Whether you’re a practical and pedantic person and want to improve yourself just for the sake of it, or you’re a person who has insecurities and wishes to become better to prove a point to yourself – it doesn’t matter. The reasons why you might take up the task of self-improvement are irrelevant as long as you strive for that final goal – becoming a better person. And even though the definitions for “better person” vary, you’ll still find some of these tips useful and they will likely help you be more successful as well as more likable for others.

1. Learn to accept

Despite what you might think from the subtitle above, this tip is not about being a socially and politically correct person. It rather has more to do with you accepting things about your own life. There are some things that are better to be understood and taken with a good attitude.

Read: 10 Simple Ways to Get Motivated in Life

For example you might start by accepting that there are people with accomplishments that you may never achieve. And while that sounds depressing at first, it actually shouldn’t be. Because even though you might not get the world record for running, if you get better at it every day you’ll keep your body fit and you’ll have something to brag about, some constant improvement and progress that you’ll be making.

Don’t get desperate over a final goal, and look at the composition of your skills, talents and personality. You might not be a record-breaking runner, but you can be a person who both runs and can sing, for example. A combination that is rather unlikely, but admirable in many ways.

2. Start your day properly

If you start your day like I used to start my days – cursing at the world , doing only a few things and not because you want to but because you have to , then you might have some problems with self-improvement, motivation and inspiration

Try to start your day with breakfast (it’s healthy and will make you more energetic) , wake up early enough to have time for it in your morning routine. Of course, that means that you might have to go to sleep early some nights … but if all you do late night is sit on the computer wasting your time on unproductive tasks, than maybe that needs to change too.

Read: 4 Life-Changing Keys to Overcoming Your Fear

The key for this is that it can’t happen overnight – it will require several nights and mornings of “sacrifice” on your part, but the end results will be awesome.

3. Strive to help people at every chance

There is nothing like the sensation of helping another! People who haven’t tried it probably don’t know what overwhelming surge of positive energy flows through them, seeing the thankful eyes of the person you helped.

Nevertheless, you must be prepared that there will be some people who will not appreciate what you do for them. Don’t let them talk you out of helping people in general! That’s how most people stop being kind … but if you’re good to people in your everyday life, you’ll see most of them “convert” at some point, and thus you’ll make not only yourself, but a small fraction of the people on the Earth better.

4. Procrastination is like the plague – so avoid it like the plague!

We’ve all seen it happen – “Just 5 minutes to check my Facebook account” turns a night you could have used to better yourself into an endless stalking marathon, and before you know it , it’s 2:00 am , you have seen nothing of value on that computer monitor and have wasted several hours of that precious life of yours.

Read: 5 Ways to Build Strength of Character

While I never liked this sort of argument, I feel the need to point it out – there are people fighting for just another month, another week to be alive, going through horrifying medical procedures … and you’re wasting the gift of your life on small people and gossip. Or some silly game meant as a time waster … when you can be reading, for example, or watching an interesting movie, or being out with friends, or maybe even studying.

Defy the clutches of procrastination, and you’re on the road to self-improvement.

These tips might seem like something hard to do, but in reality you’ve probably done quite harder things in your life. The key is to remind yourself of that and to get cracking! Good luck, and don’t forget to be awesome!