There is a paradox associated with self-improvement: the ultimate goal of any self-improvement is to reach a point where you no longer feel the need to improve yourself.

Think about it: The whole purpose of improving productivity is to reach a point where you never have to think about how to be more productive. The whole point of pursuing happiness is to reach a point where you no longer need to think about being happy. The whole point of improving your relationships is so that you can enjoy every minute of your life regardless of what others think about it.

(I’m still working on that last one).

Self-improvement is therefore, in a strange way, ultimately self-defeating.

The only way to truly reach your potential, to be fully fulfilled or to become “self-actualized” (whatever that means), is at some point to stop trying to be all those things.