The difference between wanting change and making it happen
Set goals, take action, create a better you is about turning ambitions into achievable steps through discipline, consistent effort and practical decisions.
At 18 to 24, it can seem like everyone expects you to know where you are going. You may want a job, more confidence or some independence, but knowing what you want does not automatically tell you how to get there. I am learning that the gap between an ambition and an achievement is usually filled with practical decisions.
My experience comes from boxing, jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts, and more recently from developing professional skills through the Youth Guarantee opportunity while working primarily on IM MORE. These are different environments, but they have one useful lesson in common: improvement needs more than good intentions.
I do not want to present myself as somebody who has already made it. I am learning new skills, making decisions about my future and finding out what professional responsibility involves. That is the point of this article: you can start building a better version of yourself before you feel completely ready.
What MMA taught me about realistic goals
In a combat-sports gym, saying “I want to get better” is a starting point, not a training plan. A fighter needs to work out which technique to practise, what feedback to follow and how to measure progress. Repetition matters, but repeating the wrong thing without correction does not automatically make you better.
The workplace is similar. Saying “I want a good career” is understandable, but it can leave you stuck. A more useful starting point is to choose a smaller target: improve your written communication, understand a new digital tool, complete a task to the agreed standard or prepare a stronger job application.
The Get careers information and advice website explains how to identify skills and use specific, measurable and realistic goals when planning your next step.
Being given an opportunity also means accepting responsibility
Working on IM MORE gives me the chance to research, write, learn about SEO and create content that other people may read and use. I cannot treat that as an excuse to rush work or assume somebody else will correct everything for me.
If I am asked to produce an article, I need to understand the intended audience, check the facts, structure the content, meet the deadline and take feedback seriously. If instructions are unclear, part of my responsibility is to identify what I need to know and ask a useful question.
For young people getting into their first job, this can be an unfamiliar shift. You are not just responsible for turning up; you are learning how your work affects other people. At the same time, an employer should provide appropriate induction, expectations and training. Acas explains what a workplace induction should cover, including the role, ways of working and support.
Action is not the same as rushing
There is a temptation to prove yourself by saying yes to everything or starting a task before you fully understand it. But good execution does not mean guessing. In MMA, ignoring your coach or rushing into a technique without preparation can be a mistake. At work, the equivalent might be publishing information that has not been checked or changing something that requires approval.
I want to develop the habit of thinking before acting: What is the task? What does good work look like? What is the deadline? What can I decide independently, and what needs approval? Once those questions are clear, action becomes much more useful.
Taking initiative can mean noticing a problem, researching possible solutions and bringing a sensible recommendation to your manager. It does not require pretending you already know everything.
When a plan breaks down, review it rather than abandon it
A training session does not always go to plan. Neither does a working day. You might underestimate how long research takes, receive corrections on your writing or struggle with unfamiliar software. Those things can be frustrating, but they provide information about what needs to change.
I am trying to see feedback as part of development, not as proof I am incapable. A useful review asks: What was the result? What caused the difficulty? What can I do differently next time? Who can give me informed guidance?
This also matters when finding work. An unsuccessful application does not by itself tell you what went wrong. You may need to improve your evidence of skills, broaden the range of appropriate jobs or seek careers advice. The careers service outlines how to demonstrate experience using the STAR method, which can help you describe examples from work, sport or volunteering.
Five practical habits for building a better future
1. Choose a specific goal
Replace “I need to improve my life” with a clear next step you can realistically work towards this week.
2. Put the action in your calendar
Choose when you will do the work. A vague promise is easy to postpone; a scheduled task is easier to track.
3. Decide what good work looks like
Read instructions carefully, check examples and ask for clarity before you begin if something important is missing.
4. Keep evidence of progress
Record what you finished, what skills you used and what you learned. This gives you real examples for interviews and CVs.
5. Review and adjust
Do not judge yourself only by the final outcome. Check the quality of your actions, accept feedback and improve your next attempt.
A seven-day IM MORE action challenge
Day 1 — Write down one goal related to employment or professional development.
Day 2 — Identify one skill you need to build and one resource that could help.
Day 3 — Complete a 20-minute practice session or one worthwhile application task.
Day 4 — Ask someone appropriate for specific feedback or clarification.
Day 5 — Apply that feedback and produce a better second attempt.
Day 6 — Write down two examples of responsibility or transferable skills you have demonstrated.
Day 7 — Review your progress and schedule the next realistic action.
If you are not currently in work, adapt the challenge to CV preparation, training, volunteering or finding suitable vacancies. You can explore roles through GOV.UK Find a Job and access more articles about confidence and personal development at IM MORE.
Final thought: create progress you can point to
I am still learning how to transfer the discipline I understand from sport into professional work. The lesson is not that every day has to be intense, or that motivation can fix every obstacle. It is that clear goals, sensible action, support and honest reflection help you develop skills you did not have before.
You do not have to prove your whole future in one week. Choose something meaningful, practise it, make use of feedback and follow through. The next opportunity may not arrive on your schedule, but the effort you put into becoming more prepared is something you can influence.
IM MORE — Discover. Believe. Become.
