So you want to improve yourself? Where do you begin? Do you spend thousands of dollars on that one online course? Do you hire a coach to help get rid of all your problems? How about a house cleanse and a little switch up of your aesthetic..?

This short post will help you start your self-improvement journey no matter how deep you are into it. While the journey looks different for everyone, there are core steps you can take to help you really get in the grove. As an avid self-improvement-er, I can confidently help you start your journey.

There isn’t a quick fix to self-improvement. It takes years to become an overnight success or an overnight story. It takes days of repetitive habits and tasks to become an expert or to change a negative learned behavior that may be holding you back. However, starting your self-improvement journey doesn’t have to be hard and expensive. 

Step 1: Define your end goal

Define the end goal and set it. It is always important to have your end goal in mind. An idea for an end goal might be improving your body composition, learning more, advancing your career, running a 5k, making new friends, etc. Make it a goal that you can put data behind--so instead of I want to make my body better, set it as I want to decrease my body fat percentage by 2% or I want to hit a max PR in deadlift of 150 (or whatever an insane goal may be for you). It will be easier to accomplish a goal if you have a real number or data point to achieve. 

Step 2: Create a plan

Work backward from your end goal and create a plan that will help you achieve it. You don’t need to have every detail ironed out at each step but create steps and then start working on step 1. Once you think about your goal and think about how you are going to get there, you begin taking action to meet it. That is the part of manifestation that works. And remember to track your results. You can use a regular calendar or a habit tracker.

Step 3: Execute

You’ve made a plan, GREAT! Now, let’s actually put that plan into action. People miss this step more often than not when they are trying to reach their goals. They fail at executing. So, execute, execute, execute. Do something each day that will get you closer to your goals. 

Review your progress in a timely manner (whether that is every day, week or month) and adjust as needed. It is important that you are agile in your execution as one plan may not always work. Life changes and life happens, be ready to adjust and charge forward. 

Easy starts to self-improvement

Here are 42 ways to improve yourself but you can also do small things in your everyday life to start your self-improvement journey like:

• Get enough sleep

You’ve heard it time and time again so I won’t repeat it too much but getting enough sleep really does wonders. Get your damn sleep--at least 8 hours. 

• Consume productive information

Read, watch, listen to productive information. Choose at least one piece of information throughout the day that will educate you. Get your mind in the grove of learning. To grow, you need to learn. Read a few pages of a book, listen to an audiobook, watch a documentary. Just get some sort of knowledge. 

• Get your body moving

Get your blood flowing. Moving your body will help blood flow to your brain. Go for a walk, do some squats while you brush your teeth, hold a plank when you watch TV, do lunges throughout your house, the options are endless. I like to get my body in the mood to move by having a dance party. Remember how tiring it was to rock out to your favorite song? If you don’t, I dare you to put on that ONE song and dance like no one is watching.

• Drink Water

Drink water whenever you pick up your phone. That is the easiest way to ensure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. 

• Choose the healthy option

No, iced coffee is not a meal. And no, you can’t just skip meals so you eat healthily. When you go to the store, shop more in the fresh section than in the packaged foods. Need a quick snack? Reach for the carrots or peppers rather than the chips. 

• Get out of your comfort zone

Find something that will help you get out of your comfort zone. That can be as easy as going out in a social setting. Do something that makes you uncomfortable. It forces your body to adjust what feels right and allows your confidence to grow. Challenge yourself each day to do something that makes you a little uncomfortable.

The most important thing when getting started with your self-improvement journey is to recognize where you are and where you want to be. Making the first step is the hardest part. Take that first step towards your goals and then keep going. Work on it each day and keep evolving. Don’t be insane and do the same thing every day and expect different results.