The best way to confirm you are improving as a person is to make sure you are always learning. I recommend reading at least one book a month. In addition to this; go out of your way to attend industry events, learn what your competitors are doing, study and work hard in your craft. If you want to be better than your competition, you are going to have to see what your competition is doing and do it better. Something I like to do is find out what people are doing in other industries, if it’s working, try it in yours.
I’m currently at a wedding conference (Wedding MBA) in Las Vegas. I am in the marketing business and I love to study marketing. I have noticed that the wedding industry seems to be fading as young people are more interested in cohabitating with their significant other rather than take the plunge into marriage. They are either not getting married or they are having more simple, less grandiose events. This is the precise reason I’m attending a wedding show. I have to see what people in an injured industry are doing to market their businesses so I can apply that to mine and help others apply it to theirs as well. If people are successful in an industry on the downturn, something they are doing is awesome, memorable and/or remarkable so we need to replicate it.
Start reading, if you don’t like reading, listen to an audiobook (I'd recommend Scribd). The average CEO reads 60 books a year. It is no accident they are in the position they are in. They are in that position because they know how important continuing education is to their future.
If you are the smartest person in the room, you are doing it wrong. Spend time with people that are smarter than you. Be open to learning and trying new things.
I’m writing tips each week for people aspiring to improve. These are not industry related but they generally have something to do with growing as a person or growing a business. My intention is to help others grow while growing myself. My book recommendation this week is “The Wealthy Gardener” by John Soforic.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss something, feel free to shoot me an email at ryan@promotionsguy.com