The Self-Experiment – 12 Tips to Become a Better Leader Every Day
For one full year I dedicated myself to the motto “Getting better every day.”
Inspired by an initiative from my mentor Darren Hardy — who publishes a five- to ten-minute daily podcast with positive, thought-provoking impulses on leadership and self-management — I began to systematically improve my own routines.
The idea of continuous improvement over an entire year fascinated me. So I started each morning by listening to this podcast in the bathroom. After a few months I noticed the compound effect I had described in an earlier newsletter: from many small ideas grew a variety of initiatives for “daily improvement.”
We all know the concept of lifelong learning and development. Knowledge and skills are constantly changing: existing knowledge can quickly lose value while new skills become essential. Digitalization accelerates this process enormously. Staying up to date is a must — which is why I decided to expand my knowledge systematically.
My 4 Proven Habits for Daily Growth
Here are four practices I applied for a full year (and continue today), along with further ideas to help you start your own self-experiment.
1. Read an inspiring book for 30 minutes right after getting up
In one year I read about 10–12 books this way. I used to spend that time reading a daily newspaper. I now skip it, knowing I can catch up on current events later without missing anything essential.
2. Listen to audiobooks while exercising
During jogging, on the stepper, or while cycling, I consistently listen to audiobooks. With 4–6 hours of endurance training per week, that adds up to roughly 15–20 books a year.
3. Use long car or train rides as learning time
Following Brian Tracy’s advice to “turn your vehicle into a mobile classroom,” I used about 60 minutes of daily commuting on roughly 200 days a year to absorb another 15 professional books.
4. Subscribe to an inspiring podcast
For example Darren Daily on Demand — perfect for your morning routine. I also know people who listen to our BeBest! podcast while exercising. Over a year you gain hundreds of uplifting and inspiring thoughts and ideas.
How I Choose Books
With more than 50,000 leadership titles on Amazon, choosing can be daunting. I rely on:
- Amazon’s “recommended for you” algorithm
- Authors I already trust and enjoy
- References found in books I read
- Recommendations from podcasts
- Suggestions from colleagues and peers
If you need tips for outstanding leadership books, feel free to ask me.
Tools and Formats
I mainly use Audible for its wide range of professional audiobooks and fair prices. I download each book to my smartphone and smartwatch. I’ve learned that nonfiction audiobooks are often most engaging when narrated by the author.
8 More Ideas to Enrich Your Self-Experiment
Together with the habits above, these give you 12 approaches — one for every month — to keep growing every day.
- Regular reflection and journaling: Spend 10 minutes each evening reviewing the day. Note successes, challenges, and leadership behaviors to strengthen. iPhone’s built-in Journal app (iOS 17) works well.
- Attend webinars and online courses: Use Coursera, Udemy, or LinkedIn Learning for concise weekly learning units you can apply immediately.
- Network and exchange with other leaders: Join meetups or conferences and keep informal contacts alive to gain fresh perspectives.
- Offer or seek mentoring: Being a mentor or finding one expands your insight and accelerates leadership growth.
- Try something unexpected: Volunteer, support a local shelter, or explore a new activity that benefits both professional and personal development.
- Actively request feedback: Ask colleagues, employees, and friends for constructive input to reveal blind spots.
- Use microlearning units: Platforms like Duolingo, Khan Academy, or Quizlet provide short daily lessons that steadily build knowledge.
- Exercise creativity: Dedicate a few minutes to puzzles, strategy games, or hypothetical problem-solving to boost innovative thinking.
- Plan micro-adventures: Take a new route to work, visit a different café, or learn a quick skill like folding an origami crane. These small adventures cultivate curiosity and adaptability.
Final Thought
I hope this inspires you to embrace the principle of “getting better every day” for yourself.
Where do you want to improve? Have you discovered other ideas or practices that help you grow? I’d love to hear them.