The new rules of self-improvement

The holidays are a time of reflection—and aspiration, as we make resolutions for the new year. But how sustainable are those resolutions, really? In today’s newsletter, I propose some new rules for how to approach self-improvement.?

1 . Don’t wait. January 1 is an arbitrary date. Why not make a change now?

• “Let’s Just Do Autumn Resolutions” by Megan Garber. The case for self-improvement, done in the fall (From 2014)
• “I Gave Myself Three Months to Change My Personality” by Olga Khazan. The results were mixed.

2 . Look inward. To improve yourself, you must first identify the things you could be doing better.?

• “It’s Lonely at the Top” by Rachel Donadio. How executive coaching, philanthropic advising, and other specialized services help the modern—and newly self-aware—CEO get through the day (From 2004)

3 . Think broadly. If you focus only on your specific interests or field of work, you’re missing what can be learned from people with entirely different ways of thinking, whether sculptors or doctors or dancers.?

• “Seven Books That Will Make You Smarter” by Hamilton Cain. These titles do more than answer questions: They explain how the world moves and what moves it.
• “What Kids Learn From Hearing Family Stories” by Elaine Reese. Reading to children has education benefits, of course—but so does sharing tales from the past. (From 2013)

4 . Find your motivation. As Khazan writes in her piece about the habits of Olympians, “some of the most successful athletes aren’t necessarily the strongest or fastest, but simply the ones who are best at staying motivated.”

• “How Olympians Stay Motivated” by Olga Khazan. Mindfulness, self-talk, and an obscure chunk of the brain help elite athletes get through the training grind. (From 2014)

5 . Don’t take it too far. Getting into a relentless cycle of self-improvement can end up hurting, not helping, your overall mental health.

• “Resolutions Are Not the Vibe” by Faith Hill. If we can’t let go of frantic self-improvement this far into a pandemic, when can we? (From 2021)
• “It’s the Most Inadequate Time of the Year” by Amanda Mull. New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity for consumer brands to remind you of all the ways you could be better. (From 2019)

Thanks for reading! I’ll see you next Monday.

— Kate Lindsay

Last Word?

“When a recent study shows we’re all working later and have far more meetings than pre-pandemic, that’s a problem. Stop apologizing for being late to respond, or that you missed an email at 8pm, cause IDK, you have a life too?” —Jason Dodge, responding on Twitter to “This Is What Happens When There Are Too Many Meetings”

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