Do self-improvement APPS work? The answer is that like any self-improvement instrument, be that an app, a book, a blog, a seminar, or life coach, the key to success is not the tool but the commitment of the person wielding the tool.
The aim of self-improvement instruments is to help you reach your goals. But the best app, book or seminar in the world will not get you anywhere unless you are 100 percent committed to change. You have to really truly in your heart of hearts want to improve your life, adapt new strategies and be prepared to take risks to change. If you are committed to the journey of growth, then yes self-improvement apps have something to offer you but I would advise you to use the app in conjunction with other self-improvement measures like books, blogs and seminars.
The advantages of APPS
Apps are great because they allow people to set goals and reminders and chart their progress. Apps also supply advice to help you make decisions and remain motivated. People often fail to improve themselves because they doubt themselves. They lose faith in themselves and their ability to really make change work. Self-improvement apps help people control their self-improvement process – they set goals and measure their progress. These apps deliver discipline and supervision. They enhance a person’s behavioural modification plans. An app basically behaves like an electronic support group or life coach. Apps can act as a kind of substitute for human contact, but I believe self-improvement apps work best if used with many other aids like books, seminars and even a life coach. If you intend to really change your life, to shake things up, then I suggest you reinforce your desire for change with as many supports as possible (again lectures, books, a life coach).
There are however, drawbacks to using apps.
More and more self-improvement apps are arriving on the market, but be aware most were not built by life mentors: by people who have years of experience helping others work towards happiness, well-being and strong mental health. Instead many self-improvement apps have been built by engineers, business people and whoever else can find the money and know-how to build an app. You do not believe you have the skills to do dentistry or eye surgery, yet so many tech gurus, who have no background in counselling, youth work or psychology, believe they have the expertise to counsel people looking to reshape their future. The quality of self-improvement apps out there is patchy. Best case scenario after you buy an app is that it helps you to change and reach your goals, or you might buy an app and it does nothing for you, but the worst case scenario is you use the app and end up feeling worse.
Read the reviews of apps online
Before you buy a self-improvement app I strongly suggest you read reviews online.
A lot of self-improvement apps encourage you to self-focus and reflect only on yourself. As part of my prosperity mindset I’ve always encouraged people to expand themselves and also to focus on those less fortunate – to be generous and have the courage to give generously. That encouragement to focus on others is missing from a lot of self-focussed apps. Happiness centred on self does not last, whereas happiness derived from embracing the world and caring for others is long lasting and true.
Even more important if you’re spending all your time on an app looking at a screen, you forget to live. Self-improvement apps require you to be alone with your phone. Please do not invest too much time being alone with your phone. I think you would have a better chance of finding happiness and improving yourself if you volunteered at a soup kitchen once a fortnight.
Apps are not built around individuals
Remember also that self-improvement apps are generic and built for a mass market. They are not built around your individual needs. Would you get more value for money if you instead paid for a few sessions with a life coach, who will help address your specific challenges? What about looking for activities that you like, whether that be exercise or working for charity? Will that lead you towards self-improvement? Many self-improvement apps do nothing to help you find activities that are valuable to you and therefore effective for you.
Again some self-improvement apps encourage you to reflect on your experiences too much. They track your emotions, experiences, and thoughts, but sometimes you need to look outside yourself for happiness and this can be in the form of volunteering to visit at a nursing home, or just making a meal for a neighbour!
Apps can also interrupt our pleasure in being present in the moment. You know I’m no fan of technology. I’ve complained to you in the past about people who block out the world with ear phones and then direct their eyes to a screen. I think fragmenting your attention by always looking at a screen dampens positive emotions. Are you sure that tracking your experiences on an app won’t lead you to obsess about whether or not you are sufficiently happy?
Self-improvement apps are rarely tested
Be aware also that self-improvement Apps are rarely tested on large groups of people. They are just made and released on the market. Motivational speakers spend years meeting real people and listening to what advice has helped them and what they need to keep improving.
In a lot of ways self-improvement apps just treat the symptoms. They encourage you to change so long as you are logging on every day, but they don’t get you to commit to deep long-lasting change. That is hard, and again I suggest you seek out as many supports as possible – both technological and in the form of friends and family. Let’s face it, apps will never be a substitute for real people!
ABOUT PAT MESITI
Pat Mesiti is a best-selling author, coach and educator in the area of personal development. Having built some of Australia’s largest people-driven organisations, Pat understands the power of harnessing human potential. He has shared the stage with some of the world’s great business minds and has sold over millions of copies of his books and materials.