Self Improvement

In this series, I’ll touch on topics specifically tailored to self-improvement. Self-improvement is one of those things we all want but have difficulty achieving. We’re only a product of our environment, and if our environment isn’t flourishing, we won’t be either.

A Little Background About Me

During adolescence, I didn’t prioritize school. I always knew that if I learned something, I’d overlearn it, but school was never a priority for me. Progress reports would come out, and they typically weren’t the best, because I wasn’t putting in the extra effort I could have. However, by report card time, I would always have no lower than a C — mostly B’s, a few A’s, but more C’s.

One year in 8th grade, I got tired of this cycle. I was determined to make honor roll at least once. That one quarter I dedicated myself to it, I crushed the goal and went beyond expectations. I had the blueprint, and I did the work.

The Cycle Repeats — And Breaks

A similar story played out in high school. 9th grade brought the usual freshman reset: new building, new faces, new teachers. Everything was new, and the old cycle went right back to normal.

Then, around my sophomore year, a switch went off in my head. That quarter, I managed to get all A’s and two B’s. Again, I found my flow state. Through the rest of high school, it was a roller coaster of events like that — on, then off, then on again.

The Senior Year Decision

By senior year, I had already completed all of my required classes, since I’d avoided taking study hall classes unlike most of my peers. During junior year, when we picked our classes, I had selected Bridge Math. The teacher passed out the syllabus, and I began reading through all the content for the year. I already knew the material, and it was clear the class would just be a refresher for me. I didn’t think it would benefit me, and the only other option was Pre-Calc.

I made the decision to switch, and that decision is part of the reason I am where I am now. Choosing to improve instead of taking the easy way out mattered. Most people avoid harder math — I volunteered for it, and it benefited me in the long run.

After that, I realized the desire to change and improve yourself is easier than you think. It boils down to your systems.

Systems, Not Goals

A video by Justin Sung really helped me strategically approach my systems — watch it here. He does a great job breaking down the idea of building systems, not just chasing goals. Changing that narrative pushed me into a more flourishing environment. I stopped setting goals in isolation and started setting systems that actually worked.

There are many ways to think about self-improvement. You may want to groom more, stress less, learn more, or stop a bad habit. All of these are different forms of self-improvement, and all of them can be built on a solid system.

Building the System: Grooming

Grooming is an essential part of self-improvement. I firmly believe: if you look good, you feel good — and if you feel good, you do good. I used to have a basic, inconsistent grooming routine. But just like the switch that flipped in high school, I eventually built a system around cues that let me groom efficiently, using less time than before.

Building the System: Exercise

The same principle applied to exercise. I built a system that gave me no excuse to miss a workout:

• I joined a Crunch Fitness membership that gave me access to every location, so distance was never an excuse.
• I kept a duffle bag with clothes and towels in my trunk, and in winter I kept water bottles there too.
• I bought weight sets and other fitness equipment from Walmart.
• I practice martial arts and do activities that force me to move, like hiking and sports.
• I start most days with 100 push-ups, aiming for 100 a day, knocking them out first thing in the morning — that tends to work best for me — followed by a cold shower.
• I plan activities with friends built around working out together.

That system helped me incorporate exercise far more consistently than just hoping I’d get up and drive to one specific gym.

Find Your Own System

Self-improvement covers so many categories that it’s important for you to determine what self-improvement means for you — not for me — and build your system from there.

I’ll drop more gems throughout this self-improvement journey, and I hope you gain just as much from reading this as I did living it.

Be great!