If we are honest, there are many things we would like to change about ourselves; our quick tempers, our weight, our lack of muscle mass, our poor self-control, our intellect, our boldness, our hairline…you get the idea. However, keeping a random list of our perceived flaws can make actually changing any of them difficult, since as a whole they seem overwhelming. Pick one thing that you want to change, be it physical or character, and tackle it first. It may not be the area of your life that needs the most improvement, it may just be the one you want to focus on right now.
Here are some ways to narrow it down:
- What area has been bugging you lately?
- What would it look like to be different in that area?
- Why does it matter if you change in this area or not?
- Who do you know that does well in this area?
Remember, sometimes a quick win is good for the spirits. You don’t have to pick the most difficult area of your life for it to matter.
When discussing this with a friend, try to get their feedback both on how they would solve the issue and if they think it is really a problem or if you are being too critical. For example, if you think your degree of sarcasm has you coming across as a Negative Nancy or a whiner, ask them their opinion and have them be brutally honest. If you want to lose some weight, ask them what they see you doing wrong and how they would change it. If we only get advice from ourselves, we usually won’t be as straight-forward and honest as we are with others.
- Fireside Topic articles are interesting topics to get men talking. Find a few friends and throw a question out there and see what develops. Read more here. -