One of the questions which comes up most when I talk to new clients, customers and colleagues is 'how did you get started with personal development?' and so I thought I would use this blog post to explain a little more about how personal development became my life!
I was fifteen years old when my Mum joined a network marketing company. Being her own boss came with many challenges including: mindset, organisation, time-management and resilience. Her team leader explained more about personal development books and she began to read a few. When my GCSE exams came around a year later, I ended up teaching myself through two of the four subjects I had focused on and suddenly I needed all of the skills my Mum had developed whilst running her own business. She recommended a book called "Attitude is Everything" by Jeff Keller - since then I've never looked back.
In my opinion, this book is one of the best, first books on personal development. I've read it multiple times and I take something new away from it each time. The message is simple, it's a short read and it's not too detailed or focused heavily on neuroscience - however it is based around many neuroscience concepts which I'll give you a summary of now.
Attitude is everything is a book based on a few key principles - success begins in your mind, self talk is key and putting yourself out there makes all the difference. In the first section of the book, Jeff explains the process of developing your mindset:
Your attitude is everything - practise GRATITUDE
You are a human magnet - use AFFIRMATIONS
Picture your success - VISUALISATION
Make a commitment - ALIGNMENT
Turn problem into opportunity - PERSPECTIVE
In the book, Jeff explains the five steps and includes examples and stories from himself and influential people from all over the world. I've added the words in capitals to link them to common practices we hear about a lot but might think, 'these won't work for me'. The thing is though, these basic practices DO work. I use them in my daily life and I can honestly say that by putting the teachings from this book into practise, I have become a better person for it professionally and personally.
The second part is centered around self-talk. A topic I LOVE because it's just so tactile. It just works. There is genuine neuroscience behind talking to yourself positively and seeing positive results so there really is no excuse for anyone to say that they won't give it a try. As I mentioned earlier, Jeff explains the concept without much of the neuroscience in place - that's what makes the book such an easy read. But essentially, the teachings from the book focus in on a part of the brain known as the Reticular Activating System (RAS) which takes your thoughts and words and turns them into beliefs, then actions and finally results. This section of the book totally encompasses the saying 'what you think about, you bring about'!
The final section of the book ties all of these practices together and pushes you to just get out and give it a go. Yes failure is inevitable at points, but if you pick yourself up and carry on then you will continue to grow. Essentially - practise the steps I mentioned above, confront your fears and surround yourself with positive people and you are on to a winner!
If you want to know more about my recommendations, please just reach out and I will be more than happy to send some suggestions across!
Believing IS just the beginning my lovelies - you just have to make a start!
Yorumlar