Self-improvement, self-actualisation, personal development – whatever you call it, no one’s ever too old to improve their physical appearance or mental faculties.

One of life’s great pleasures is putting in some hard graft to push past your personal limitations in order to look and feel a little better. Whether running a marathon, learning a new skill or fixing your dodgy teeth, making the effort to improve yourself is fulfilling and, in some cases, life-affirming.

To give you some ideas, we’ve put together this handy list of ways to develop yourself mentally and physically. Read and be inspired.

Run a marathon

Running a marathon is tough, but the training before you run a marathon is far tougher. Spread over 16 weeks, a standard marathon training schedule involves a combination of long-distance running, cross-training and a high protein diet.

If this sounds like a tough slog, that’s because it is. But by the time you’ve reached the finish line of your first marathon, you’ll be healthier, happier and brimming with personal achievement.

Fix your teeth

Take it from someone who grew up with teeth more crooked than an embezzler – fixing your wonky pearly whites is a sure-fire way to increase your confidence.

No longer will you look in the mirror in the morning with a brief air of repulsion, or cover your smile with your hand in public. Having straight teeth is a liberation.

But few adults want braces, especially ones that look like railroad tracks. Places like the Bicester Smile Clinic are ideal, providing you with translucent smile aligners that are barely visible to the naked eye. Get them and your teeth will be noticeably straighter after a few months.

Read great novels

There’s something nourishing about tucking into a classic novel. Whether it’s Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, DH Lawrence’s Women in Love or Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the great novels of our time hold up a mirror to society and expose the fatal weaknesses of the human condition.

Yet few find the time to read, and as such, they miss out on one of life’s most enriching experiences. If you want to finish a few classic novels, all you really need is to set aside half an hour every day to reading. It might not seem like much time, but do that every day for a year and you’ll have finished a handful of the greats.

Be good at your job

Some people take on their jobs with only a passing commitment. Instead of putting in the hours like their work was their passion, they clock in and out with a shrug of the shoulders and a barely stifled yawn.

If you want to break that habit, we recommend learning courses like LinkedIn Learning. Teaching everything from graphic design to computer programming, these courses can make you better at your job and increase your chance for a promotion.

That’s our list! What personal development goals do you have in your life? Let us know in the comments below.

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