Question: How have your efforts and investment in personal development helped or hindered your ability to get what you want out of life? - Lance P., Canada
Answer: This seems like an obvious answer at first, but I think I understand what you're getting at here, Lance. The word investment is a great choice, because a life geared toward personal development and personal growth can be an expensive one. There are many amazing products out there in the form of books and audio programs and there are seminars in person and online that are worth their weight in gold. There are also major scams out there and there are people who may want to help you improve but they also want to add to their loads of money.
Personally, I have not spent a great deal of money on personal development and I've never been to a seminar on the subject. I've watched videos of these seminars on YouTube and I've downloaded audio books on the cheap when possible. I've tried to pull from as many free sources as possible as well such as blogs. I have put in a lot of time, however, which I do feel has been well spent. When I first got out of college, I wasted a lot of time on television, drinking and hanging out with people who were much less ambitious than me. I want to be well-known as a popular blogger, author and comedian far and wide and that wasn't happening in the back of a bar.
It was my efforts at learning the secrets of personal development that have helped me to get closer to these goals. If it wasn't for the many hours that I put in, I would never have created this website, which is pulling in close to 600 people a day (with a lofty goal of 5,000 people each day by September 2012). Personal development has taught me about growing and living up to my potential. If it has hindered anything it has led to fewer social opportunities with old friends. Many of them are leading a completely different life than I am. I no longer have a 9 to 5 job and I no longer complain about the things that most people complain about, instead focusing on the best things that life has to offer.
Do I suggest diving into the subject head first like I did? It might not be a half bad idea. I think that personal growth makes it possible to build a better life for yourself and the sooner you do it, the sooner you'll get to that better life. Thanks a lot for your question, Lance!
