Monday, June 21, 2010

This is Why Self Improvement Programs Fail and Hereâs Exactly How You Can ACTUALLY Use Them to Make Your Life Better

If you've been trying to improve your life with the help of 'self improvement information' and have gotten little to no results, you're not alone…

In fact, most people who try self improvement resources fail to get the promised results.

(I'm talking about self help/ development/ improvement books, audio programs, seminars and so on, from weight loss tips to 'success skills' to relationship advice and anything in between).

I've been there myself for many years, until I've finally 'found the solution', and I would like to share it with you…

I'm going to give you one important step and a few simple rules to follow, in order to finally use self help resources to greatly improve your life.

But first – why does this happen…

You read a book that promises to improve your life in some way (or transform it altogether). In the best case you get excited for a few days, but then everything goes back to normal…

Nothing's changed and you either give up on 'self improvement', or move on to the next thing – another book, another recording or another seminar.

Let's face it, sometimes you don't even read the whole book, or listen to that recorded seminar or that "self hypnosis audio" that you got.

You may make excuses like "I don't have time" or "it's not the right time", but if you’d be honest with yourself, you may have to admit that the real reasons are the same ones that led you to self help in the first place.

I'm talking about either lack of motivation and self discipline or lack of clarity and focus (or a combination of those). Think about it…

Who needs "productivity tips" more than a 'chronic procrastinator'?
Who needs weight loss advice more than someone who can't control their eating habits or is too lazy to work out?

Bottom line – self improvement hasn't worked for you because you just weren't ready for it. But that's about to change…

First, you must take this crucial step…

Create the Habit of Self Improvement

As I said before, lack of time is one of the most common excuses for not taking advantage of self help resource. You won't have that excuse, once you MAKE the time…

Decide on a time (and maybe a place) for daily 'self improvement sessions'. Start with something you can commit to, even just 15 minutes a day.

In those sessions you can write and read you goals, meditate, listen to hypnosis audios or even do some Yoga exercises. It doesn't really matter…

At least at first what matters most is not what you do in your sessions, but that you actually do them on a daily basis, so they become part of your life – a strong habit.

Do it for at least 30 days and you're on the right track. Then you can raise the bar a little – either increase the length of your sessions, ad another daily session, or decide on new things that you'd do in your sessions.

NOTE: If you already spend a lot of time reading or listening to self help material, don’t waste your “self sessions” doing the same thing. Instead – focus on taking action on the information you learn from all those resources.

The Rules for Getting the Most Out of Self Improvement Programs

My personal experience shows that good self improvement resources can really help you change your life for the better… if you follow these 'rules'…

1. Believe it's possible

This is really key. You must believe that you can create changes in your life and especially – that YOU can change.

You don't even have to believe in the 'self help resources'. It's all about YOU. Whether you call it "the law of attraction" or basic psychology (like I would) – your thoughts shape your reality…

If you have trouble believing that, then the only self improvement resource you should invest your time in is one that will convince you of it.

2. Take control

No book or program has been created especially for you, so you shouldn't ‘play a static role in this game’. Don’t follow instructions blindly, and don't expect a book or tape to motivate you enough to take action.

In other words, self help resources are just tools, and it's your job to use them in a way that fits you, your life and your needs.

3. Focus on self change

In order to improve your life, you need to focus on the one thing that you have most control over. That one thing is YOU of course.

When you learn new self improvement techniques, focus on what you need to change in yourself in order to make them work. It mostly comes down to creating HABITS.

4. Stick to your level

You have to realize where you are right now and set yourself realistic goals. There’s a good chance that you’d have to start with the basics – overcoming your limiting beliefs, raising your motivation and so on.

For example, don't read "How to make a 6 figure income" or "How to become an athlete" when what you really need is to "stop procrastinating" or "overcome compulsive eating".

5. Set your own pace

Self improvement resources tend to raise our hopes for amazing results in a short time, but in reality it rarely works that way.

Don't rush. Focus on small achievements over time, be patient and persistent and enjoy the process.

6. Get less information and take more action

A while ago I used to read, watch and listen to self improvement materials all the time. I could listen to the same recordings over and over again…

I think I was fooling myself to believe that just consuming a lot of this stuff would somehow change my life. Well, it didn't happen, until I started taking action of course.

My point is that you should get the most out of any one resource before you move on to the next one. Focus on taking action on the information, instead of just getting as much of it as you can.

You may want to reduce the amount of information you're getting – buy less books, remove yourself from email lists, visit less blogs and so on. (Go for quality instead of quantity).

There you have it – one crucial step and six important rules to follow in order to finally get closer to the results the self improvement resources promise.

I have a lot more to say about this, but I want to keep it short and simple…

…which brings me to my final note…

Keep things in perspective! There's always room for improvement, but don't forget to enjoy your life as it is, appreciate yourself as you are, and be grateful for all that you already have.

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