How To Become Independent: Self-Improvement

Goal

In this six-part series, I want to offer practical, actionable advice on how to earn and gain your independence.

Through this process, you will create a version of yourself free from personal limits, societal influences, and self-doubt.

Today, we focus on self-improvement: what it means to improve, the various ways to do it, and how it secures your independence.

Table of Contents

• What Is Self-Improvement?
• What Is Independence?
• How Does Society Limit Your Self-Improvement?
  • The Ruling Classes
  • The Elites
  • The Mob
• Self-Improvement: How To Become Your Ideal Self
  • Time Management and Productivity
  • Continuous Learning
  • Overcoming Challenges
  • Self-Reflection
  • Health and Wellness Keep You Driven And Focused
  • Mindset and Attitude Help With Self-Improvement
• Individualism and Independence: Self-Improvement
• Actionables

What Is Self-Improvement?

We can all reach great heights but must be willing to forgo comfort.

Self-improvement is “the process of consciously and actively working on oneself to develop and enhance various aspects of one’s life.”

To improve is to take deliberate steps to become a more fulfilled, virtuous individual. Self-improvement can encompass many areas, including personal development, skills acquisition, mental and emotional well-being, physical health, and more.

The more you improve, the stronger you become. This strength gives you the emotional, mental, and physical ability to overcome challenges, secure your independence, and overcome the noise and mayhem of the modern world.

What Is Independence?

Independence is “not relying on another or others for aid or support.”

Independence is surviving and thriving on your own.

How Does Society Limit Your Self-Improvement?

“You make the world a better place by making daily improvements to become the best version of yourself.” – Roy T. Bennett

You are not valuable to evil people when you improve yourself. I will keep reminding you as long as I live.

The ruling classes, elites, and mobs need you weak and desperate. Here are some examples to consider:

The Ruling Classes

The more you improve yourself, the less value you will see in the government and its rules. Why? Because if you can control your life, you’ll create less dysfunction. Less dysfunction means less need for an external force to regulate your behavior and the consequences of said behavior.

The government needs useful idiots who believe politicians actually care about them.

It’s easier to rule over people incapable of managing their lives, controlling their finances, and making responsible decisions.

The Elites

The elites want you enslaved. Stop giving them your resources for petty entertainment.

The elites need people who are easily distracted and lack motivation. Corporations love people who have no goals or desire to get better. They can sell you the latest knick-knack or distraction because what else will you do with your time and money if you have no goals?

Additionally, celebrities can evoke envy and desire within if you are weak and lost. You will worship these people and follow their dramatic lives, but only if you lack the focus to improve yourself.

The more meaningful activities you must do, the harder it can be to become distracted.

The Mob

“Conformity to the present is invisibility to the future.” – Stefan Molyneux

Of course, the mob comprises weak individuals who refuse to improve.

Look at any mob that is full of victimhood and grifters. The “victims” of the mob benefit from blaming all their moral failings on external forces. This logic allows them to continue in their vice while blaming others for the consequences of such vice.

Obviously, if you seek self-improvement, you won’t need nonsensical justifications for your shortcomings. The mob benefits from lazy individuals unwilling to improve themselves.

The better you are, the less useful you are. Independence is resolved for the virtuous and capable. Self-improvement helps you achieve both.

Self-Improvement: How To Become Your Ideal Self

Self-improvement takes multiple layers and is a complex topic. But we will cover the vital components and how to excel at each.

Time Management and Productivity

Why this matters: Time is your most valuable asset. Through time, you can direct your actions, plan your life, and execute your plans. Without time, you cannot build towards something more significant. Everything meaningful requires time, whether learning a new skill or raising a new life.

How this improves you: The better you spend your time, the more you can invest in what you wish to accomplish. Your productivity is tied to your time, and the more you have, the more you can learn from mistakes, optimize systems, and focus on your growth.

How this makes you independent: Time is essential because it makes you less desperate. If you are strapped for needed time, you’re more likely to cut corners, make mistakes, and make deals with the devil. But if you use your time wisely, you have the flexibility to endure life’s hardships while still accomplishing your goals. Remember, the ruling classes, elites, and mobs excel at taking advantage of your needs and desperations. You won’t need anything from them if you are responsible for what you have.

How to work on your time management and productivity:

• We start by having clear goals. Understand what you want to do.
• From there, you use a stopwatch or a countdown to track the time spent on different activities. For example, use a stopwatch to see how long it takes to clean and a countdown timer to pace your studying time.
• Compare your times with your estimates. During these comparisons, be honest about how often you drift. How often do you waste attention on the internet when you should be studying? How often do you let other things get in the way throughout the day? Staying tight on your time will keep you honest.

Continuous learning

There is much to learn.

How this improves you: Learning new things is good for the soul. You can gain confidence if you see yourself learning and executing that knowledge in productive and meaningful ways. Ignorance is not bliss. It’s a state of victimhood that makes you dependent on everyone for everything, even when you can easily settle matters yourself.

How this makes you independent: Acquiring new knowledge, skills, and experiences to expand your capabilities and perspectives. The more you know, the more often you can fill the niche in a job or solve your problems.

How to work on your continuous learning:

• Always note what you should be learning: What does your job require you to learn? What skills could you know that would make you more economically valuable and give you the ability to contribute more? What skills are marketable? Learning skills that can get you money and influence is a great place to start.
• Do not overlook “soft” skills such as communication, emotional control, etc.: Being able to control yourself, track your time, and manage yourself are things you can learn how to do. Investing your time in these skills will grant you more internal power and ability, making you more powerful externally.
• Learn what you can about what interests you: What do you like to do as a hobby? I want to draw, so I dedicate a few hours to mastering the craft. Master the skills you want that aren’t tied to money to improve your mental health.
• Learn practical things: Lastly, skills that offer practical applications are crucial. Learning how to get in shape or grow food are great examples of practical skills you can master. These skills are also essential for your independence as they help you meet the foundational needs of your day-to-day life.

Overcoming Challenges

Why this matters: Facing and overcoming obstacles, setbacks, and limitations that may hold you back teaches you how to fight when fighting matters most. Independence is a daily struggle. Overcoming challenges gives you that strength.

How this improves you: You can’t overcome something unless you deeply understand it and have the willpower to overcome it. Both require virtue and better behavior, so you don’t succumb to what ails you or give up when facing whatever comes next. But only the powerful can overcome challenges.

How this makes you independent: Life is full of challenges. Most of these challenges debilitate you. They are addictions or distractions that make you dependent on whatever you “need.” But if you overcome them, you can free your resources toward the things that make you stronger and better.

How to work on overcoming challenges:

• Always understand what is challenging you: When you see a challenge, understand what it is and why it exists. How does it affect you? Why does it bother you? Why do you think it is a challenge, and why should you overcome it? Never waste time complaining about what isn’t a problem. Therefore, ensure you have a well-defined “why” for the challenges.
• Remember what you gain when you overcome challenges: There are gains to overcoming your problems. What are those gains? For example, if you overcome inflation, what do you gain but peace of mind? Every challenge you have has a reward on the other side. Fight well and remember the reward when you feel at your lowest.
• Have a clear plan: Every struggle can be defeated. However, you know what must be done. Define the problem, then craft a plan unique to your struggle. Understanding your timeline and what your end goal is.

Self-Reflection

Take the time to learn more about yourself.

What is self-reflection? Self-reflection is “meditation or serious thought about one’s character, actions, and motives.”

How this makes you independent: Self-reflection plays a pivotal role in cultivating independence as it empowers you to understand yourself and your actions better. Ever since childhood, you were told to focus on the group. Such external focusing robbed you of your inner voice. Through self-reflection, you can get it back to improve yourself.

Why do you need your inner voice? No one understands you better than you. No one spends more time with you than you. You know why you do things, your feelings, and your experiences. People can offer some objectivity, but they cannot provide an inner connection.

How to self-reflect:

• Identify Strengths and Weaknesses: Understand what you are good at and areas that need improvement. The best way to do this is to journal daily to see where you are failing and what you’ve accomplished. Additionally, you can ask others what they see. Lastly, think about what makes you feel insecure. When you understand your strengths and weaknesses, you can set realistic goals that capitalize on your strengths and address your weaknesses strategically.
• Take Ownership of Your Choices: Self-reflection encourages individuals to take responsibility for their decisions and actions. Remember that collectivists hate personal responsibility. How can you be more opposite of them than by being responsible for yourself? Independence is about being in control of your life, and self-reflection helps you become more accountable for the paths you choose.
• Remember where you once were: We all started somewhere. Did you ever think you would be here or make it this far? Self-reflecting on your deeds and accomplishments helps you maintain gratitude for yourself and respect for your future endeavors.

Health and Wellness Keep You Driven And Focused

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy

Why this matters: Health and wellness are fundamental to independence because they directly impact your ability to lead a fulfilling and self-reliant life. The man who is overweight simply cannot do what a fit man can. Your health and well-being are important things to improve for your independence.

How do you work on your health and wellness?

• Physical Health: Incorporate regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and sufficient rest. These three elements are nuanced topics, so I suggest you research them. I do have a few posts about health and wellness. However, doing these things will make you healthier and happier.
• Mental Health: Prayer or meditation will help manage stress and maintain mental well-being. Being able to recenter your mind or not be bogged down by depression or anxiety will free you to pursue what is essential.
• Emotional Health: Developing emotional intelligence allows you to understand and manage your feelings and navigate social situations effectively. This skill is vital for not suffering under the weight of your ever-changing emotions.

Mindset and Attitude Help With Self-Improvement

Why this matters: Mindset and attitude are critical because they shape how you perceive and respond to the world around you. They impact your behavior, decisions, and interactions with others.

You will always react poorly to the world if your mindset is debilitating or negative. You will react with anger and desperation, never confidence and strength. Independent individuals are strong, and their minds are sharp.

How to work on your mindset:

• Growth Mindset: Embracing challenges and viewing failures as opportunities for growth enables you to learn from setbacks, develop new skills, and become more resilient. Resilience is crucial to the independent man. You will crumble when life hits you with unique struggles. But you will elevate yourself if your mind expects opportunities behind every struggle.

Individualism and Independence: Self-Improvement

Self-improvement is the key to independence. To be independent is to rely more on yourself. If you are strong, then you can rely more on yourself. However, if you are weaker, addicted to vices, and refusing to improve, then you will crumble under the weight that is personal freedom.

So get started. Look over the list I provided and the advice I gave, and get to work. With a life goal, defeated vices, and a better self, you can start the next step: expanding your resources.

Actionables

1. On the list above, what do you struggle most with? Why?
2. What is one way you’ve greatly improved in your life? How has the journey been? What benefits have you received?
3. Where do you think you can be in one year? Are you freer? What can you improve now to secure your independence within a year?

Please remember it’s important to do the actionables. You’re not on this earth to simply read but to do. To become an individual, you must act more than you consume.

*Image credit to Unsplash.