I've found that true non-attachment is self improvement. Typically people confuse indifference with non-attachment which will not produce the fruit of non-attachment, rather poison the tree of one's awareness and presence. When we are not attached and experience a "bad" habit we will not judge ourselves/identify as being bad for having the habit but we should be aware of how the habit is confused/limiting/harmful/destructive to ourselves and others.
For example one may have a drinking habit, not necessarily full blown alcoholism but drinks too much from time to time and it makes one late for work or getting in a fight with someone you care about or saying something reckless, etc. Working with non-attachment would let go of the idea that one's inherent nature is bad because they drink too much too often and rather see the habit with clarity. Non-attachment would also not cling to the coping mechanism of alcohol, thus the true issue would arise and non-attachment would liberate the source of the suffering by letting go of the pain of not getting enough attention from parents as a child, being abused, etc. If one adopts an indifferent attitude typically ignorance is cultivated toward inner/outer pain, a state of equanimity is not achieved and the ego will use a number of masking techniques that will be another source of pain.
I've also seen that self improvement towards desirable qualities is really just a stepping stone towards non-attachment; once you get what your after, your back at the beginning of needing something and producing a path. One may create a golden hamster wheel out of their life with great treats along the way and still be totally impoverished. Non-attachment is often difficult to approach directly and so having self improvement projects keeps one engaged while learning about non-attachment.
It would be interesting to look at the issues of non-attachment/equanimity -vs- self-improvement/achievement in the context of the Lajjitadi Avasthas of Mercury and Mars.
