12 Things Stopping You from Being the Best Version of Yourself (and How to)

Do you want to be your best self but keep failing? What’s stopping you from being the best version of yourself? Let’s see…

Nearly everyone says they want to learn how to become the best version of themselves, but it’s not an easy thing to do. There are many things that can stop you from being your best self, both internal factors and external ones.

If you’ve been feeling off lately or like you aren’t at your best in the different areas of life, this article will give examples of things that can hold you back from becoming the best version of yourself.

We shall also offer tips on how to be a better version of yourself as well as the benefits of being your best self.

But first; what does the phrase ‘becoming the best version of myself’ mean? Read on…

Jump to a Section:
> What It Means to Become the Best Version of Yourself
> What Does the Best Version of Yourself Look Like?
> Benefits of Being Your Best Self
> Things Stopping You from Being the Best Version of Yourself
> How to Become a Better Version of Yourself

What Does It Mean to Become the Best Version of Yourself?

‘I’m in the process of becoming a better version of myself!’ You’ve probably heard people say this before and wondered what they meant by that. Does being your best self mean being a good person? Giving up bad habits? How many versions does a person have?

The best version of yourself is who you are when you embrace your authentic self, unlock your potential, focus on the important areas of your life, let go of things that don’t serve you, and live your life to the fullest.

However, being your best self is not about being a ‘perfect’ person. It’s about knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and then maximizing your strengths while embracing or working to overcome your weaknesses.

Becoming the best version of yourself involves taking actions that foster growth, improve your holistic health, give you a sense of purpose, bring you happiness, and make your life fulfilling.

What Does the Best Version of Yourself Look Like?

Since we are all different, everyone has their own definition of ‘the best version of myself’.

What you consider to be the best version of you may look different from someone else’s best self or their idea of what your best self should be like. You may also need to take different steps to become your best version than the ones others took to get there.

So, how long does it take to become your best self? You may wonder.

The answer is it takes as long as it takes; it can even be a lifelong process because you should work on becoming a better version of yourself every day. As long as you’re stuck with yourself (i.e., always), try to show up as your best self.

Let’s see why it is important to become your best version.

Benefits of Being the Best Version of Yourself

Knowing and understanding yourself better
Building a better relationship with yourself and others
A confidence boost
Improved physical, mental, and emotional health
Increased productivity and performance
More opportunities
Living your life to the fullest

What’s Stopping You from Being the Best Version of Yourself

Inauthenticity

If you aren’t embracing your true authentic self, you are not your best self. Lack of authenticity is one of the things stopping you from being the best version of yourself.

You may want to be like everyone else to fit in and, thus, do things that don’t align with what you want or need. For instance, you could copy what others are doing, set particular goals because of social expectations, change your appearance and lifestyle, or hide the things that make you unique.

If you want to become a better version of yourself, drop the facade and be authentic, do things that align with your goals and values, and embrace everything that makes you who you are, even the flaws.

Instead of pretending to be someone you are not or trying to meet society’s expectations, just be you, unapologetically.

Bad habits

Many of us struggle with bad habits, such as perfectionism, procrastination, comparison, poor time management, lying, unhealthy eating, swearing, selfishness, people-pleasing, laziness, money wastage, untidiness, substance abuse, and gossiping.

Your bad habits could be the things that are stopping you from being your best self.

To become the best version of yourself, you have to get rid of bad habits and form new good ones, such as eating healthy foods, not trying to be perfect all the time, being punctual, being proactive, exercising regularly, maintaining personal hygiene, standing up for yourself, not using foul language, and minding your own business.

Negative self-talk and negative thoughts

We are our biggest critics. However, what you tell yourself through thoughts or spoken words can affect how you feel about yourself, your motivation, and how you relate with others.

Negative thoughts and negative self-talk are some of the main things that stop you from being the best version of yourself.

To become your best self, increase your self-awareness to identify the triggers of negative self-talk and thoughts and catch yourself when engaging in them, then reframe your thoughts or rephrase the things you tell yourself.

By changing your thoughts and self-talk to be more positive, you’ll feel more confident, optimistic, and motivated, ensuring you show up as your best self ready to seize each day.

Failure to prioritize

Do you know your priorities? What are your goals in the different areas of life?

Failure to set your priorities straight may be the reason why you aren’t the best version of yourself. You will waste your time, energy, and money on things that don’t matter instead of focusing on the more important areas of your life.

Depending on what the best version of you looks like, you need to know your priorities in your personal and professional life so you can set goals that align with them and plan how to achieve them.

Doing things you don’t love

Engaging in things that make you unhappy or unfulfilled may be what’s stopping you from being the best version of yourself. You’ll not care much about what you’re doing and likely lack the motivation to keep going if you face challenges.

When learning how to become the best version of yourself, you must find what you’re passionate about, know your strengths, and do more things that make you happy. It is easier to give your best to things you love than those you don’t.

Fear of taking risks

One of the things stopping you from being the best version of yourself could be the fear of taking risks. You may stay in your comfort zone and not take risks due to fear of failure, the unknown, rejection, or even success.

While things may be predictable and comfortable in your comfort zone, no growth happens there and you could be settling for a mediocre life.

To become a better version of yourself, you must embrace change and take risks that could help you discover more about yourself and the world, change your way of thinking, and unleash your potential.

The people you surround yourself with

Negative influence from the people you spend time with could be what’s stopping you from being the best version of yourself.

They could be toxic individuals who are pessimistic, overly critical, drama magnets, time wasters, drug and substance abusers, manipulative, exploitative, or even criminals.

If you want to learn how to become the best version of yourself, you need to be more selective with the people you surround yourself with. Choose people who impact you positively.

Too high expectations

Expecting too much of yourself is just as bad as not setting goals. Too high expectations of yourself could be the things that stop you from being the best version of yourself.

Whether you set these expectations for yourself or are trying to meet others’ expectations of you, too high expectations will lead to burnout and stress, waste your time, lower your self-esteem, demoralize you, and result in life dissatisfaction.

As you learn how to become a better version of yourself, set SMART goals and ensure they are personal. You’ll feel more fulfilled in life when you achieve them.

Lack of resources

You may want to become your best self, but to be that, you need resources such as money, time, energy, tools, and connections. A lack of resources could be what is stopping you from being the best version of yourself.

For instance, if being a better version of yourself involves having a good job, you may fail to achieve this goal if you lack the financial resources that would enable you to go to school and commute or pay your bills while looking for employment. You could also have no one to help you sharpen your resume, recommend you for jobs or encourage you not to give up the search.

Impatience

You most likely won’t become your best self in one day. It will take time and consistent effort.

One of the things stopping you from being the best version of yourself could be impatience. You want things to happen right now and give up or feel like you’re behind in life if it takes time to see the results of your efforts.

Due to your lack of patience, you may take shortcuts and sacrifice important things, such as your morals and loved ones, hoping to achieve your goals sooner, only to end up with feelings of self-loathing, regrets, and damaged relationships.

If you want to learn how to become the best version of yourself, you must put in the effort required to achieve your goals, trust the process, and be patient. You’ll feel so much better about yourself when you accomplish what you set out to do through your hard work and intelligence.

Unwillingness to learn

There are so many opportunities to learn new things that can help you improve your life and become your best self. However, some people are unwilling to learn and are okay with having limited knowledge or skills.

The unwillingness to learn new things, whether through reading, observing, practicing, or being taught by others, could be what’s stopping you from becoming the best version of yourself.

Learning boosts your creativity, improves your skills, helps you gain knowledge about yourself and the world, improves brain function, and enhances your problem-solving and reasoning skills.

Your past

The reason why you aren’t the best version of yourself could be that you are stuck in your past.

You can’t become your best self while still holding on to things like grudges, past glories, ex-romantic partners, traumatic experiences, mistakes, and stuff you no longer need.

If you want to become the best version of yourself, learn what you can from the past, forgive yourself for any mistakes, and let the things that hold you back go. It is time to let go of your old identity and things from your past that no longer serve you and start anew.

How to Become the Best Version of Yourself

Know your priorities
Set SMART goals and work towards achieving them
Practice positive self-talk and reframe negative thoughts
Be authentic
Get rid of bad habits and develop good ones
Increase your knowledge and skills
Practice self-compassion
Do what makes you happy in your personal and professional life
Spend time with people who influence you positively
Be more courageous, take risks, and make changes in your life

Final Words

Are you your best self? If your answer is no, what is stopping you from being the best version of yourself?

Becoming your best self means unlocking your potential, balancing the different areas of your life, letting go of things and people who are bad for you, and living your life to the fullest.

Learning how to become a better version of yourself will benefit you a lot in your personal and professional life. Self-discovery, improved overall health, better relationships, increased self-confidence, and an enhanced sense of fulfillment are some benefits of being the best version of yourself.

So, are you ready to become your best self? Now that you know the things stopping you from being the best version of yourself, try to change so you can enjoy the benefits of becoming your best self.

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