5 Traits to Improve on in 2019

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As I continue to better myself both professionally and personally, it’s important that I specifically identify how and where in my life I can improve. After taking some time and giving some thought to the exercise, I came up with these 5 traits that I want to continually try to improve on moving forward.

  • Self Discipline/Accountability 

I have always wanted to work on my self discipline and accountability, but to this point I have come up short. And yes, I see the blatant irony in that. Whether it be my parents, teachers, friends, or whatever, I commonly rely on those placed around me to help me as I walk through life. While this has been great for me in my growth, I think it is now time for me to relinquish some passive tendencies and really take a hold of my life and my daily decisions. I think it’s important to rely on those around me; however, I need to be able to find that selfish ambition from within myself if I want to be successful in my life, which I very much do. Taking responsibility for my actions and holding myself accountable to my commitments is only step 1 in the long journey that is being self disciplined. 

  • Creativity 

This one hurts me to admit. I have always wanted to be the next Zuckerberg, or the next Kanye West, or the next Banksy. I didn’t really care what avenue I took, I just wanted to be an innovator, and I wanted to come up with the next big thing that takes the world by storm. The only problem is, when facing myself in the mirror, I am not the creative genius I would like to be. I’ve strived in systems where I can take direction from an outward source, and then get the most out of an idea that way. In 2019, I want to flip the script. I aspire to be a leader that can both create a vision for something, and help successfully complete someone else’s vision when necessary.

  • Optimism 

With mental health starting to creep towards the foreground of our current culture’s conversation, I think it’s important to address what kind of mindset I hope to cultivate in 2019. The constant flow of information that the technology of today provides has led me to always find things going on around me to keep myself down. Whether it be national news that is disparaging, or personal news that’s happening in my life, there will always be negative things going on in the world. On the flip side of the equation, I plan to spend more of my time in 2019 looking at the positive side. Whether it be identifying small victories on a larger scale, or simply celebrating a friend’s achievement, I want to look at 2019 through a lens of optimism, and potentially increase my joy level from day to day.

  • Honesty

I believe honesty is underrated. Most people would rather you shoot straight with them no matter the circumstances, and yet it’s human nature to shield people from the truth because of potential consequences. I don’t think I’m a dishonest person, but thinking back I know there are times when I have withheld information from someone when I meant to help, and in the end I caused more pain than necessary. I think this is true in relationships, and holds true in the workplace. I want my yes to be yes, and for my no to be no. No one should have to think twice about something they were told from Tom Kerstetter. 

  • Decisiveness 

I struggle to make definitive statements and choices. I often try to play both sides of an arguments, I often keep quiet in public situations as to not steal the spotlight or step on anyones toes, and if you are to ask me where I would like to eat for dinner, you best be ready with a restaurant of your choice… for now. I know that being indecisive is one of the most detrimental qualities to have, because if you can’t make decisions for yourself, how are you ever going to progress forward? Here I am making a declaration moving forward – I am confident in my intelligence and social awareness, and I know that I can’t always make everyone happy. With this knowledge, I pledge to leave more of a footprint wherever I go by making decisions quickly and wisely. 

These traits are just the tip of the iceberg as I continue to work on improving who I am and eventually becoming the person I want to be.

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