This week, I've been thinking about the miracle of Personal
Development. Investing in yourself, in your skills and
habits, in your education and self-discipline is basic to
every kind of success. And it isn't hard! In fact, most of
the time, it's fun. Personal Development opens doors!
At birth, humans are unusually helpless and ignorant
creatures. We can't feed or clothe ourselves. We can't
walk, talk or do arithmetic. But we are not mere lumps of
protoplasm, either! Every mother (and father) will tell you
each baby has a unique personality. Some sleep more, others
laugh more. Some cry more, some are especially curious,
some are cranky.
And then we start to learn. We learn to crawl, then to walk
and eventually, we climb onto furniture and counters. We
scare our parents to death! We learn to read and write, to
play with others, to ride bikes and explore our world.
Slowly, we find our way as budding young adults.
But then something very strange happens. Some of us keep
learning and exploring, taking risks and building things,
while others get out of school, get a job or get married or
buy a house, and our Personal Development slows or even
stops. We develop routines and habits, we get busy, we make
assumptions and. . .we fall into ruts. Sometimes those ruts
last until we die.
I find that very sad. I think it's a waste of human
potential. I think it deprives us of adventure while
depriving the world of the contributions we might have
made.
Don't do that!
I'll write more about this in coming weeks, but the truth
is that success in almost any endeavor is based on
mastering a small number of Fundamentals and an equally
small number of Skills. The Fundamentals have never
changed, although few seem to master them. The Fundamentals
of personal discipline, avoiding debt, managing our time
and energy, devoting ourselves to worthwhile goals and
clarifying our priorities have never changed. These things
are essential to living a good life.
The Fundamentals are neither difficult nor mysterious. But
they do require a lifetime of Personal Development. They
ask for our highest commitment. They demand that, when we
fall or fail, we pick ourselves up and get back on track.
There may be a thousand ways to phrase or word them, but
the Fundamentals are all around us. They can be observed
and studied and learned by watching any successful personal
we admire.
Personal Development is a lifetime dedication to a small
number of Fundamentals.
And what of the Skills for success in any particular
project? The specific skills are more varied, of course,
but usually they are equally few in number and can be
mastered by most. Sure, the skills for losing weight are
different than the skills to become a surgeon. The skills
for being a great parent are different than the skills to
fly a plane. But they are not mysterious!
If anyone else has done it, so can you.
Most of us know the Fundamentals. Or at least, we have some
clues about where to begin. Discipline and honesty, love
and kindness, clarity of purpose and simplicity have been
Fundamental for a thousand years. There is no mystery about
this! What is missing for many of us is a commitment to
mastering them. We fail to think clearly and to apply them
honestly to our own lives, in our own unique situation.
As for the Skills, these too, are easily grasped. Others
have led the way and left a path to follow. They've written
books, organized seminars and offered to mentor us.
Do you want to make more money? It's easy! Sure, the
economy is sluggish and government regulations may be a
problem. Sure, it takes time and we all have our excuses.
But the Fundamentals of discipline and desire, clarity and
creativity and service have not changed. And the skills are
all around us! Save a bit every month. Invest wisely. Start
a business or trade stocks. Buy real estate or gold or
teach what you know to students who are eager to learn. You
can increase your income and expand your net worth if you
master the Fundamentals and learn (and practice) the
Skills.
Do you want to learn French or travel the country in an RV?
Do you want to build homes or dance the Tango? Do you want
to improve your health or write a novel or do some other
great and marvelous thing? Personal Development is the key,
and it's largely free of charge!
Success is about mastering a few Fundamentals to simplify
and organize your life. Then learn and apply the Skills
that are unique to your chosen goal. This is not hard, it's
as easy as learning to walk and talk and terrify your
mother by climbing on the counter to get that cookie you
really, really wanted. If you could do it as a six-year-
old, you can do it now. And, we'll all celebrate and envy
you as an "over-night success!"
Development. Investing in yourself, in your skills and
habits, in your education and self-discipline is basic to
every kind of success. And it isn't hard! In fact, most of
the time, it's fun. Personal Development opens doors!
At birth, humans are unusually helpless and ignorant
creatures. We can't feed or clothe ourselves. We can't
walk, talk or do arithmetic. But we are not mere lumps of
protoplasm, either! Every mother (and father) will tell you
each baby has a unique personality. Some sleep more, others
laugh more. Some cry more, some are especially curious,
some are cranky.
And then we start to learn. We learn to crawl, then to walk
and eventually, we climb onto furniture and counters. We
scare our parents to death! We learn to read and write, to
play with others, to ride bikes and explore our world.
Slowly, we find our way as budding young adults.
But then something very strange happens. Some of us keep
learning and exploring, taking risks and building things,
while others get out of school, get a job or get married or
buy a house, and our Personal Development slows or even
stops. We develop routines and habits, we get busy, we make
assumptions and. . .we fall into ruts. Sometimes those ruts
last until we die.
I find that very sad. I think it's a waste of human
potential. I think it deprives us of adventure while
depriving the world of the contributions we might have
made.
Don't do that!
I'll write more about this in coming weeks, but the truth
is that success in almost any endeavor is based on
mastering a small number of Fundamentals and an equally
small number of Skills. The Fundamentals have never
changed, although few seem to master them. The Fundamentals
of personal discipline, avoiding debt, managing our time
and energy, devoting ourselves to worthwhile goals and
clarifying our priorities have never changed. These things
are essential to living a good life.
The Fundamentals are neither difficult nor mysterious. But
they do require a lifetime of Personal Development. They
ask for our highest commitment. They demand that, when we
fall or fail, we pick ourselves up and get back on track.
There may be a thousand ways to phrase or word them, but
the Fundamentals are all around us. They can be observed
and studied and learned by watching any successful personal
we admire.
Personal Development is a lifetime dedication to a small
number of Fundamentals.
And what of the Skills for success in any particular
project? The specific skills are more varied, of course,
but usually they are equally few in number and can be
mastered by most. Sure, the skills for losing weight are
different than the skills to become a surgeon. The skills
for being a great parent are different than the skills to
fly a plane. But they are not mysterious!
If anyone else has done it, so can you.
Most of us know the Fundamentals. Or at least, we have some
clues about where to begin. Discipline and honesty, love
and kindness, clarity of purpose and simplicity have been
Fundamental for a thousand years. There is no mystery about
this! What is missing for many of us is a commitment to
mastering them. We fail to think clearly and to apply them
honestly to our own lives, in our own unique situation.
As for the Skills, these too, are easily grasped. Others
have led the way and left a path to follow. They've written
books, organized seminars and offered to mentor us.
Do you want to make more money? It's easy! Sure, the
economy is sluggish and government regulations may be a
problem. Sure, it takes time and we all have our excuses.
But the Fundamentals of discipline and desire, clarity and
creativity and service have not changed. And the skills are
all around us! Save a bit every month. Invest wisely. Start
a business or trade stocks. Buy real estate or gold or
teach what you know to students who are eager to learn. You
can increase your income and expand your net worth if you
master the Fundamentals and learn (and practice) the
Skills.
Do you want to learn French or travel the country in an RV?
Do you want to build homes or dance the Tango? Do you want
to improve your health or write a novel or do some other
great and marvelous thing? Personal Development is the key,
and it's largely free of charge!
Success is about mastering a few Fundamentals to simplify
and organize your life. Then learn and apply the Skills
that are unique to your chosen goal. This is not hard, it's
as easy as learning to walk and talk and terrify your
mother by climbing on the counter to get that cookie you
really, really wanted. If you could do it as a six-year-
old, you can do it now. And, we'll all celebrate and envy
you as an "over-night success!"
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