Self Improvement Solely for the Self is Certainly Selfish, at least in Some Circles
I know what you’re thinking… “Wow, this dude is a Master of Alliteration”.
Right? (or perhaps you’re looking up “alliteration” because you’re a normal person)
Any-who… This morning I received a text, inviting me to read this article. It’s by a guy named Mark Manson, it’s entitled “What’s the Point of Self-Improvement Anyway?, and it really boils down to this phrase: “...the only way to truly benefit from self-improvement is to one day arrive at a place where you no longer need it.“
He mentions the “implicit vanity and self-absorption that comes with the desire to improve oneself”, and that “It’s fine to indulge in self-improvement material as long as you understand your relationship to it.”
I enjoyed the article. Seems like a good dude, fun writing style, someone I can learn from. I’ll probably subscribe to his blog.
And while there’s certainly merit in some of his points, I really think Mark is missing two critical components of pursuing your best self:
1. PROGRESS IS HAPPINESS
The pursuit of your potential is often about, the pursuit. Human beings feel more alive when they’re growing, when they’re making progress. Read this. Self-improvement is about the journey.
Sure, there is a danger to creating a never-ending cycle of goal pursuit. But for those engaged, the realization that there is fulfillment in the path, the milestones and the perspective, is a powerful one.
2. IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU
This is the most important point overlooked by Mr. Manson. Unless you desire to become the very best psychopath on your street, self-improvement is typically about creating rituals and habits that improve the quality of your life. And often, these rituals and habits are about putting yourself in a position to improve the quality of others’ lives.
In fact, I would argue that there is no greater method of self-improvement than to seek to be of service to others.
When we aspire to the principles of servant leadership, we seek to place others before ourselves. This can have profound effects on our personal relationships, our professional path, and in the lives of those we seek to serve.
I’m certainly in pursuit of a larger bank account, a smaller waist, and more vacation time. But true self-improvement isn’t measured by our lack of needing to improve further. It is measured by the positive impact we have on others.
