THERE is a peculiar thing about self-improvement in today’s world: everyone seems to be doing it loudly.
Scroll through your feed and you will probably see declarations of 5am workouts, new diets, study plans, detoxes, resolutions and resets.
Some even announce they are “going offline to focus on themselves” – and then proceed to post about it.
But here is a question worth asking: Who are we really doing it for?
True growth, I believe, happens in silence. It isn’t broadcasted with hashtags or filtered selfies. It happens on those ordinary days when no one is watching, and yet, we still choose to show up – for ourselves.
Take Keanu Reeves, for example. One of Hollywood’s most recognisable faces, yet possibly also one of the quietest.
After the success of The Matrix franchise, Reeves gave away a significant portion of his earnings – some reports say up to US$70 million (RM300 million) – to the behind-the-scenes crew: the makeup artists, the costume designers, the unsung talents who helped shape the cinematic magic.
He didn’t hold a press conference. He didn’t tell the world to “stay humble”. He just did it. Silently. Sincerely. And perhaps that is the point. Real self-improvement doesn’t seek applause. It doesn’t begin with a public pledge or a viral post. It begins with intention – and grows through consistency.
In the book Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom recounts a conversation with his former professor, Morrie Schwartz. “Don’t let go too soon,” Morrie advises, “but don’t hang on too long”.
In the context of change, this is profound. It is a reminder that becoming better – emotionally, mentally, spiritually – is not about extreme pivots or sudden reinventions. It is about knowing what to keep, what to release and doing both with grace.
And then there is Rumi – whose verses, though centuries old, still pulse with modern relevance. He wrote: “Don’t you know yet? It is your Light that lights the worlds.” What a stunning thought.
That our quiet work – the healing we do in private, the restraint we practise in anger, the effort we put into becoming kinder, calmer, wiser – sends ripples beyond what we can see. You don’t need to declare it. Your light will show.
However, I get it. In a world that rewards visibility, silence can feel like insignificance. We are conditioned to think that if no one notices our progress, it somehow does not count. That is a dangerous illusion. Because often, the most powerful transformations are the ones no one claps for.
When a tree grows, it does not shout: “Look at me!” It simply stretches upward, season by season. Its roots deepen silently. Its fruits and shade speak for it.
Likewise, your growth does not need to be explained. It will show in how you carry yourself. In your choices. In your discipline when no one is watching. In the way you respond to challenges that once overwhelmed you.
And if no one sees it? That is okay too. Because the goal was never applause. The goal was growth.
So, if you are on that quiet journey – fixing your habits, setting boundaries, seeking peace, becoming softer in some places and stronger in others – keep going. Let it be your secret project, nurtured in silence and tended with care. You don’t need a witness. You don’t need permission.
You will know you are changing not by what others say but by what no longer rattles you. You will notice it in the pause you now take before reacting, the space you make for stillness, the clarity that rises in moments of solitude. There is no announcement for this kind of growth. Only small, steady proof in the way you move through the world.
And one day, perhaps without even realising it, your presence will shift the room. Your calm will be louder than your words. Your steadiness will be noticed without explanation.
Your light, as Rumi promised, will light the world.
Dr Nahrizul Adib Kadri is a professor of biomedical engineering at the Faculty of Engineering and the principal of Ibnu Sina Residential College, Universiti Malaya.
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