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I'm looking for a single word that captures the idea of "desire to self-improve," but does not imply that I have (yet) actually taken any action.
I'm thinking of something along these lines: When I noticed that my health was poor, I wanted to improve myself [new word here]. Only then did I sign up for a gym class.
You could say you have an aspiration for self-improvement.
A strong desire for high achievement.
You could use better myself and get better.
I don't study, I want to better myself.
I'm sad but I want to get better.
When I noticed that my health was poor, I wanted to shape up. Only then did I sign up for a gym class.
When I noticed that my health was poor, I became motivated. Only then did I sign up for a gym class.
My recognition of my poor health motivated me to sign up for a gym class.
