Create a personal improvement plan

Before you start working on your plan, you need to think about your goals. What’s the motivating force driving you to be better? Do you want to be a better spouse? Do you want to feel more mentally grounded? Do you want to become more productive? Once you’ve identified your goal at a surface level, think about the reason why you want to accomplish it.

Is being a better spouse important to you, because you want to provide your family with a better quality of living? Do you want to feel more balanced mentally to create more joy and peace in your life? Do you value productivity because you want to give back to your community or society at large? As Tony Robbins says, “Activity without purpose is the drain of your life.” Don’t pursue improvement just because you’re looking for something to do – act with purpose to serve something outside of yourself. Having not only your actionable goal but the reason behind your goal clear in your mind will motivate you even when times get tough.

Next, think about what you’re already doing to achieve your goal. If you want to be promoted at your company, what actions are you taking to reach this objective? Have you talked to your boss about potentially moving up the corporate ladder? Have you taken on a leadership role and created quantifiable improvements at the company? If not, don’t worry – it’s not too late to start thinking of ways to achieve your goals now. Create a plan to help you achieve your goals, either on your own or with the help of a trusted mentor or colleague.

If your goal is to improve your romantic relationship, think about ways you can fulfill your partner’s basic needs more fully. Schedule time to sit down with your partner to discuss how you can bring the spark back in your relationship: Do the two of you need to work on communicating more clearly? Does the physical side of your relationship need work? Don’t worry that you’re not where you want to be yet. What’s important is that you’re willing to make personal improvement progress and are committed to achieving your goal.

After evaluating your current efforts, it’s time to list potential roadblocks. Do you feel that you don’t have the time or resources to commit to your goals? Maybe you think that because you work full time and have responsibilities at home that you have to let your health goals fall to the wayside. That’s simply not true! The most successful people don’t have more time in their day – they’re just more resourceful with the resources they do have. Incorporate time management techniques into your routine that allow you to get everything done that you need to.

If you find yourself continuing to make excuses, think about why. Is it because you’re afraid of failure? If so, ask yourself: Are you more afraid of failing, or never trying at all? Some of the most successful people in the world failed countless times before finding success. What makes their stories different is that they continued working toward their goal, even when presented with challenges.

It’s time to make a plan that serves your specific needs. Identify the best ways to achieve your goals and write out exactly what you need to do to succeed. Enlist the help of a trusted friend or mentor for support, and turn to informative tools like workshops, podcasts and books for advice on how to proceed. After you identify what you need to do to succeed, be open to checking your progress.

If you try to reach your health goals by going jogging and after a month or two realize that running really isn’t enjoyable to you, switch things up! Set benchmarks for yourself so that you can check your progress. Is your goal to get a raise at your company? Set tangible goals and check in during a set timeline. Maybe every month you monitor your progress and add to your portfolio of accomplishments, so that in six month’s time you can approach your boss with a comprehensive presentation on why you deserve the promotion. When the time comes to check your progress, and you realize that a part of your plan no longer serves you, don’t be afraid to scrap it and take a new approach.

Too many people get caught up in making sure their life looks good to the people around them without feeling truly fulfilled by their own actions. You’re in total control of creating a life you love, so why not give it everything you’ve got?