Browse Personal Development

A long-standing friend recently recommended one of his best-loved self-help books to me – it was the latest in a long list of his recommended reading. In chatting with him, I enquired as to how he was getting on putting into practice what he was learning from all his reading. It emerged from our conversation that, in fact, he was a life-long student of living life to the full but was unlikely to ever actually try it.

In fitting rooms across the planet, “Does it make me look fat?” — is without a doubt the pivotal issue that makes or breaks a clothing sale. Ultimately, it’s a rhetorical question because the woman doing the trying-on will make the call herself. If she has even the slightest uncertainty that the garment doesn’t shave ten pounds off her hips, midsection or thighs, chances are, it’s cast aside. And the alarming thing is, the question is as likely to be asked by a size 8 as a size 18!

Goals in life we all have—some are grand while others are modest—and we all want its attainment. Unfortunately, most of us prefer to settle on the illusory wondering of our minds. Instead of formulating viable plans that will serve as the foundations of materializing our goals, we waste our valuable resources—time and energy—engaging in the senselessness of idleness, perfect timing, superstition, someday syndrome, procrastination and laziness.

What happens when pleasing others runs contrary to serving your own best interests? People all over the country have told me that they feel held back by the very people they believe should be helping them succeed. They secretly fear that their own family and friends work against their success…are they crazy? What is it about human nature that makes people a little bit jealous when they see us excel? People are just like crabs in a bucket; family, can be like crabs in a tall bucket with a lid on it! If you ever have the chance to observe this behavior, do so…it’s fascinating.

Have you ever had anyone speak to you in a tone that made you feel uncomfortable? And yet, you said nothing. Have you ever done something for someone or with someone that you really didn’t want to do? And yet, you did it anyway, only to become resentful later. Every time you say nothing, every ...

According to James F. Byrnes, “Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity.” I absolutely agree with him. The proverb “Seize the day (moment)” was coined by the Roman poet Horace (circa 20 B.C.) who wrote in The Odes: “Carpe Diem, quam minimum credula postero.” (“Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow.”) Now it’s used more often in the sense “take charge” … take advantage of the opportunity ... don’t procrastinate … DO ‘IT’ NOW! What IT?

A clear mind is the only state of mind worth being in. It enables you appreciate what’s actually happening around you and places you in a position to act – rather than react, which is the normal response of so-called normal people. A clear and focused state of mind alerts you to the opportunities of the moment so that you can grasp them. On the other hand, a normal muddled mind won’t notice opportunities at all. And a clear mind, focused in the here and now enables your subconscious lead you towards what you want out of life.

Very often I find it difficult to explore some of the key concepts in what might loosely be described as personal development or self improvement, given that ordinary language and words prove wholly inadequate. For example, do the words ‘universal energy’ adequately capture the reality that you and I are simply vibrating energy, that we live in a world and universe comprised solely of vibrating energy and that all that energy is highly responsive? Does the sobriquet ‘Law of Attraction’ mean different things to different people?

I get a lot of questions about how to get a publisher. I have strong feelings about this. You will send your manuscript to publishers that you can convince to receive it. It will sit there for months, even years, and nobody will read it. And if they do, they will want you to completely re-write ...

Are you sick and tired? I was. As a matter of fact, I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. At the young age of 32 I was a divorced, educated but under appreciated black male who's sole purpose in life was to make it through the day. Not only had I had lost my desire in life, I was questioning my very existence. Why would I voluntarily choose to get through another day, only to fail at life once again and go to bed alone again? It seemed to be all for nothing.

“Good habits, once established are just as hard to break as are bad habits” Robert Puller Habits add enough structure to change life drastically long term. Picking up one new good habit a month leads to 12 improved habits over a year and 60 in 5 years. Even half of that could change behavior that leads to significant results. What kind of impact would that have on your career, business, goals, relationships, health, finances, etc.? How would your quality of life be different? Aristotle explained, “We are what we repeatedly do.

A qualified and competent personal injury atto ey knows the qualifications for a personal injury lawsuit or case. Knowing the qualifications for a lawsuit is very important because there are claimant who gets wonder whether they are entitled to file a lawsuit or not. Having a qualified and competent atto ey for injury does not just give you a knowledge regarding the qualifications of your claims for a lawsuit but it can also give you a chance that your claims can be send to c

Probably one of the hardest things we must do as leaders is to stay positive when everyone else around us is negative. It’s not easy to maintain a positive attitude and not be drained or consumed by the negativity that surrounds you. But as a leader, that’s exactly what you must do. ...

Raising your level of consciousness is one of the most important endeavors you could ever undertake. People try a lot of things to make them happy. Some seek money, others power and prestige. In the end they all seem to find the same key principle: happiness isn't found in exte al things. Rather than seeking outside, you have to go in. Happiness comes from how you see the world, which is synonymous with your level of consciousness.

Let's say you pick up a box of cookies at a supermarket because the packaging catches your eye. It looks upscale, gourmet, delicious. But, when you open the package and try one of the cookies, you're disappointed. The cookies don't taste terrible, mind you, but they don't taste any better than the less expensive cookies with the average packaging. You may have fallen prey to the packaging once, but it's highly likely you'll never buy those cookies again.

How many of you are currently doing public speaking? If so, how many of you will start presenting your topic at the very beginning because you are afraid of time overrun? Here is my opinion. Even though I have only 60 minutes to present a topic, I will still spend at least 7 to 10 minutes to set up a few rules to be used in my presentation. This is done regardless of whether the training is conducted in my training room or someone else’s training room.

In my work as a professional coach, I've had the opportunity to interact with hundreds of individuals. I've found that people who are successful and fulfilled share common characteristics.

Have you ever asked yourself how come some people accomplish almost everything they dream about and other seem to struggle on every step they take? How come some people seem to go straight to the top and others remains their all life at the bottom straggling to get by? Actually, do you know what puzzles me? Every time when I ask someone from the second category how come others have success I get more or less the same answers? "They are just luckier" orrn"They are more educated" orrn"They come from different environment" orrn"They had some money to start with" orr

What I wanted to address here is a question: – “Would the world be in a better place if we all just said Yes more”. Yes to what? Well yes to everything. Just saying yes more. My personal feeling is the answer is Yes…the world would be better if we all said yes more…..well probably. So let’s take a look at it in more detail. Saying yes would make a more positive and helpful world. If a stranger asked you to help with taking some shopping to their car you would. You wouldn’t g

Anyone out there got the guts to do it? I mean, is anyone "brave" enough to create and lead a team of like-minded people towards the kind of exceptional business success that one only sees, if one is lucky, once in a career? I've spent the last couple of weeks talking to and working with business people - I heard a lot of anecdotal evidence which proves the old adage that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Highly placed executives falsifying new business projections whilst lining their pockets based on their lies.

There’s no need to wait for big things to happen to live life to the fullest. Living life to the fullest is as easy as finding joy in small as well as large things. You can experience joy just by changing your attitude. This year and every year my family made the trek to South Jersey to ...

Many people have said this to me - what exactly they're expecting it to do for them, however, is the rock that they think they're perishing on. Re-read that sentence - it's a loaded one. Our own thoughts and expectations can present a barrier to what we do in life. We know this already from everyday experience. Our inner barriers are well documented throughout the history of psychology. We trip ourselves up with our own useless thoughts. And, all too often, we bring our useless thoughts on meditation to our meditation.

Throughout history, those living above the ordinary, those exceptional, auspicious individuals who have been fortunate enough to have developed their talent and creative ability-have enlisted the help of coaches. Why? Coaches help them to stay on top of their game. High achievers recognize they need someone who is objective in their point of view, have the ability to recognize patterns of mistakes, and also keep them motivated-to stay clear, focused, sharp, and always moving forward.

I hear from quite a number of people – clients and readers of my Personal Development Ezine – who tell me that they have become far calmer, more aware and focused as a result of the various little “mental exercises” that they undertake to banish stress and move themselves in the direction that they want their life to go. Indeed, I regularly get feedback from some clients who tell me that their lives have changed immeasurably and that they have seen some or many of their goals being achieved almost effortlessly – some have told me that it’s like ticking things off a shopping list!

From Jim Bouchard's book: Dynamic Components of Personal Power LIE #1: POWER CORRUPTS Bullshit! Power does not have a mind. Power is not capable of thinking or choice. Power is simply your capacity to achieve your goals and fulfill your desires. If your goals and desires are centered on ...

Your words may be saying one thing but your body may bengiving out a completely different message! Most of us are verynfluent in reading body language even if we don’t realise it. The actual words that someone uses only account for about 7%nof the message we receive with over the half ...

No one enjoys experiencing pain whether it is physical or emotional, but we all have to once in a while. The trick is learning how to recognize and handle the pain you feel so that you can make changes in your life. The tips below will help you turn your pain into positive, productive energy.nnChange your negative attitude towards pain.nWhen you hear the word “pain” what comes to mind? More than likely negative emotions and synonyms such as hurt are conjured up. Start thi

I was sent an article on lottery sales by a reader a couple of weeks back - how, the Texas State Lottery was heading for record sales of US$3.83bn this year. Yes, that's one State and that's billion, not million! You'll also see in the article that its the poorer people who spend a disproportionate amount of their income on lottery tickets.

Increasingly, I find myself talking to people who, until the pull themselves together, live in fear of the future. We might casually call it "worry" - we might even label it stress. But all it is is unchecked useless thought.

The normal mind is hard-wired to ensure that you will never find peace of mind. Research confirms that each of us is peppered with, on average, some fifty thousand thoughts each day. Many of these whizz through our field of consciousness at such speed that we don’t notice them. Then there are those that we do notice that are simply random – the kind of stupid things that distract us or make us lose our so-called train of thought.

What contribution will you make to your world? Who will you touch while you have this gift of life? The answers to these questions are waiting to be discovered. They live within you, and your life begins to flow once you learn to tap into them. This flow is engaged when you recognize and embrace the power and magnificence that exists in the core of your being. If you’re like most people, this core has been quiet, dormant perhaps. She won’t yell and scream to be heard. She won’t interrupt the frenzied activity in your life to get your attention.

Your Image, etiquette, communication and interpersonal skills can play a major role in the type of opportunities that come your way. Opportunities like increasing your earning potential, creating a circle of influence and the quality of your relations weigh heavily on how you present yourself to others. A potential client will, within seconds, determine if you are trustworthy and creditable.

Ever call up your girlfriend and start off with these words “Oh my Gaah, you are never going to believe what he did?” Chances are you've been in or you're in a relationship now where you get triggered. It's actually rather challenging to not be triggered when you're in a relationship, as we've all got some sensitive issues or buttons and when they're pressed, all of our personal development techniques that we thought we had nailed down go out the window. There we are engaging in some sort of emotional battle with our partner as an angry, hurt, or wounded little boy or girl.

Perioral Dermatitis is a condition that affects the skin of the face. Women are generally more affected by POD than men or children, though it does affect everyone. Even though Dermatologists call this condition “normal”, the person that is dealing with it feels anything but normal. When I was “afflicted” with POD, there were many days of tears, frustration, and despair! Days of looking in the mirror and feeling scared that actually this might never go away.

Picture this: You have met a new person recently and you are instantly “in love”. You want to spend all day and night with them. It feels as if you are drugged with this new person’s energy and you cannot get enough. You need your daily fix and will do whatever it takes to keep the feeling alive. You love every little thing about them and you don’t sensor yourself one bit in terms of how much time you want with them. Activities, hobbies, family and friends go by the wayside as the new romance takes over every part of your life.

Everyone, at some point of her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who finds the ‘silver bullet’ for weight loss? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships? Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust on the shelves jammed with self-help books.

On January 8, 2008, my beloved dog died. Gustavo was with me nearly thirteen years and during the most challenging and transformational cycle in my life. In the midst of this dreadful event in which he nearly drowned, strangers came from nowhere to assist in his departure. A remarkable ...On January 8, 2008, my beloved dog died. Gustavo was with me nearly thirteen years and during the most challenging and transformational cycle in my life. In the midst of this dreadful event in which he nearly drowned, strangers came from nowhere to assist in his departure.

The goal of an email subject line is to entice the reader to open the message. A smartly written subject line has a good chance of accomplishing that goal if it is eye catching, concise, and creates a strong sense curiosity. What are some simple guidelines for creating email subject ...

Winners Give Up Waiting for the Next Best Thing Sometimes the grass really looks green next door…doesn't it? How many people do you know that seem to bounce from one direction or idea to another, from one relationship to another, from one career to another, one marketing/ business plan or employee to another? Before they have really made an investment in their previous choice? Is it possible that we have become a society that is raised with such a sense of entitlement, that we expect everything to come easy?

What is abundance or richness? By Manfred Johannsenr Most people think of things when you ask people about abundance or richness. However, at the most fundamental level it is not a thing. It is a feeling you have. It is a feeling of overflowing of happiness. Without the sense of abundance in that sense of happiness, you will not feel abundance inside of you.r

Scientific Research Backs up What Access Consciousness Founder, Gary Douglas, Has Been Saying for Years by ACCESS ADMINISTRATOR on JUNE 3, 2011 Judgment is one of the greatest limitations to creativity, including creating your life, according to best selling author Gary Douglas, founder of Access Consciousness, a 20 year old self-awareness method offered in 25 countries world-wide. Whether you desire to be more creative you might consider changing the process of automatically judging that so many of us fall into.r

Each Monday morning, I recommend a self improvement book to my Personal Development Ezine readers. But I’ve decided to stop. I’ve come to the conclusion that self help, personal development or self improvement books – whatever you’d prefer to call them – don’t work. For starters, Forbes estimates that $11 billion was spent in 2008 (that’s the latest reliable figure that I can come up with) on self improvement books and products.

The real estate sector opens up a plethora of employment opportunities. Not only do you make good money, but you also have the liberty to work on your own. The following post explores employment options in the real estate sector. The real estate sector has the potential to offer a great career opportunity. Though there are ample challenges, a career in real estate is highly rewarding.

Goal setting skills are put into action by a great majority of productive, highly successful people. Yet many that would greatly benefit from goal setting practices, particularly in today’s challenged economy, seem to have a hard time implementing a goal setting practice. In this article I will ...

The issue of lack of concentration is not limited to young children only. Many adults complain about it and look for advice on how to increase concentration. During coaching sessions, I have come across many such requests and here are some tips that I found to be most effective. 1. Make a time plan - set up a schedule for the jobs to be done. The key is to balance, to allocate time appropriately to serious, difficult tasks like study, as well as to recreation... And stick to it. Avoid keeping very similar tasks together, so that your schedule has in-built variety to avoid boredom.

I’ve been listening to the news on the radio a lot more the past few weeks. I, like many of you have been following the debate over this Health Care Reform Bill. I’ve listened to both “conservative” radio and NPR. I find the disparity between the interpretations of “facts” fascinating. I have also listened to numerous people passionately, vociferously, registering their opinions. One such lady had worked herself into such fervor that she admitted she hadn’t slept in three days! Why?

I’ve just received an email from a reader who tells me that, after wasting many years on “normal” living and “normal” people, she is now determined to take the necessary steps to find peace of mind, contentment, happiness and success. Her use of the word “normal” refers to many of my articles and videos which explain that, in fact, so-called normal people are crazy. Years of research, when taken together, confirm just how crazy normal people are. In essence, the normal person’s life is controlled by their subconscious mind’s preference for dwelling on the past and the negative.

I got an interesting Tweet the other day from a fellow solopreneur who shared that Twitter was like her opportunity to hang out at the water cooler online. I realized how true that is. Often when you work in isolation, seeing only clients and connecting by events with colleagues, you can risk ...

SPIRITUALLY SPEAKINGnby Natalia Alexandria Spiritually speaking, we are remarkable creations of unlimited potential. We are spiritual beings of great imagination and fortitude, and are all bonded as we embark on this incredible jou ey called life. To my amazement, I didn’t think it ...

The foundation for developing personal power is Discipline. Simple; not easy. I almost started this article by saying, “Please forgive me if I’m going on a bit of a rant today.” Forget about it; I am going on a rant and I’m not asking for anyone’s forgiveness, ...