gets tough.
Where do I start my self-improvement journey?
Starting your self-improvement journey involves setting clear, achievable goals and taking measured steps toward them. Begin by identifying areas in your life where you want to see change, such as physical health, career development, or personal relationships.
Next, rank each area in terms of its importance to you and match them to a corresponding habit or action, like enrolling in a course, establishing a workout routine, or practicing mindfulness. Prioritizing your goals is crucial because you can’t change everything all at once, and focusing on one big rock at a time will allow you to sustain momentum until the habit is ingrained.
Your journey to improvement is only as good as your consistency. When choosing how to start your self-improvement journey, keep in mind that some areas will impact and cause a ripple effect on all others. For instance, focusing on your physical health will cause you to feel better, think clearer, and have greater energy and confidence, accelerating all other areas of your well-being and helping you regain your life.
Let’s give it a clear breakdown…
What are the steps to self-improvement?
Identify and rank your most important areas of self-improvement – Match them with a corresponding habit or action – Choose a realistic frequency of practice – Set up accountability, reminders, and motivators – Track progress and measure results. Essential Habits for Your Self-Improvement Journey. Your habits and actions are yours to choose, but here are the ones I strongly recommend you incorporate.
No. 1: Meditation. What do all these people have in common? Ray Dalio (one of the most successful investors of all time). Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Weiner (executive chairman of LinkedIn), Arianna Huffington
You guessed it… They all meditate. And these are just a tiny fraction of the mega-successful people who swear by the effects of mediation. Ray Dalio has said on multiple occasions: “The most important reason for the success I’ve had has been mediation.” That’s coming from a man worth over $15 billion.
Just 10 to 20 minutes of meditation a day has been proven to have remarkable effects on your productivity, mood, creativity, health, stress levels, and just about anything else. It doesn’t matter what type you practice, whether it’s Transcendental Meditation or an app like Headspace.
Meditation should be a part of any good morning routine and journey to self-improvement.
No. 2: Exercise/Movement. “If exercise could be packaged in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation.” – Robert Butler, M.D. of the National Institute of Aging.
Exercise is about so much more than staying physically fit and looking good. It’s about feeling good and having the energy you need to accomplish the things you need to do. When you feel good, you perform better, and when you perform better, you feel more confident and focused.
This impacts everything you do in life and business. Making a commitment to exercising doesn’t mean you need to get a gym membership or run a mile every day. Instead of “working out,” start by making a commitment to “movement.” Set reminders to walk while listening to a podcast, stretch every 30 or so minutes, or do just one push-up a day at first.
My good friend Mark Pasay just published Time Crunch Fitness, an excellent book for busy professionals wanting to easily incorporate fitness into their schedule without going to the gym or needing special equipment. Time Crunch Fitness is worth checking out.
No. 3: Sleep. Matthew Walker is the world’s top scientist on the study of sleep. In his book, “Why We Sleep,” he says this: “Practice doesn’t make perfect. It is practice, followed by a night of sleep, that makes perfection.” This is because you simply cannot perform your best if you’re not getting enough sleep, and it will diminish the returns of every other habit you have in your self-improvement journey.
Sleep isn’t something you just do. It needs to be something you prioritize. Seek out ways to improve your sleep always and put it ahead of other tasks that might take away from it.
No. 4: Better Relationships/Connections. If you want to be successful and improve your situation, surround yourself with successful people or ones who are committed to the same level of success as you. Healthy friendships and business relationships are a core component of our lives, so this is absolutely a major area of self-improvement.
Think about the people you spend time with most. Do they help you achieve your goals or hold you back? If it’s the latter, it might be time to start rethinking those friendships.
This is just one of the reasons real estate events such as Roadmap and the Success Summit mean so much for the agents who regularly attend. They’re a way for you to make positive friendships with people who will form your mastermind group and support your self-improvement journey.
5. More Habits/Actions for Your List. The ones listed above form the foundation of self-care and well-being. But they are far from all you need. Here’s a list of just a few of the most important things to incorporate into your journey to self-improvement:
- Business training and education such as Fast Track, Prospecting Bootcamp, or Recruiting Roadmap
- Visualization exercises
- Gratitude practices
- A nutrition plan
- Reading inspiring and motivating books for real estate agents
- Accountability Guarantees the Destination
So, you’ve picked your practices and set your goals. If you stop there, your self-improvement journey will be filled with stops and detours.
Accountability, sustained motivation, and tracking are the only things that will ensure you become the person you aim to be. Every single professional athlete has a coach because it is the most proven way to ensure that you’re always firing on all cylinders in every aspect of your personal and professional life.
Coaching is about more than just pushing you to achieve your goals. You never know how far your journey of self-improvement could possibly take you.
Strength and Courage
Wade Webb
