Self-mastery, is it . Tips on self-improvement.

What is self-mastery?

Seek your self-mastery

Some might say it all starts with physical and mental growth, subsequently emotional growth. Self-mastery certainly differs from one indivifual to next. But in the most basic term it’s creating a better version of ourselves. First and foremost we must understand each day is an opportunity for improvement hence the need for self-mastery. I am sure we have heard it many times, it might even sound like a cheesy phrase from a movie. It’s not. It’s a very powerful fact, everyday we get a chance to move a step closer to our goals.

What is your mission in life, your lifelong dream? No matter how old or young do not rule it out your dream. Life isn’t just about practicality, dreams matter just as much.

Decide your destiny

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We are all born with different skills, wants and needs. So some might love studying history some might be fascinated with solving complex mathematical equations. Some love to work with their hands other might love creating arts that will be admired for centuries to come. Leonardo Da Vinci wasn’t known for his cooking, Albert Einstein wasn’t known for his poems. However they will always be immortal through their creations and contributions. So find your calling, it might something life changing.

The quest for self-mastery is never ending. We must work on ourselves every day. At the end if we don’t believe in ourselves enough to be consistent we will fall short. A lifelong goal must be bigger than ourselves. Let’s say you wanna run in a marathon, that’s a big goal. It starts with months of training, diet, rest and discipline. It is a perfect recipe of self-mastery. In order to run a marathon one must do so many things consistently and relentlessly to achieve it.

Self-mastery formula

Of course running a marathon may not be the lifelong goal of everyone however the formula remains the same. It’s your dream, your goal nourish it and protect it. Once success is achieved the level of expectations goes up which is what fuels the truly self-driven minds. It almost becomes an addiction. Hey being addicted to success may not be the worst thing in the world.

That’s why the greatest athletes compete year in and year out to stay at the top of their game, they find ways to reinvent ways to victory. The greatest actors take on more and more challenging roles so audience can appreciate their talent and skills again and again, stay captivated. The richest men focus on making universal impacts instead of just making more money or selling more of their products. The greats pave the way to show the world they create their own future.

Self improvement books

Self improvement is a perpetual marathon

Learning to be teachable

I speak from experience not from expertise, so full disclosure. If I could go back in time I would ask myself to be more teachable, and of course be more humble. I would tell myself to not look shortcuts. Now in my late 30s I have learned a very crucial lesson which is fear of failure and arrogance truly are sure ways to diminish any potential of success.

Having an education doesn’t translate into knowledge. Knowledge comes with experience, self-discipline and unrelenting work ethics. HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE cannot be overestimated.

So always seek knowledge, ways to learn more. The moment we stop learning we are essentially giving up. Being open minded is a window to infinite wisdom.

Learn from the greats

The great Warren Buffet reads 500 pages a day to remain sharp. Bill Gates reads 50 books a year. I am sure you see what I am getting at, the greatest minds in any generation contributed their success to knowledge. I would be honest after grad school even during grad school I agonized reading anything, it felt like a chore. So I am getting into the habit of reading myself again because it’s after the pathway to knowledge. I also rely on audio books. Now I read with a purpose, not because I have to. Because of that I absorb and retain what I am reading. Knowledge is a cornerstone of improvement.

Here is a straight talk, instead of following the Kardashians follow the likes of Tony Robbins, Mel Robbins, Tom Bilyeu. Their journey will contribute to your path to improvement. Their advice is practically a blueprint to the next level of life.

Tips on self-improvement

A plan is useless without execution. We could strategize all we want if there’s no execution it’s meaningless, . We often subconsciously choose to remain average, we give into our fears of failure. Again I speak from experience not as an expert. I stayed at the same job for years because I felt a sense of security. Ultimately let years go by before trying to find the next endeavor. Here are few tips on self-improvement I learned over the years and sticking with moving forward;

Action: All the planning in the world will not move the needle without action. We could watch and read about healthy living however not taking measures will not get us to fitness and better health. So no matter what you are dreaming of, work on it.
Control your thinking: Our thoughts often create STOP sign in our heads. We often think about taking big risks or a pivotal action, and then our own thoughts talk us out of it. It’s way our brain functions often, keep us from getting out of that comfort zone. Nothing great ever comes from comfort zone. Remember these are things I am practicing as well. A year ago I would not write a blog post, I would laugh at the idea. Now I am learning, it’s teaching me to better myself in ways I didn’t know in the past.
Limit negative thinking: The harsh reality of life is there are ups and downs. But don’t constantly focus on the downs and miss out on the ups. For years I lived with the mindset, “waiting for the other shoe to drop”. You know what the irony is? If and when the other shoe dropped it really wasn’t as bad as me stressing over it most of the time. So please limit your negative thinking.
Don’t take anything personally: Have you read the book “The Four Agreements”. It’s a fascinating read. One of the agreements the book talks about is not taking anything happens around you personally. If others treating you poorly, if you didn’t get the job or lost that business deal don’t take it personally. I’ve been through it all; I felt betrayed by people close to me. By taking it personally I lived in misery for too long. My business partner stole from me by taking that personally I didn’t get anything but agony.

I am sure if someone were to ask them they would deny doing anything wrong. So by taking it personally I gained nothing but regret. I had to find a way to ler go and move forward with my life. I know a little better about running a business. And yes I also understand sometimes the closest to us might hurt us and it’s beyonf our control.
Be grateful and kind: The shortage of kindness seems staggering recent days. My last few years of soulsearching taught me the astonishing value and power of gratitude. And the magnitude of kindness. Being grateful and appreaciating kindness opened more doors for me. I can almost see the cycle. Looking back I remember so many in my life were kind to me but at that time I failed to appreciate it. But now I try to send my gratitude to everyone as often as I can.
Break the habit: Break out of your habits. I started small. The first one was knowing to be happy for others. The selfish nature of happiness was holding me back. Why not me? So petty. So I started focusing on being happy for others even the ones I felt once wronged me. It’s not all about me, it’s about a bigger picture.

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Conclusion

Improvement big or small is still improvement. Focus on achieving big however take a moment to appreciate the small victories as well. Our improvement depends on our action and action depends on self-mastery. Self-mastery is discipline, devotion, being relentless and fearless.