Self improvement comes from a sense of pride within oneself. When you are proud of whom you are, you are able to set high limits so as to justify your pride. Incidentally, you have to know how to appreciate yourself so as to be able to handle that come in life. Those people who have been empowered through education have a great potential of succeeding only if they are able to appreciate what they already have.
In order to empower yourself, you need to have clearly set goals in life. When you have fully defined your goals, you are going to be focused on achieving them. This is what drives great achievers into the world of success and fame.