Personal development, self growth, self improvement, self help or whatever you may like to call it-it refers to something of a higher plane. I like calling it personal development. In this article we’ll find out what actually it is?
The so called life skills training companies want you to believe that it’s all about different skills-analytical, logical, leadership (I hate this word) and communication.
(By communication skills they mean how fluent you are in conversing in English, as if the people who don’t speak English are not good communicators)
And yes-personal development is also about group discussion, conflict handling, facing interviews and what to wear when going for one (You know-what color underwear gels with what kind of trousers kind of stuff),getting a job and that’s it!
The Truth of these ‘Training Companies’
Let me tell you something that happened with me while I was trying to get into coaching business.
I was amongst the ‘chosen few’ for the post of freelance personality development trainers and was supposed to attend a one day training and orientation program in a life skills training company.
I went there with a lot of curiosity and optimism because those people uses one of the most respected and sacred word from Hindu philosophy as their company title.
Considering the sacredness of that word, I had pretty much high expectation from them.
But as soon as the session began, I found that they are not only disgracing that beautiful word but also making innocent students believe that the shit they are teaching is ‘Personal Development’.
And this is not just about that company, it is the story of most so called training companies. They are creating some shit curriculum which they call unique and selling it to the students and colleges in the name of personal development. It’s pathetic.
But I can understand their pain.
First-The people who are running these companies have no clue about personal development whatsoever.
Second-These companies are operating as puppets in the hands of college authorities-the people sitting in the chairs of directors, deans and chairpersons-They have got everything in place like- land, money and political power but lack common sense and emotional connect with their students. They have only one thing in mind-How to make money out of students? I am sorry to say this but this is the truth.
The Myth of Positive Thinking
Next comes our positive thinkers-you know the new age people-who believe that positive thinking is the end of the world. They say-personal development is all about positive thinking.
Well, again-positive thinking is not personal development. Yes! The path to personal development passes through it but it’s just a milestone in the journey.
Personal development is serious business-only those who are willing to take the risk and that too without any guarantee of success can walk down this path.
So what actually is Personal Development?
Personal development is-BEING YOUR OWN MASTER.
It means that you are able to use your mind as a tool, you are able to think when you want to and can stop thinking when you want to. You have TOTAL control over your mind.
Right now, your mind is controlling you. It is thinking negative or positive whenever IT wants. You have no power to stop it, it has made you impotent.
It’s driving you crazy like a car that you have no control over. You are at its mercy. It runs when IT wants to, stops when IT wants to, goes wherever IT wants to.
It has become your master.
Personal development is reclaiming your mastery over mind.
Here is a straightforward route map to walk down this adventurous path.
Step One
You become aware of the fact that mind has become your master and realize the need to reclaim your mastery.
Step Two
You start working to convert your thinking from negative to positive.
Step Three
You start succeeding in thinking positive and gain a little control over your mind.
At this stage you get glimpses of a higher world-A world you never knew existed. You don’t feel scared of the unknown because you know that help is there with you.
When you get stuck and need to make a choice between option A and B, you ask for guidance-Should I take this job or that one, should I marry this person or not, should I become a doctor or a golfer?
And you get to know what is right for you. You never go off track.
That feels awesome, but wait. That’s not the end. There’s more to it.
Step Four
Meditation.
You start watching your thoughts instead of getting identified with them and they start disappearing.
A day comes when there is none left.
Now you don’t think negative or even positive. You don’t ask which path to take. You walk down the right path without thinking for even a second. It happens on its own. There’s no need to look up to your mind for help anymore.
You become the cosmic intelligence itself.
You become your own master.
This is ‘Personal Development’.
Do you have it in you?