Between your four sentences, your main point is 2) and 4. The rest is fine.

What is the similarity between sentences expressed in your detail? Those latter sentences had “being” vs. “creating” vs. “making”. a different form of the verb “to be”, while your first four sentences had forms of the verb “to improve”.

On your first four, whether 1) and 3) are correct or 2) and 4) are dependent on the verb that proceeds them. If I substituted “think” and “see” you will get 1) and 3) and 2) and 4) wrong. Also, your reasoning is the same.

Between your four sentences, your main point is 2) and 4. The rest is fine.

What is the similarity between sentences expressed in your detail? Those latter sentences had “being” vs. “creating” vs. “making”. a different form of the verb “to be”, while your first four sentences had forms of the verb “to improve”.

On your first four, whether 1) and 3) are correct or 2) and 4) are dependent on the verb that proceeds them. If I substituted “think” and “see” you will get 1) and 3) and 2) and 4) wrong. Also, your reasoning is the same.