How to Grow, or How to Be More Awesome

It’s natural to want to learn new things, to grow and improve in areas where you feel you’re lacking, and keep aiming towards becoming your ideal you. The thing is, it’s not always easy to figure out how to do it. Whether it’s advancing professionally, forming deeper relationships, or refining your skills at a particular hobby, it can be difficult to take the steps to do so, no matter how much you may want to.

But what exactly is holding you back? How did great public speakers, musicians, and athletes get to their level of expertise? What does it take?

The persons you see and admire right now, the ones who make everything look easy, spent months, if not years, trying to perfect their craft. They didn’t make a single big change and maintain it. They took small steps, and they took them frequently, and they kept going.

If you’ve ever tried to learn a new language, or play an instrument, then you know what I’m talking about. There’s no need to overwhelm yourself, because that’s when it becomes easier to skip a day, then two, then seven, and before you know it you’ve fallen off the wagon.

As the saying goes, you don’t need to swallow the elephant all in one go. One bite at a time is enough. And you feel what I’ve said thus far doesn’t apply to you - that you have the courage to do anything you think or feel: is it because you’re constantly challenging yourself, or because you always stay in your comfort zone?

Here are three important steps you can take to become someone you admire more!

1) Identity what it is you want to improve. What are you interested in, or what do you think you need to do to be a better you?

2) Brainstorm the actions you need in order to advance towards that identity. It doesn't have to be a grand thing - you don't start out trying to improve your public speaking by presenting at the UN. It could just be a speech in front of the mirror everyday until you get better. It's just that simple.

3) Implement your plan. What do you need to do everyday to move you towards that identity? It's that consistency that's going to build that identity, and that skill, and lead you to becoming a better you.