Imagine a miracle happened overnight and when woke up in the morning you were exactly how you want to be. Everything you wanted to improve about yourself happened in the middle of the night somehow. How are you different? How does it feel? Who is around you? What are you doing? Imagine what it would be like to live life as this completely improved self. Based on what you imagine, you can begin developing goals. Perhaps you imagined yourself as being confident and physically fit. What do you think would have needed to happen for this to occur?

Identify your assets (honest, hard-working, loving. . . etc. ) and your liabilities (angry, overweight. . . etc. ). This may help you identify the areas in which you want to make the most improvement. Prioritize your list of goals. Rate each goal from 1-10, 10 being the highest priority for you. Focus on this goal first.

Start by asking your significant other or family members ways they think you can improve yourself. Make sure you only ask individuals whom you trust and those that will take your feelings into consideration (rather than belittling or criticizing you). You might be surprised by their answers. Talk to a trusted confidante such as a therapist, a religious leader or even a “sponsor” in a 12 step group. Having an outside party helps reduce self-deception and denial. We sometimes have a problem of being either too hard or too soft on ourselves, but talking to others can help us form an accurate picture of ourselves if we are to improve. Pick which suggestions you can apply to yourself and to practice those suggestions. If a certain set doesn’t seem to work, try another! Nothing works for everyone. You need to find what works for you!

Try this online resource for creating SMART goals at GetSelfHelp. Co. UK. [5] X Research source Break down each goal into smaller goals. For example, if your goal is to lose 20 pounds you will need to develop a plan which will include smaller goals such as: lowering daily calorie intake, exercising 3-5 times per week, and limiting sugar intake. Instead of making grand goals, start by establishing little goals that achieve the grand goal. For instance losing 50 pounds may seem like a daunting task but something like no chocolate for a week may be more viable.

Think about ways you have made similar positive changes in the past. If you haven’t, think about how others have achieved what you want. [6] X Research source For example, if you want to lose weight, you could sign up for Weight Watchers and go to groups at the center.

Pre-contemplation stage: This stage is when there is a problem but you are not aware of it or you are denying it. Nobody is perfect; everyone has flaws and needs to constantly work on them. If you don’t admit your flaws courageously, you would block any possibility of improvement, Contemplation: You are aware of a problem and are contemplating changing it. People can become stuck on this step for a long time until they move on. You may be in this stage if you are still deciding what to change about yourself. Or maybe you are afraid of change; in that case, understand that changing is an essential part of growth which you should embrace. Preparation: You have committed to change and are making a plan of action. You may be in this stage if you are working on your goals. Action: Making the changes. You are in this stage if you are working on your plan on a daily basis. You have a plan and are currently moving toward your goal. Maintenance: You have completed your goal and are maintaining your progress.

Ask yourself questions like, “Did I focus on or work toward my goals today? Did I have a positive attitude today? Was I kind to myself today? Did I accept my challenges today? Did I change something for the better today?” Whatever it is that you’re trying to improve, take time to practice regularly.

Remind yourself about your specific goals on a daily basis.

For example, in weight loss it is not common for someone to continue to lose weight every single day. Some days you may not lose any weight, and some days you may gain some weight. The key is not letting these inevitable fluctuations cause you to give up on your goal. What is important is that overall, you lose weight over time. Know that you can do anything you put your mind to (that is reasonable of course)! Make a list of possible setbacks that may occur during your journey toward self-improvement. Identify ways to deal with each setback.

For example, if you wanted to lose weight and ending up gaining a pound over the weekend, instead of thinking negatively and giving up on your goal, think something like, “it’s okay to have a little fluctuation in weight. I’m going to continue to feed my body healthy foods!” Unlike what most people think, failure is not evil per se. It is a bad thing in the short run, but it is actually helpful in the long run! That depends on you. So don’t fear failure and simply consider them as a potential foundation of a new understanding and strength. There is a reason great people failed a lot.

Recognize your strengths and your challenges, even if you have to list all of them down. Understand yourself as an outside observer. Try to objectively look at yourself by observing your behaviors such as how you act, speak, and think around other people. [9] X Research source Assess yourself and what you do regularly. Allocate a time for this at the weekends. Some do that before going to bed every night. See what areas need improvement, and find out how to improve that, then write it down and read that everyday you wake up in the coming week until it is fixed.