Moving Personal Development on to the next level

No one can doubt the positive impact that the personal development industry has enabled over the past 20-30 years. 

Nowadays anyone that wants to start increasing their awareness and take more responsibility for self determination has a myriad of books, videos, live events, recordings they can delve into.

Although an avid fan of "self development" I have felt for a while (as my own journey has unfolded) that the industry needs to start moving in a different direction... Or at least a new facet is now ready to emerge.

Personal Development is as the name suggests a very personal thing. It is predominantly about how you can change your thinking to become... More successful.

It seems to me that the emphasis is very much on assisting people to elevate themselves from 'the pack' to be 'the one' with the primary focus being that of, obtaining wealth... The measure of success being counted in terms of material possessions and money.


Maybe it didn't start like this, but the main players have definitely exploited it

Now I'm not saying that 'personal development' is itself responsible for what has happened here, but it certainly has been the driver I think for the majority of people that are attracted to it. Therefore I guess it is an industry that is just fulfilling a need, and as society is right now with our value being "what we have as opposed to who we are" it seems to have hit the mark.

This is why I think we are ready for a personal development industry 'shift', and one that I am happy to support. 

As I have grown personally I see that my goal is no longer material possessions, rather to be happy and doing exactly what I want in my life. Increasingly I am feeling that traditional Personal Development approach is in conflict with what I am seeking to achieve and judging by the conversations I am having of late, others do feel the same way.

time for a change in thinking? 

What might be an alternative approach?


I think we might have reached a point in time where people can continue to develop and grow but in a way that is "more interdependent than just independent" i.e. it's not all about me, and what I have and money... More about the quality of life, experiences and supporting each other. There is no doubt that whatever you do in life today, what we have come to rely on... food, transport, education, entertainment, energy... is the result of 'other people'... there is very little we are able to do on our own. Maybe it is time to get back in sync with what is actually happening... our need for community, to have others around us, and to recognise how important it is in all that we do.

This requires us to perhaps embrace the following ideas...
  1. Develop our self awareness and our thoughts
  2. Really identify with what we love doing
  3. Work out why we are here, what gives our life meaning
  4. Develop a strong sense of gratitude... We already live in abundance
  5. Determine how we can use our gifts to serve humanity in the most sustainable way possible
  6. Take no more than we need from Mother Earth
  7. Seek happiness through Love, Kindness and Peace

If we approached life from this perspective we could each become that ripple in the pond which accelerates the shift in consciousness we are beginning to witness. We are all connected and it is for us to be that change.

In South West Herts where I live there is a growing group of people who are working their way through the 7 items above... It is creating a beautiful environment in which to exist as each of us serves the others. No ego, no competition, no tension... Each of us recognising our own contribution and free from any pressure to meet the needs or expectations of others. 


In Conclusion


From my own experience over the past few years I can consolidate and summarise the focus of my own personal development in the 3 items below. This helps to pull together the 7 items above into ultimate objectives...
  • Be the best version of me I can be. We are all unique, there is no need for comparison or competition, just strive to be better than we were yesterday. Integrity sits at the heart of this.
  • Be the best human being I can be. Kindness, Compassion, and Love underpins everything. 
  • Through the meaning I give to my existence, take action and serve others with the gifts that I have been bestowed, in harmony with all that co-exists on this planet.
Many of the challenges we see today come from comparisons with others, jealousy, fear of not achieving, others doing better than us, victim mentality (someone else's fault) and generally having a low opinion of ourselves... Or... At the other end of the spectrum, unbridled Ego's running amok, a real sense of entitlement without contribution, and a real desire to demonstrate success through excess of everything.

Final words


It doesn't have to be like this... I believe it is 'time' for a different take on personal development.

Rather than looking to a single guru to have all the answers (not achievable), could we seek to deliver in a more collaborative way? 

Personal development is a multi faceted, and on going experience. Whatever the initial catalyst for change was, it needs continual encouragement, nurturing and support on a daily basis, this by default needs to be in the community and by local people. The by product would be conversations, stronger connections, and deepening relationships 


This creates sustainable renewed communities... From the grass roots up...


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