Tony Robbins, the self improvement guru, came up with the acronym "CANI" which stands for Constant And Never-ending Improvement. According to Tony making small incremental improvements everyday, will over time, have a big impact on your life. Think about it. It is like compound interest in a bank account. Each deposit you make creates interest. Each increase in your bank account that comes from interest creates more interest. As Albert Einstein said, “The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest”. Create that kind of compound interest in your life.
In the book "The Magic Of Thinking Big" (that I blogged about yesterday) there is a is a person, Dr Schwartz the author, talks about. She is a former student of his who opened up 4 hardware stores in 4 years when her competitors were struggling with one. The main thing she attributed to her success was her self-styled "weekly improvement program". During the week she would jot down ideas as to how she could improve her business. Than every Monday evening she would set aside 4 hours to review the ideas she jotted down and figure out how to put the solid ones to use in her business. So how can you design and implement your own personal improvement program? Think about ways you can create improvement every day. In her case she planned it once a week. Maybe in your case it is once a month.
Ben Franklin had a self improvment program. He made a list of his most important values. They were as follows.
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Every month he would concentrate on a different value and work hard to improve in that area.
Come up with a plan that works for you. It could be the hardware owners plan, Ben Franklin's plan or one that you develop yourself. By always improving you will reach goals and have the successful life you envision for yourself.
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