7 Smart Ways to Becoming Your Best Possible Self
Have you ever wanted to be the best version of yourself?
Think of it: loaded with money, lots of high-profile friends, amazing job with amazing benefits…
…sounds pretty good, right?
Most of us would agree that becoming our best selves is something we’d like to do. Unfortunately, it usually ends up being nothing more than wishful thinking. And for one reason or another we can’t get past that “thinking” stage, so we don’t know what actions to take.
Lets go back to our earlier vision: lots of money, cool friends, amazing job. Good stuff here, great even. But does having these things make you the best you can be? Once you have these things, can you officially take the mantle of “best self?”
No.
Because it’s not about what you have in life, but what you consistently do that matters.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. -Aristotle
So then, best isn’t a matter of have, but habits. This leads us to our next question – what habits will make you your best self?
Curious?
Good, cause I’ve compiled a list of the “best” habits you can have for becoming your best possible self.
I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
-Bill Cosby
Part of success is pushing forward even in the face of judgmental eyes.
It can be tempting to quit our aspirations. Nobody likes it when others don’t approve of the decisions we make.
But if you truly want to be your best, you must make those decisions for yourself…
…or others will make them for you.
Don’t let this happen.
Stop restricting your behavior just so others will like you. Be who you truly are and do it often. Over time your natural behavior will draw in people who like you for who you are and what you want to succeed in.
Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.
-Plato
What do you use to get from point A to point B in life?
A car?
Not exactly, what we’re looking for is…
…your body.
Like a car, when properly cared for it can get you where you need to go quickly and smoothly. If neglected however, getting to point B will be filled with bumpiness and breakdowns. We need to prevent this from happening. Even the smallest bump in the road can lead us to quitting our goals, so we need to take the proper precautions to ensure that we always have a physical advantage.
You can start by taking time out of your day to do some exercise. Do some push ups, jogging, squats, jumping jacks… Anything to give your body a reason to stay strong and keep your energy levels up.
The body is similar to a car in some respects, but one is the most important: if it goes unused long enough, it stops working very well…
I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.
-Billie Jean King
Do you really want to be your best?
Hmmm?
Then answer this question…
…”who are you, really?”
If changing into your best self is a real goal, then you must know this.
You need to know your strengths, weaknesses, habits, and interests. Why? Because these are the markers from which all your progress will be measured.
Not knowing these facts is like trying to run towards a finish line without even knowing where the starting line is: you just end up running through some random path hoping that you eventually reach the goal.
First you must understand what you’re working with. Then and only then will you begin to make real progress towards becoming your best self.
If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.
-T. Alan Armstrong
What makes you passionate in life?
Being with loved ones? Playing guitar? Jogging? Sewing?
Those are all good things. We each have unique preferences in our lives which determines our passions.
But would you say that you…
…make time for those things?
If not, then you’re missing out one what makes life great.
Passion is an amazing blend of happiness and enthusiasm, and we can only get it from a select few activities. Without it, we risk simply going through the motions of life. It just becomes working, eating, sleeping, rinse and repeat…
…Not the most satisfying way to live your life.
You need to start making passion a priority in life. You need to imbue passion into your daily activities. So play the guitar, engage socially, sew, act, jog… Do whatever it is that makes you happy, and do it often.
Life is too short to be spent doing activities we don’t love.
Take smalls steps everyday and one day you’ll get there.
-Unknown
How do we reach happiness?
By running? Driving? Socializing? Working?
Not quite. You get there by…
…walking. Simple, right?
Perhaps, but the truth is that’s all it takes to get there. If done daily, and with a bit of patience, it’s a sure-fire way to reach happiness.
How so?
Because happiness is not only a goal, but a process. So for each step you take, realize that it’s actually a step onto happiness itself. The reason is that the act of doing what you love, by default, makes you a happier person.
Once you understand this, then you’ll always realize that happiness is just a step away…
Learning to live in the moment, to be present in the now, means paying attention to everything you do as if you’ve never done it before.
-Eve Adamson
Do you know what the most expensive thing in the world is? The present.
Know why?
Because no amount of money can buy it back.
Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever…
Being able to live in the present provides us with the best opportunity to be happy. Each moment provides us with a real, tangible thing to which we can direct our emotions. This helps us:
1. Stop longing for the past
2. Stop having anxiety over the future
That’s the great thing about a present focus, it allows you to just live your life and be content with what you have. Problems take a backseat to what’s really important, letting you make the best of the present moment.
So make the best of each moment. Because once it’s gone, it’s not coming back…
I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.
-Michael Jordan
Here’s a universal truth: failing is necessary to grow.
It doesn’t matter what craft you’re doing, what business your running, or what grades you’re getting – you’ll eventually fail at some part of it.
When this happens, you reach a crossroads in which you have two options – quitting or persisting.
Those who fear failure, quit. They can’t handle the fact that things didn’t work out for them.
But those who’ve made friends with failure know that they can simply try again. They don’t mourn their failure, instead they use what they’ve learned to refine their approach. For them, failure is a useful tool for personal development.
So let’s take a lesson from them.
Make failure your best friend. Let it tell you where you go wrong so you can start-over from a smarter perspective.
Now It’s Your Turn
What do you think it takes to become your best self? What have I missed that you think is vital to becoming your best self?
What do you personally do to become the best you possibly can?
 |
Written on 5/23/2013 by Ericson Ay Mires. Ericson Ay Mires is a freelance blogger and owner of One Way Thoughts , a personal-development blog for transforming your procrastination into useful and actionable steps. learn more here! |
