Now more than ever, it’s becoming clear that many of us have become angry at the world for many different reasons. We can easily feel helpless or become complacent. We're accustomed to the way things were and not where things are going. In a world of burden and bitterness, how do we expect to strive forward? How do we expect to lead? How do we expect to uplift and encourage our friends, coworkers, and our families?

In a plethora of inspirational talks and writings, Jordan Peterson explains why it’s crucial to become more self-aware and mindful of your emotions and behaviors. He talks about taking care of yourself by treating yourself like you would treat others whom you deeply love and care for. It’s a starting point to break the negative feedback loop that can permeate in our minds and everyday lives.

https://youtu.be/5iQL1IfKTN4 Jordan Peterson — Motivational Madness

"It's a real existential question for people: Why the hell should you take care of something as sorry and wretched as you are? Despite the fact that you're not all that you could be, the proper attitude to have towards yourself is the attitude that you would have towards someone that you genuinely cared for. It's incumbent on you to act as if you genuinely care for yourself."

"You make the world a much worse place if you don’t take care of yourself."
Jordan Peterson

Spend more time concentrating on making "micro improvements"

Peterson goes on to say that there’s always going to be inequality and that people around you will always be better at something than you — recognize, internalize, and accept it. If we don't, we can easily become jealous, resentful, and bitter because we’re aiming for the wrong ideals. We’re setting our goals unrealistically and unfairly.

It's easy to say "you need a goal." That's a common phrase that motivational speakers start with, it's fairly obvious. However, it's easy to stop there and brush it off. It actually requires taking a sufficient amount of time to understand yourself and really concentrate on the right goals — goals that you truly want.

Write your goals on a whiteboard, in a notebook, or type them into a document. From there, break the goal down into smaller goals, or create a list of "micro improvements," all with a relatively higher probability of completing. Here's an example of breaking down your goals:

Time → Goal

Year → Create a business
Quarter → Sell your first product
Month → Build a website
Week → Gain 25 followers

Year → Make more friends
Quarter → Join a tennis league
Month → Stop drinking, stop arguing
Week → Go out of your way to help 2 people

What micro improvements do you want to make in your life? I recently wrote an article on future trends and investing in yourself by taking the time to learn new skills. The path to improving yourself isn't easy, it's messy. Starting with small and consumable goals will deliver quick wins, and overtime, as you work towards even bigger goals, the achievements you make will empower you to improve the lives of those around you.

------- Learn more about the author, [Adam Davis](https://mindmoneymuscle.com/about) Visit [mindmoneymuscle.com](https://mindmoneymuscle.com) for weekly articles on: betterment through balance, self-awareness, entrepreneurship, & health [Sign up for the newsletter](https://mindmoneymuscle.com/newsletter) to get weekly articles delivered directly to your inbox