7 Signs You Are Taking Self-Improvement Too Far

Optimization sinkhole is a dangerous path.

Photo by Alayna Tam on Unsplash

I want to improve. You want to improve. We all do. We read books. We watch videos. We listen to podcasts. But where does it help? Where does it hurt? Where does it make us worse? Self-improvement can become an optimisation sinkhole. A bottomless pit of “more.” Even unhealthy if we’re not careful. More hacks. More routines. More ways to optimise every second. You track every habit. You never feel done. It feels productive. But is it? When self-improvement stops becoming a fun (or flow) experience, you have a problem. That’s the danger zone.

I like what Oliver Burkeman said in his book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. He notes, “The day will never arrive when you finally have everything under control…and when the fully optimized person you’ve become can turn, at long last, to the things life is really supposed to be about. Let’s start by admitting defeat: none of this is ever going to happen.” If you’ve noticed any of these signs, it might be time to rethink your approach to becoming a better version of yourself.

1. You’ve tied your self-worth to your next achievement/goal

The process of self-improvement is as important as the outcome. When you focus too much on…