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Self-improvement through introspective reflection is a fancy way of saying what Christ said nearly two thousand years ago, "Judge yourself to avoid being judged." There are many paths to self-improvement, but introspective reflection is a far less painful and more productive road to take.

Cultures have long been taking the position of self-improvement through the diminishing of others. Comparing one self to his or her neighbor and pointing out flaws in the other to imply that one is better for not having those same flaws is an easy way people often take to improve themselves. It makes one feel good and it leaves no need for any kind of change. There is one error in that, it is superficial and true improvement can never be attained.

If a person truly wants to improve, then the way to do it is to stop comparing oneself to others and examine his or her own life to identify the areas in need of improvement. This is difficult to do in cultures where people are conditioned to not have to take responsibility for actions. Nations decay from within when individual accountability diminishes.

By examining self, the opportunity opens up for improving. Awareness is the first step needed in order to improve. If the goal is to get to point B, it is essential to know where point A is. Not knowing the starting point leaves reaching the finish up to pure random chance because without knowing where one is there direction to move cannot be determined without that relative reference point.

Those who do not examine themselves are therefore subject to being examined by others. Not everyone is going to be introspective. Since the beginning people have been pointing their fingers at others as a means of trying to demonstrate superiority of some fashion. A person, who self examines before others have a chance to, has the opportunity to improve and be above reproach. A person who joins the finger pointing methodology can still improve, but typically it is the result of force due to embarrassment or escape from judgment that invokes the change rather than true desire from within to simply be a better person.

A person can improve or be improved. Forced improvement is typically not the easy path to follow. Self introspective thought, however, causes us to judge ourselves making it change possible and perhaps avoiding condemnation of others. The world can change a person, or a person can change the world. One is done by doing nothing or judging others, but changing the world begins with changing oneself which can be done through introspective thought.

Learn more about this author, David Kramer.
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