Self-Improvement Intensity Levels
January 24th, 2008 by aaks
Self-improvement is always in vogue, for we can improve self until the day we pass on to that other world. Our mind can never be overfilled, and when it is filled with constructive, useful, information and knowledge we will improve.
So self-improvement is a good activity to engage in.
1. First, we need to decide in what area, or areas, we want to improve. Required is a review of our life today, not yesterday, but today. Then we will see what is actually needed to improve self.
2. Secondly, an improvement plan should not be any “pie-in-the sky” plan or effort. Discard anything that is dreamy, fantasy, or that does not serve the realities of needed improvement.
3. Look at several plans as needed, then choose the one that is most needed today. Such plans may be for personal behavior growth, family life, job enhancement, spirituality, and more. Choose the one most needed now and put all other plans in abeyance until that most important need is firmed up in a plan for improvement, and put into practice or completed.
4. Insert goals. These should be accomplishment markers that reveal points of completion as the plan is completed. These goals should not be so high that you may not be able to reach them, nor so low that apathy sets in and the plan is dropped. Goals should be challenging yet be aims that are comfortable for you.
5. Self-improvement plans need a comfortable place to follow them. For physical exercise the gym once a week may be needed, but it could be more comfortable to have an exercise machine at home in an area out of the way where interruptions are unlikely. The acquisition of knowledge may need library use, or a mentor who can engage in useful discussion with you, and surely a place at home where you will not be interrupted during a period of reading and study.
6. Implementation of self-improvement plans should be like on-campus college studies, or that job you pursue everyday. If you are working then select a time of day, 2-3 times a week for your efforts that you are comfortable with, and let it be known that you are not to be disturbed unless there is an emergency, and stick to it. At the start a schedule may be hard to keep partly because you do not see immediate results, but do not let that fool you into laziness, or missing your schedule dates. If necessary force yourself to keep at it.
7. Your intensity level should be that level that is interesting, and comfortable for you. Intensity can vary for each person, so you must set your own level. It is similar to physical exercise where too high an intensity level can result in injury. Mentally, a too high intensity level can result in burn-out. The tendency at the start to jump on it and beat it to death quickly should be avoided. The word comfortable has cropped up several times, and there is a reason for that frequency. For physical exercise one needs to allow the body to absorb the higher physical activity safely, and to thus improve physically gradually, and retain the improvement. The same is true mentally. There is a need to feed the mind new knowledge at a rate that allows the mind to absorb all the material in each session, learn it, and understand it, and thus be better prepared to implement it into your life.
8. Remember that there are no failures, except in your own mind. When you decide that it has failed, it has actually failed for you will then forget all that you have learned. But when you realize that even if you did not meet that prime goal, you did grow, and you did improve. Regardless of the outcome the program and effort was not a failure.
9. Early during such programs it may seem that you are not gaining, but that is false. Stick to it and one day you will realize the improvement that has taken place in your life. Others already have seen it, and now you see it. It is a great feeling !
10. What is left is for you to get at it, starting at the start, and then follow through to its end.
Whatever the area it is true that no matter how expert, or good, you have become, there are those better than you at it. What that tells us is that we can all improve during our whole life. Even acknowledged experts can improve. We can improve.
Have a go at it and you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.
http://www.geocities.com/mobleria/me.html list more information about the author, and provide resources that a publisher would be interested in, and some of the expertise that supports viewing his articles and these materials. Paul is interested in writing from article size to books and invites anyone interested to contact him.
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