Definitions: (1) rising to a higher or more desirable state or value; (2) advancing progress in oneself, another, or a situation; (3) becoming better and better
Synonyms: enhancing, proficient
Saying: Give someone a leg up.
Quote: Your brain – every brain – is a work in progress. It is ‘plastic.’ From the day we’re born to the day we die, it continuously revises and remodels, improving or slowly declining, as a function of how we use it. — Michael Matthias Merzenich (1942-) American neuroscientist and professor
Comment: Although there are those times when we experience a burst of flourishing growth, most of the time improving is like watching paint dry – sure and steady. It takes time but it looks good, even as it is drying and adding a protective coating. Unlike paint, acquiring qualities continues to grow in beauty beyond the drying time.
Observation: There needs to be a system by which to measure growth. It can be subjective, objective, or mathematical but it must be obviously observable.