If you follow some of my stuff, you know that I just competed in a bodybuilding contest where I didn't place in the top 5, I hate the sport of bodybuilding, yet continue to pursue it.
In my video, I say it's because it's a personal challenge. But I'm starting to wonder if it's a little more than that. I'm wondering if it has more to do with personal development.
Are you talking about Tony Robbins and Joel Olsteen, self-help, positive thinking, raw, raw, B.S.?
Yes, and no. I'm actually a fan of Tony Robbins but don't know much about Joel Olsteen.
Regardless, I look at personal development a little bit differently. I think of it as a much bigger picture which includes things like positive thinking and learning about your internal psychology, but it also includes lots of other things. Actually, it encompasses your entire self - your thinking, your productivity, your finances, your behavior - everything.
For me, I think about the man I want to be. This man looks a certain way, acts a certain way, handles his business, handles his money, is a great dad and husband. He's healthy, he's confident, he's everything I want to be. To me, personal development means taking steps to become that man.
So that might mean listening to some Tony Robbins, it might also mean learning about Roth IRA's. It might mean placing poorly in several bodybuilding competitions but still continuing to compete because I haven't accomplished what I set out to accomplish. It might mean taking 2 minutes to talk to my daughters one-on-one and actually listen to what they are saying or it might mean reading a book on how to handle e-mails more efficiently.
I think self help and personal development get a bad rap - like it's not cool to want to improve yourself. I'm not sure I understand that. The older I get, the more I realize I need to be the best possible person I can be on that day. Obviously I have a lot of improvement to do and it's a slow process that probably has no end - but I think you're either moving towards that person you want to be or you're moving away from him.