What is Personal Development?
I was surprised by the answer from a philosophy teacher who bristled as answer that personal development was simply retraining of one’s character or some such ideal. First I felt he was wrong in declaring it as a miniscule part of the human condition. But then I can’t help agreeing that it is as simple as retraining oneself, even one’s own character in the pursuit of a more successful life.
Personal Development
Personal development is the equivalent of creating a new, better YOU. You give yourself a thorough make over. You love yourself so much you develop your mind, your DNA, your body and your very soul is molded in the purposeful, cohesive direction of your desires.
Taught to Become Losers
Many of us grow up settling for what others like our school teachers, councilors, religious leaders and elders tell us who we are. If that’s so why do so many of us feel like slaves more often than not? We are left feeling like losers in this game of life while many of these self same people above us are living in much the same boat.
It appears they are leaving it to chance for providence to visit us. But that flies in the face of what the wealthy sometimes advise – love what you do and focus on it all the time. There’s something here that is not well understood. Thus losers will teach others to be losers too.
Personal Development Creates Abundance
The wealthy is thus a better choice to teach about creating abundance. That’s a simple truth. Therefore the seekers and practitioners of personal development want to be greater than who they are now. They or we are not satisfied with our lot today. The most common declaration is the desire for more income or wealth to counter the rampant lowering standard of living today.
The road to better relationships are in demand which is hardly surprising considering there are vastly more than 50% divorce rates. Better free choice of health and health care is obvious as medical care laws have become rampantly costly with sometimes deadly results. There are many more which are directly related to freedom of choice and a better lifestyle.
It is easy then to listen as we declare,” …it is developing me and us.” I once found myself declaring that building my character is for me. This is for the greater things I desire. This is the drive that created this great growing movement called Personal Development.
Personal development has rallied around the Law of Attraction as its main battle cry for several years now. Its proponents live by it. Its critics and cynics decry, “Show me the proof…show me it works for me”. In response practitioners tell them their thoughts are the product of the very life condition they now live. And this is also the main ideology within the truth of the Law of Attraction.
Looking through older publications one finds that this term has been used over a hundred years ago by a number of authors. However, Napoleon Hill is perhaps the most well known for his immortalized book, Think and Grow Rich.
The massively growing demand and the search for a better way of life recently was perhaps precipitated by the movie “The Secret” which expounded the Law of Attraction. Demand first rose tremendously before falling back because it seemed the teachings were less than fully spectacular for most. However, demand for the truth has recently risen and many sellers of programs of the way to riches, the finer points of self growth and personal development have exploded again. This time, there appears to be more success stories to back up claims of successful methodologies.
Popularity of Personal Development
The human determination will find what we want and turn our backs what we despise. Many have thus found personal development as their hope, their purpose and their road to riches, better health, a better mind and a stronger zest for living well. Whatever the gripes about our life’s lot may be, we seek answers. We seek a better life. If there is a way it will be found.
Times have been tough and getter tougher. Higher education does not seem to be the answer to so many life questions. Teachers in schools are at much at a loss as are councilors in providing a viable answer to the ills of society. What then? Do we blame the government? What about the conspiracy theories or truths some websites have been campaigning about the deliberate sabotaging of our standard of living? I found this website, KTRN quite by accident and found it particularly informational in parlaying much about what is hidden from the mainstream knowledge. Well, whence we consider the wars, debts, health problems and the lack of retirement security, our extreme desires are certainly an understatement.
One only has to look in the news and the wealth displayed by the rich and famous to want it too. There are more multimillionaires today. In fact, according to Forbes Magazine, there are even more billionaires than ever before in history worldwide. People want such a lifestyle of opulence, great health, exotic travel, fast cars, mansions and a great life.
Many businesses, publications, personal development experts have come forward and created a huge and growing demand industry. There are seminars, and all manner of learning methods, techniques and other refinements to this industry. For example, one of the most well known, well loved and a definite modern pioneer of personal development is Abraham Hicks. They will often teach about the Power of Your Emotions.
The use of emotions to help develop your power is not often talked about by teachers mainly because it is a subject often glossed over and not well understood. However, there are examples of written works dealing with the use of emotions. In fact I felt that it requires more understanding for such an important subject, I have written something about it for publishing. This book offers you the ability to take Control of your Emotions and to take back your Power. It is worthwhile finding more about this subject.
5 Precepts in the Successful use of Personal Development.
1) Teachers of success say that the fear of success is really a mangled form of saying the fear of failure. They are one and the same. And this is certainly one of the prime negative thinking that personal development trainees endeavour to be rid of. In its place they train and develop themselves to be truly the epitome of successful thinking.
2) Now, success is often tied to how much money one has and keeps. It is but one form of success. No two persons no matter how closely linked will have differing desires. One may want a million dollars a year with a fantastic family while the other may want that same million dollars a year income but wants to be free to travel.
3) Teachers of the Law of Attraction tell us that one needs faith to succeed. True, but the word faith often throws the student off. Some wiser ones prefer to use the equivalent but more descriptive language to have a much more positive impact upon one’s psyche. For example, instead of “Faith” use “Confident Expectation”. It means very much the same thing, but is immediately more in keeping with what you have in mind without the sometimes negative feeling of using a religious practice.
4) Just about everyone who has used their personal development well and are successful will tell you that it is perseverance that wins the day. Great intelligence or gifted abilities are simply wasted if not focused and used to their fullest as often as possible to experience success. Just like machines, power is nothing without control. The vast power within one’s mind must be harnessed and used correctly through disciplined focus. Only then can one harness its true power of success.
5) Creating a stronger, more powerful me. I use “ME” only I can make that decision to be more powerful. Only I can persevere for me in search of my excellence. Only I can create the life I desire for myself.
Yes perseverance is the key, the more we learn about our subconscious mind, the more we grow.The power of your subconscious mind, by Josehp Murphy. Thank you. Alain
Thank you for your comments Alain.