There is rarely such a thing as objectively better. The only self improvement is one in which you feel you have grown more in line with your true self: the you

There is rarely such a thing as objectively better. The only self improvement is one in which you feel you have grown more in line with your true self: the you who you want to be. The story is about growing into some dimensions, but if the author does not value those metrics, who is to say it’s positive growth? I have a friend. He’s obsessed with self improvement. And he is good at it. He reads exhaustively about the most effective business people because he says it’s necessary to learn their habits. He gets up at 5:00am every day because sleeping in is wasting time you could spend improving yourself. His weekends are full of planning exercises for how he can most effectively use his week ahead. He makes good money, is in great shape, has great social connections, etc. but he is deeply unhappy. Because to feel the constant need to improve means you also feel a constant sense of not being good enough. I think in the context of this story, and really life in general, the only person whose acceptance matters is your own. To be happy with your life, with how you think and how you spend your time, with who you are and who you keep company with.