Do you want to know how to say “push myself” professionally?
If you’re trying to spice up your cover letters or job applications, it’s good to have a few formal phrases ready to go.
This article will teach you what to call someone who likes to challenge themselves to ensure you talk about yourself in the best possible way.
Is It Professional to Say “Push Myself”?
It is professional to say “push myself.” However, it’s a bit of a boring choice to include in a cover letter.
With that said, you can use it in a cover letter. It’s a decent chance to show that you like a challenge and will always look for ways to prove that.
You can also say it to someone else by switching the phrase to “push yourself.” This shows you’d like someone to take on a challenge.
Feel free to review this cover letter sample to see how to use “push myself” in a sentence:
I like to push myself constantly to learn new things and take on new challenges that others might avoid.
Pros
- It’s a professional way to show you like a challenge.
- It’s simple yet effective in a job application.
Cons
- It’s quite a boring choice of words.
- It’s generic.
While “push myself” works well in a job application, it’s not the only suitable phrase. That’s why we think it’s worth exploring some synonyms to see what might work better for you.
Keep reading to learn another way to say “push myself.” We’ve gathered a helpful list of alternatives to show you what you can use in your cover letters.
What to Say Instead of “Push Myself”
- Challenge myself
- Strive
- Stretch my abilities
- Apply yourself
- Dedicate myself
- Extend my limits
- Propel myself
- Put forth extra effort
- Push my boundaries
1. Challenge Myself
Let’s start with one of the simplest synonyms to use in this context.
You can say “challenge myself” when you are happy to push yourself forward in the workplace.
It’s clear and direct, making it obvious that you won’t back down from a challenge.
Of course, we’ve kept things quite simple here. We’ve simply swapped “push” for “challenge,” but this often makes for a reasonable synonym that will help you to stand out.
We also think it’s worth reviewing these resume samples to learn more:
I tend to challenge myself because I like to learn new things. It’s how I perform so well on such a consistent basis.
I think it’s important to challenge myself with roles like this. That’s why I know this is the perfect fit for me.
2. Strive
If you want one word to do the trick, you can stick with “strive.”
This is a professional way to say “push myself.” It works best if you like to challenge yourself at work because you believe you learn the most by doing this.
Generally, this is an excellent way to help your application stand out.
Most of the time, recruiters are used to people talking about pushing themselves.
However, using a word like “strive” shows you’re trying to find a more unique method to show that you always look for new challenges to see what you can learn.
We also think it’s smart to review these examples to learn more about it:
I strive to achieve things that other people can only dream of. That’s why I know this is going to work.
I tend to strive forward when I get the chance. It’s important to learn more from your environment and gain experience.
3. Stretch My Abilities
If you push yourself to the limit, you could say “stretch my abilities.”
This shows you like to push yourself out of your comfort zone when taking on new jobs.
It’s a great way to be direct and clear. It lets people know exactly what you’re trying to achieve when you take new jobs.
After all, the more you’re willing to stretch yourself, the more you’ll be able to learn.
People who sit inside their comfort zones often stop learning new things quickly. They stick with what they know and avoid learning new ways to do things.
That’s why this phrase works so well. It shows you’re more than willing to put yourself out there. It also helps that it’s quite formal and allows you to spice up your CV.
Also, you can review the following CV samples to find out how it works:
I like to stretch my abilities to see what else I can learn in the workplace. I believe it’s important to continue your mental growth.
The best jobs allow me to stretch my abilities to see what I’m really capable of.
4. Apply Yourself
Let’s switch things up a little bit. We want to use “apply yourself” here to show that you can also say it about other people.
Yes, it still works if you switch it to “apply myself.” However, we recommend using this to email an employee.
This is an excellent way to be encouraging and sincere. It lets someone know that you want them to try hard and see what they can achieve.
When an employee isn’t working to their full capacity, something like this could be a great way to remind them to do better.
You can also review this email sample to learn a bit more about it:
Dear Harry,
I want you to apply yourself harder because I know you’ve got more in the tank.
I’d like to see some serious changes in your workload by the end of this quarter.
Best regards,
Danielle Evangeline
5. Dedicate Myself
When someone has pushed you to do better, you could say you “dedicate yourself” to a purpose.
Therefore, “dedicate myself” works really well in most formal settings.
We recommend using this when someone or something has had a major impact on how seriously you take your job.
It works best to show you’re diligent and enthusiastic to work harder.
Generally, you can use this to impress a recruiter. The more dedicated you are, the more likely someone will be to want you as one of their employees.
Also, you can check out the following cover letter examples to learn a bit more:
I tend to dedicate myself to my workload. It’s why I always find ways to outperform my peers quickly.
I dedicate myself to achieving greatness. I’m always trying to find the next best challenge to see what I’m made of.
6. Extend My Limits
You can say “extend my limits” when you’re trying to push yourself to grow.
It’s formal and sincere, showing that you’re always willing to work hard to achieve something.
It also suggests you want to give something everything you can. So, when new challenges come up, you’ll do what you can to succeed.
Feel free to review the following examples if you still need a bit of help:
I like to extend my limits to see what else I can do. I’m confident that I’m one of the best candidates available.
I will extend my limits to prove my worth. There’s no challenge too difficult for me to handle.
7. Propel Myself
You may want to write “propel myself” instead of “push myself” in some cases.”
It’s a positive and confident phrase that shows you’re always looking for new challenges.
Generally, something like this will impress an employer. That’s why it’s worth including it in a cover letter when you want people to see what you’re made of.
Also, it’s worth reviewing these resume examples to learn more:
I tend to propel myself to test things that others aren’t willing to explore. It’s why I’ve achieved so much.
I propel myself, unlike most of my peers. I’m always looking for new ways to see what I can push next.
8. Put Forth Extra Effort
Again, we want to go back to something that you can use on others (not just yourself).
That’s where “put forth extra effort” comes in.
It’s respectful and sincere. So, you can use it when talking to an employee about their ability to push themselves.
Of course, some people push themselves too far. And sometimes, these people need to be warned before it’s too late.
So, a phrase like this is an excellent way to get an employee to calm down a bit while being encouraging and appreciative.
You may also review this sample email to learn a bit more about it:
Dear Damian,
I appreciate that you put forth extra effort, but you should be careful.
You certainly don’t want to push yourself too hard.
All the best,
Dan Kent
9. Push My Boundaries
Finally, you may want to use “push my boundaries” as another way to say “push myself.”
This is an excellent way to show you’re up for any challenge.
It’s respectful and confident, suggesting that you’re looking for a job role that’s going to give you every chance to test yourself.
Recruiters will often respond positively to this. After all, it shows you’re ready to learn new things and see what’s out there.
Also, it’s smart to review the following CV samples to learn more:
I’m always trying to push my boundaries because I know I’m destined for more than this.
I push my boundaries wherever I can. I’m always happy to learn new things as soon as I’m given the chance.