5 Powerful Ways to Become Your Best Self The biggest obstacles facing every entrepreneur are within.
By Deep Patel Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You know you are capable of great things. You know that under the right circumstances you could go far. You believe in yourself and what you can accomplish. You may have a picture of yourself in your mind's eye: a vision of making your dreams a reality, of achieving the success you know could be yours.
Now all you need to do is become that version of yourself. You need to become your best you. How do you begin transforming into the person you believe you should be?
It's time to stretch yourself; to grow and allow yourself to develop. Think of this as a journey of self-discovery. Here are five powerful tips to get you on the road to becoming the person you were meant to be.
1. Try new things.
You can't let yourself become complacent. Fear of change is your enemy. Kick things up a notch by regularly trying something new and unexpected. Is there something you have always wanted to try, but never made time for? It could be something adventurous, like scuba diving or skydiving.
Or maybe you've always wanted to tap into your artistic side and learn to paint with watercolors or take a photography class. Whatever it is, it's important that you make time to explore a new activity, skill or craft.
Surprise yourself by pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. Doing so will give your ingenuity and innovative side a boost. Plus, you will have discovered something new about yourself -- perhaps a hidden talent or an ability to learn something you didn't think you were capable of.
Along with trying new things, remember to give yourself time to have fun, relax and unplug from daily stress. Downtime gives your brain a chance to recharge and stay open to new experiences. Filling up all your time with work, tasks and obligations is a ticket to mental and physical fatigue. Push yourself away from your desk and remember to embrace life!
Related: Jeff Bezos Knows the Difference Between Content and Complacent
2. Pursue your dreams.
What is your ultimate dream; the thing you want more than anything? What is your true calling in life? These are some of the important questions to ask yourself in order to unlock who you are meant to be. Pursuing your dreams will give you determination to see your goals through, and will spark your creativity and inspiration. Plus, you will be doing something that makes you happy and holds your interest.
For many, the hardest part is identifying the goals you want to pursue. You may need to explore different opportunities to see what sticks and what doesn't. You may want to focus on a problem that you want to solve or an issue you're enthusiastic about. Remember, your goals and ambitions can change and morph over time -- and that's okay!
The only rule you should heed is that your dreams must come from within yourself -- they shouldn't be a reflection of what others want for you or what you think you should be doing. If you're pursuing something solely for the sake of a good income, or to live up to someone else's expectations, you will fall short.
Related: The Dream Job Is a Myth. Focus Instead on Living Your Best Life.
3. Sustain your motivation.
We all have days when we wake up just not feeling it. Those days when our brains won't get going -- we'd rather do anything besides working. But despite being low on energy or inspiration, you have to find a way to keep moving forward. Remember, progress is incremental. You have to find ways to keep that fire in your belly; to keep nurturing that deep desire to achieve.
Keep your motivation alight by taking time every day to reignite that internal flame. Read blogs and books or listen to TED talks or podcasts on topics that enthrall you. Write down your goals and post them where you will see them every day, so you are constantly reminded of your purpose.
Keep a notebook and jot down ideas when something inspires you. When you are feeling blasé or need a boost, take some time to revisit your old ideas. They may inspire you once more and help you regain your momentum.
Related: 7 Daily Practices That Power Your Motivation
4. Hone good habits.
People are naturally creatures of habit. These can be good habits that we have worked hard to instill, or bad habits that suck away our determination and leave us short of our goals. Building solid, reliable habits will keep you taking baby steps in the right direction and sustain you through lackluster periods. Good habits are important to creating your best self because they keep you moving forward when you'd rather be slacking off.
Developing a habit takes time and repetition, and should be done slowly. Trying to change too many things at once will feel overwhelming and daunting. The goal is to make incremental changes to your lifestyle that eventually become a way of life. Remember that even small habits can have a powerful cumulative effect.
For instance, if you have a goal of writing a book, develop a habit of sitting down and writing every day, even if it's just for 30 minutes. Similarly, if you want to get into better shape, start exercising for 20 minutes a day and work your way up.
Related: 25 Best Habits to Have in Life
5. Focus on self-care.
If you want to operate at peak performance, you must incorporate self-care into your daily routine. Are you eating nutritious meals and getting plenty of sleep? It's going to be hard to feel your best if you are run ragged and are stuffing your belly with junk food. Are you making time to exercise and stretch?
When we work up a sweat, it releases the endorphins that build up with stress. In many ways, your body is like a machine. It needs to be tuned and tended to, or something is going to give. If you don't care for your body, you may start to feel burned out and you may be more apt to get sick or feel overwhelmed.
Don't forget that your mental well-being also needs to be nurtured. Take time to meditate and focus on the things you are grateful for. Taking time to replenish your mind and spirit is paramount to sustaining mental health and giving you a sense of well-being. And that is key to becoming and maintaining your best self, now and over the long haul.
