| I thought D.H. Groberg’s uplifting poem, The Race, would make a nice little,personal development pick me up today. No matter how many times I might read it, it always warms my heart, helps me renew my determination, and inspires me to press on toward the accomplishment of my goals. I hope it does the same for you.
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One of the techniques I use in Personal Development Coaching is to help clients gain proper perspective of their situation. When facing bad news, or experiencing failure on some level, focusing a little time on how things could be worse can go a long way toward helping you stay positive as you deal with unpleasant circumstances, as is the case in the following story. (it was sent to me by a friend – the author is unknown)
A father passing by his son’s bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to “Dad.” With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.
Dear Dad:
It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you.
Many people working on personal development, myself included, struggle with or have struggled with feeling inferior at one time or another.
What I have learned to do (and what I teach others who are on their own path of personal development) is to pay close attention to the words I use to describe myself, for example: When I answer questions about how my book promotion is coming, I don’t refer to myself with regard to the challenge I face, as a “small potato”, or “little fish”, or “just a nobody”, and so on… Instead, I describe myself as what I am, an unknown, self-published author. I explain how I am learning what it takes to become known by enough people in order to sell lots of books, possibly even making it to the best-seller List.
You see, the words we use, Read More
The other day I made a comment, on a personal development forum, where I explained that my motivation for training to compete in an ironman is to prove to myself, my children and others that, with enough effort, an ordinary person can achieve extraordinary results. In one of the replies, an individual stated he thought proving something was pointless to personal development, and furthermore, the need to prove something was an indication I was suffering from low self-esteem.
When I mentioned this to my wife, Andrea, she laughed and said, “The one thing you’re not suffering from, is low self-esteem!” Haha… I think anyone who knows me would agree. In fact, they might say I’m suffering from high self-esteem or too much confidence, because I honestly believe I can do anything!
I’ve been thinking about this for days now; it’s really been nagging at me. 
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In the world of personal development, transformational thinking is about looking at your life in terms of the person you are becoming each and every day; a person who is creating the circumstances of your life, not falling victim to them.
I asked a new client if I could share part of a conversation we had in a recent personal development coaching session and he agreed. He related to me that he had arrived at a point in his life where he felt stuck in a dead-end job and trapped in a loveless marriage. He shared further that he has felt this way for almost ten months now and doesn’t know if he should hang in there, or throw in the towel. I told him that most people feel that way at one time or another and that I too have felt that way.
“You?” he asked, “But you seem so together… with a great business, a beautiful family and so much freedom to pursue hobbies and volunteer. I doubt you could’ve had as rough a time as I’m having right now.”
“Don’t be too sure.” I said. “I went in the Army right out of High School, got married at age 20, had my first child at 22, got out of the Army at 25 and spent the next 2 years working as a laborer in construction and then as an iron-worker. I had another child in there somewhere and at age 28 my wife and I opened our first Subway. Three years later my business was on the brink of bankruptcy and my marriage was on the brink of divorce. Trapped and loveless??? How about that plus desperation and hopelessness weighing so heavily upon me that I could hardly breathe?”
He looked at me with a confused look then after a moment said, “I would have never guessed by looking at you today. How did you turn things around?”
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