There are thousands of books published in the personal development field.
So why should you read this one? Because it's an...
Accessible. Practical. Integrative Framework.
Accessible: This book was not written from a Tibetan monastery or Princeton think-tank-- it was written by a transparent, plain spoken guy who is sharing what he has learned from both extensive reading and analysis and the lab of his own life. You won't need to haul out your dictionary or scratch your head and think, "Now what does he mean by that?"
Practical: This book gives more than just concepts- in each chapter there are practical exercises where you can put the concepts into direct doable action designed to kick-start growth and change in your life. I dare you to read this book and not find a dozen ideas that will REALLY WORK in your life immediately.
Integrative Framework: I've read other books that helped me with organization or work or approach to life or understanding myself. They were helpful, but they dealt with only one component of my life. One the other hand, Personal Development for Smart People gave me an overall framework that let me see a complete picture of my growth as a person, and allowed me to integrate those other good ideas and books into the framework. This allowed me to utilize all my resources more effectively and see where they fit into my life as a whole.
What's inside......
In the introduction, Steve sets out the question,
"What does it mean for us to grow as conscious human beings, and how do we intelligently guide that process?"
He answers that there are three universal principles: truth, love & power. The goal of the book is, "to teach you how to bring all areas of your life into alignment with these universal principles." He starts out with chapters on each principle, its components, common blocks to it, and ways to increase it in your life. Each chapter contains clearly written insights, engaging personal experiences, and practical exercises.
He next devotes chapters to principles he derives from the first three, which include oneness (truth+love), authority (truth+power), and courage (love+power). He caps it off with a chapter on intelligence, which he defines as the integration and mastery of all six principles.
After a discussion of the principles, he moves to application. There are chapters on how to apply each principle to the areas of habits, career, money, health, relationships, and spirituality.
What did I like about this book?
-I love that it is an integrative framework that I can fix in my head and use to structure my insights and actions about personal growth.
-The three basic principles are solid and I was immediately able to apply them to my own life. They echo the three principles that the Apostle Paul once wrote, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
-The book has given me insight and motivation to make some real, substantial changes in my life. I currently am in week 2 of getting up at 5am every morning (even weekends), exercising a half hour a day, and not eating dessert or red meat. I've lost 7 pounds, crafted an effective life purpose statement and feel greater clarity and productivity.
What came up short?
-Steve's principle of "oneness" is not a universally accepted principle in the same category as truth, power, & love. For Steve, this belief serves him because he rejects the idea of a Judeo-Christian Creator God. For me, knowing that I am a loved child of an omnipotent Sovereign works better than thinking I am one with everything else in the world.
-Some of the application chapters were strong (money was especially helpful to me), but others such as relationships, health and spirituality again strayed more into aspects of Steve's personal worldview than universally accepted principles.
Overall, Personal Development for Smart People is a great read and a fantastic resource. There are some parts you will likely not agree with, but there's a lot of gold to be mined and effectively used in your life. I've read it twice in two weeks, and already given two copies to friends. Highly recommended
Buy new:
$18.99$18.99
FREE delivery: Wednesday, Feb 15 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.
Ships from: Amazon.com Sold by: Amazon.com
Buy new:
$18.99$18.99
FREE delivery: Wednesday, Feb 15 on orders over $25.00 shipped by Amazon.
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
Buy Used: $14.77
Buy Used:
$14.77
Have one to sell?
Other Sellers on Amazon
Added
Not added
$19.74
& FREE Shipping
& FREE Shipping
Sold by: MyPrepbooks
Sold by: MyPrepbooks
(445 ratings)
97% positive over last 12 months
97% positive over last 12 months
In Stock.
Shipping rates and Return policy Added
Not added
$18.65
+ $3.99 shipping
+ $3.99 shipping
Sold by: Prime Deals, USA
Sold by: Prime Deals, USA
(1327 ratings)
85% positive over last 12 months
85% positive over last 12 months
In stock.
Usually ships within 3 to 4 days.
Shipping rates and Return policy Usually ships within 3 to 4 days.
Added
Not added
$25.16
& FREE Shipping
& FREE Shipping
Sold by: BookExcellence
Sold by: BookExcellence
(2043 ratings)
87% positive over last 12 months
87% positive over last 12 months
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Shipping rates and Return policy 
Add to book club
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Flip to back Flip to front
Follow the Authors
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
OK
Personal Development for Smart People: The Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth Paperback – October 15, 2009
by
Steve Pavlina
(Author)
| Price | New from | Used from |
- Kindle
$1.99 Read with Our Free App - Hardcover
$35.0018 Used from $3.05 5 New from $30.00 - Paperback
$18.9924 Used from $3.57 15 New from $16.33
Enhance your purchase
Despite promises of "fast and easy" results from slick marketers, real personal growth is neither fast nor easy. The truth is that hard work, courage, and self-discipline are required to achieve meaningful results-results that are not attained by those who cling to the fantasy of achievement without effort. Personal Development for Smart People reveals the unvarnished truth about what it takes to consciously grow as a human being. As you read, you'll learn the seven universal principles behind all successful growth efforts (truth, love, power, oneness, authority, courage, and intelligence); as well as practical, insightful methods for improving your health, relationships, career, finances, and more. You'll see how to become the conscious creator of your life instead of feeling hopelessly adrift, enjoy a fulfilling career that honors your unique self-expression, attract empowering relationships with loving, compatible partners, wake up early feeling motivated, energized, and enthusiastic, achieve inspiring goals with disciplined daily habits and much more! With its refreshingly honest yet highly motivating style, this fascinating book will help you courageously explore, creatively express, and consciously embrace your extraordinary human journey.
- Print length280 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHay House
- Publication dateOctober 15, 2009
- Dimensions6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
- ISBN-101401922767
- ISBN-13978-1401922764
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
- +
- +
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Steve Pavlina is widely recognized as the most successful personal-development blogger on the Internet, attracting more than two million monthly readers who value his unique insights. Instead of posing as a self-help guru with all the answers, Steve encourages people to fearlessly conduct their own personal growth experiments in order to learn through direct experience. He has written more than 700 free articles, often challenging his readers to question what they’ve been taught and to consider alternative perspectives. Blue-eyed, colorblind, and left-handed, Steve is the voice of recessive genes that seek creative expression instead of social conformity.
Limited-Time Offer
3 Months FREE of Audible Premium Plus. Get this deal
Product details
- Publisher : Hay House; Illustrated edition (October 15, 2009)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 280 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1401922767
- ISBN-13 : 978-1401922764
- Item Weight : 13.1 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #671,869 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,781 in Success Self-Help
- #12,910 in Motivational Self-Help (Books)
- #14,248 in Personal Transformation Self-Help
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Steve Pavlina is widely recognized as one of the most successful personal development bloggers on the Internet, with his work attracting more than 100 million visits to his website. He has written more than 1300 articles and recorded many audio programs on a broad range of self-help topics, including productivity, relationships, and spirituality.
Steve has been quoted as an expert by the New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, the Los Angeles Daily News, Self Magazine, The Guardian, and countless other publications. He's also a frequent guest on popular podcasts and radio shows.
Steve currently lives in Las Vegas and travels often.
Customer reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
351 global ratings
How customer reviews and ratings work
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 1, 2008
43 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 10, 2008
Steve Pavlina is a huge inspiration in my life. I am writing this web page because of him. Steve is the creator of the web site [...] His web site is named Personal Development for Smart People and that is also the title of his new book.
Steve was kind enough to convince his publisher to give away about 420 free review copies of his new book to bloggers and web page owners that could prove they were trying to write something.
So, I got a free book, that I would have bought anyway, (THANKS!) and I also get to review it on my web page (which I would have done anyways....THANKS again!) and not only that...if Steve feels my review provides value to the world...he will link to my site....(OMG!!! THANKS!)
The link is a huge boon to a web page like mine, because Steve's site receives about 2 million hits per month, so here is hoping I provide a lot of truth, love and power alignment with this review...but wait...I might be jumping ahead a little.
Personal Development for Smart People: First impressions
I was really excited to get this free book to review...and of course excited to read what Steve would put in a book. I read this book in about two weeks, but I was more than half through it in the first two days.
I was able to read it while riding on the Metro during my commute...so that was about two hours of reading for a couple of days. Before I got the book, I was worried that I would have trouble finishing the book before the the end of October...it's the 2nd of October and I finished yesterday.
I think you can tell by now, that I am a Steve Pavlina fan, so I am doing my best not to sound too "gushy" with praise...but I have to admit the truth...I have a hard time being objective or critical with anyone...and Steve is kind of a hero of mine, so I will probably sound like a Fan Boy during this review...
...I will do my best to point out aspects I didn't resonate with or disagreed in the book.
Personal Development for Smart People: Part I
The book is divided into two Parts. This page will focus on Part I, and I will cover Part II on a separate page.
Part I is about the Fundamental Principles of Personal Development which are:
Primary:
1. Truth
2. Love
3. Power
Secondary:
4. Oneness (Truth + Love)
5. Authority (Truth + Power)
6. Courage (Love + Power)
7. Intelligence (Truth + Love + Power)
Now, on the surface, this doesn't seem all that new. Most books of this sort, use some sort of framework to outline and provide structure to the ideas in the book.
Steve's outline in Part I provides the framework and is echoed (a lot!) through out the whole book...this might sound tedious...but I liked it.
One of my complaints with other Personal Development books, is that there is so much to remember....with Steve's ideas you can read the book and then remember a couple key questions that will help you in any situation...i.e.:
"Where is the heart in this?"
"Am I aligned with truth, love and power?"
That's cool...I like "easy to remember".
Steve is working from a highly conscious state all the time. So, he is as close to a "Whole Brain" thinker that I have ever come to know.
Steve started out his life as a primary left-brain logical type thinker...but over the years, he developed his right-brain intuitive/creative side as well.
This "blending of the brains" type of thinking, along with a deep knowing and love of himself and others, allows him to happily and lovingly give of himself everyday.
I don't consider myself a whole brain thinker...I use one brain at a time for the most part...but I am working on it.
I have said before that one of my goals in life is to wake up and want to enthusiastically jump out of bed and be honestly excited to go to WORK! Steve does this everyday of his life!
Try to imagine how cool that would be to live like that for ONE day...and then realize you COULD do it everyday...that is real life inspiration right there baby!
His spirit shines brightly through on all the pages of this book (as it does on his web page) and it is challenging and simultaneously inspiring.
Personal Development for Smart People: Truth
I was most challenged by the chapter on truth...the truth about myself. Admitting the truth to myself is not an easy thing to do...but Steve let me know that step one is just to accept the truth even if I don't have the power to change in right now...
..I can work on making it better for the rest of your life...but at least look at myself in the mirror and admit the truth...the whole truth about myself and accept it as is.
Here is short quote from Chapter 1...simple and yet very powerful:
"Genuine personal growth is honest growth. You can't take shortcuts through the land of make-believe . Your first commitment must be to discover and accept new truths, no matter how difficult or unpleasant the consequences may be. You can't solve problems if you don't admit they exist. How can you achieve a fulfilling career if you won't admit that your current job is wrong for you? How can you improve your relationship situation if you refuse to accept that you've been feeling empty and alone? How can you better your health if you won't accept that your current habits don't serve you?
I love that paragraph...it reminds me of what this Air Force Colonel who was talking about a person that was going to be discharged from the Air Force for being over weight. He said as if he was the person being discharged,
"I want to stay in the Air Force...if I could just put down this piece of pizza!"
I think if the person really wanted to stay in the Air Force, they would have lost the weight...perhaps, they truly wanted to get out.
I faced some truths about me...I wanted to cut down on my drinking...I want to be an "Event" only drinker for now...not a beer after work guy.
I don't have problem with beer...I just don't like that habit...I gain too much weight and if I drink more than a couple, it is harder to get out of bed and ride my bike.
So, if I limit my drinking to event only the I can plan to tend to the hang over on a day off and still try to get a work out in later on in the day...that's not perfect either...but it's better.
Steve also makes a lot of suggestions for clearing potential "Blocks to Truth".
My favorite is media fasting.
"A great way to reduce the impact of media conditioning is to go on a 30-day media fast. For 30 days straight, keep the television turned off and avoid all newspapers, magazines, and online media sources. Unplug yourself completely and see what happens."
I stopped watching most TV around 2003 when we moved to LA from England. Cable was just to expensive, so we get very basic cable bundled with our internet (local channels only...no ESPN even...or CNN).
We watch TV via Netflix on DVD and online.
My life is much better after cleaning out all the advertisements...I just don't need to hear about new products to make my life better...I'm good.
I never liked newspapers or magazines...I get a ton of them...but I rarely read them...they came from from left over frequent flyer miles...now we have stacks of unread magazines in the house...great!
I read online news, the Motley Fool, and I really like Sirius Radio...music with no commercials! I also get my NFL radio broadcasts for all the games (that I can take in the car) and Deepak Chopra all day on Saturday.
Personal Development for Smart People: Love
The love chapter is awesome...I tried to write a page about love and it is just funny...but Steve does a great job of defining love and recognizing it's fundamental importance in life.
Here is a small quote to let you sample what I am talking about. This is the opening paragraph of Chapter 2: Love.
"Love is the second principle of personal development. Obviously love is an emotion, but it is much more than that. One of the fundamental choices you face in every encounter is the choice to approach or avoid. You can try to connect with people, or you can pull away from them. You can immerse yourself in your day's work, or you can procrastinate. You can approach any person, place, or thing with the intention to connect, or you can remain aloof and keep your distance. The decision to connect is the essence of love."
When I was reading "A course in miracles" I went through a "transitional phase" in my life.
For a long period time...many months...I loved everything and every moment...I projected love all the time and saw love coming back at me as well.
This time was a huge amount of fun...I actually performed everyday miracles at work and had a great time doing it.
One time (...but not a band camp...it was at my Former Air Force IT job) I had to swap out a voice mail server. The old server broke...but my predecessor choose not to buy the service contract.
I needed a new server, so I arranged for the service contract with the voice mail service provider.
So, while the check was in the mail so to speak...the service provider sent out a new server for us to install, but could not send out a technician to install it until the contract was finalized and paid...but I needed to get the voice mail working again.
I figured...meh...how hard can it be? I don't need to know what to do or what to say to work a miracle...I just need to want what I want and show up and see what happens.
So, I asked one of my new troops to help me...she had less experience in computers than me...but she was very mature and fun to be around and I figured it would take some time and I wanted some company and a hand to talk on the phone in case I need to call the service provider.
Right away, I found a CD with documentation which outlined the whole procedure. We would have been done before lunch if I hadn't missed a small step in the procedures and forgot to write down a password. The only way to re-set the password was to do it all over again...no big deal, just took the rest of the day.
I loved that day...my troop was amazed...and frankly I was to. It was really easy and a lot of fun to just "jump of the cliff" and see what happens.
Now, I understand that this is not a world class event...but so what?...there was a task in front of me, that in the past world have caused me to be fearful and most likely procrastinate as long as possible...
...but because of my love projection miracle mind set...I just accepted and thought..."what's the worst that can happen?
Really the answer to the question was..."we still won't have voice mail" and since we didn't have voice mail at the time...the downside was the same as doing nothing...so any success would be great and if we didn't figure it out...at least we would have learned something.
Steve would say that I aligned with love and immersed myself into the project...I loved it until it was finished...and that is a true statement.
Reading Steve's book reminded my how fun and exciting life can be when you align with love...I need to do that more often.
Personal Development for Smart People: Power
"Power is the third principle of personal development. It is you ability to consciously and deliberately create the world around you. When your power is weak, you can't effectively satisfy your needs and desires, and you become a victim of your own environment. When your power is strong, you successfully cultivate a life of your own choosing, and your environment reflects it."
This is the first paragraph of Chapter 3, Power...I love that definition. He later lays out a challenge again saying:
"The triad of truth, love, and power and can serve as an incredible force for good. When honest, compassionate people remain powerless, and only dishonest, uncaring people acquire power, we all suffer for it. The world is well served when those who are aligned with truth and love gain the third element. If you can be such a person, then I encourage you to consciously develop your power, since that decision benefits us all."
When put in this light, I fell compelled to work more consciously to develop my power...not just for me...but to help my country and the world shift from a fear and dishonesty based system of power to a truth and love-based system of power.
Steve also describes a person like me. I am a person that is aligned with truth and love but I don't have much power. I have more power than some people, but not much "worldly" power...which Steve is talking about.
Last night I watched Michael Moore's new film called "The Slacker Uprising" about how Michael "almost" got enough votes in 2004 to get John Kerry elected.
It's a fun movie to watch...and my wife couldn't believe that Kerry lost...I know he did and the movie was set in the past, but the number of people that Michael Moore inspired to vote (mostly for Kerry) was quiet staggering.
So, why did he fail?
Was Michael Moore fully aligned with the truth? Maybe...maybe not. Was he fully aligned with love....maybe...maybe not.
He definitely aligned with POWER. In 2004, on college campuses...Michael Moore was like a Bob Dylan or a John Lennon...there were girls asking him to sign their boobies (I think I would have...but he declined...boo!).
Perhaps, people that are fully aligned with all three of these principles will help successfully turn our country and our world toward truth, love and power (or TLP for short.)
Personal Development for Smart People: Oneness
"Oneness is the principle that results from combining truth and love. Whereas love is the ability to connect by choice, oneness is the recognition that being connected is your natural state. Love is choosing to connect. Oneness is knowing you're already connected. Oneness has no specific target; its omnidirectional feeling of connection to everyone and everything at the same time. Oneness is pure unconditional love."
Oneness is the first of the secondary principles. Steve tells a brief story about his first experience of oneness.
I had a similar experience again, while I was reading and doing the exercises within the course of miracles.
Steve says that once you have had an experience of true oneness, you are forever changed...and I agree with him. After I experienced the knowing that I am not contained by my body and am connected to everyone and everything, I have forever transformed into a new entity...
...I became a butterfly...as Jed Mckenna might say...or I might say "I am cookies" if I am in a Buffy sorta Joss Weedon kinda of mood.
I still need to meditate for a few moments to remember oneness...but I don't need to say ahh for 20-30 minutes...I can remember the truth of oneness in a few quite moments sitting at my desk at work.
When I am tired, hungry, or emotional...or intensely focused on a task...I might tune out of the fact of oneness and act a little less connected, but I have not forgotten the truth of oneness...I have just turned down the volume of the oneness radio station.
Steve suggests some activities that might help me experience oneness, such as:
A form of meditation called "Oneness World" where you "...imagine what it would be like to live in a world where everyone lives in alignment with oneness."
He also suggest that I spend time in nature...which is neat...because I already do that one. I love being out in the world, and in nature. I even love being in the concrete jungle some times...but I really prefer nature.
The sounds and smells of nature always rejuvenate my spirit and help me turn up the oneness radio dial.
Steve also suggests physical contact...I have this one down as well...my friends know that I don't need a beer to want to hug someone...but if I have a few beers then the hug monster is really strong and powerful...very few people have the ability to escape the hug monster in full force.
I also hug my wife as often as possible...hugging and other physical contact...reminds us that we are connected and one...without really being consciousness of why we are making the contact.
Look at sports teams. Those folks are always touching each other...because touching helps them tune in too each other and increase their performance and their ability to "sync up".
Just the other night I experienced a little "oneness" in my life...it happens to me quiet a bit, but this was sort of special.
Steve does Personal Development for Smart People...I might do PD for Drunk people...I have many experiences while meeting people in bars.
So, I rode my bike to the beach, to get in touch with nature...really...then after listening to the waves crash, I remembered that I was close to a favorite bar of mine that has a lot great microbrew beer (I no Steve doesn't drink...and I do...I'm ok with that.)
While at the bar, I meet a great couple, and we start jamming out to the blues/rock band and they invite me to their table and we start talking.
After a while, I think...wow...I need to leave if I am going to make it home on my bike without getting killed on the way home...so I start getting ready to go.
The couple then offers me a ride in their truck if I stay...so I thought...oh what the hell.
After that, we really started sharing and I found out that he is still feeling a lot of pain from discovering his son after he had committed suicide years ago...I didn't say much...but I said death was an event...not a real state and that he could let him go and he will always be with him.
We all cried and got another beer...then I got a ride home and we exchanged phone numbers.
These are the types of experiences I have had since connecting to oneness.
I had mild hangover they next day...not to bad...but that is the payment for drinking...not really worth it...I know, I'm working on that.
I was kicked out of the same bar a long time ago, for talking to another dude's girl friend...I honestly don't remember what I said...I had to much to drink...but her boy friend didn't like what I said and the bouncer very kindly asked me to leave...
...so I left...I waited outside for my ride and then had to go back in to close out my tab.
I vaguely remember that the girl was crying in her beer about the way her boyfriend treated her...it is interesting that drunk people talk to strangers in bars about things they won't share with their best friends...or boyfriends.
I'm not sure if the booze does this...or a connection to oneness...or both.
Personal Development for Smart People: Authority
"Authority is the principle derived from truth and power. Truth without power accomplishes nothing. Power without truth generates wasted action. The principle of authority teaches you to purposefully blend knowledge and action to produce intelligent results.
When you live without authority, your default behavior is to squander your time. You may acquire some knowledge, but you won't apply it well. You may take some action, but your movements will be chaotic and unfocused. You have the potential to live a powerful, self-directed life of your choosing, but until you step into your true authority, this potential remains a fantasy."
I really like the How to Increase you authority section of this chapter...there are only three sub-sections: 1) Orchestrate Small Rebellions 2) Triage 3) Experiment.
"A small rebellion is an act of free will with minimal negative consequences"
I love doing small rebellions...like when I tell people that I enjoy being in traffic on the freeway after work...because I am alone and it's quiet...which is true...I enjoy the quiet time alone...but most people just HATE traffic.
I don't watch much TV...or listen to the news. I don't get upset about little things that go wrong...but I do my best to empathize with other people feelings.
Steve tells a story about how when he was a kid, he turned in math homework done in crayon...that's funny and cute...but a little annoying...his teacher encouraged his creativity.
Some day, I am going to work without matching my shoes and belt...I'm going to do it...just watch me!!!
Personal Development for Smart People: Courage
"...When your mind predicts a positive long-term outcome but a negative short-term outcome from a course of action, courage is required to bridge the gap. If you want to leave an unfulfilling relationship, quit an uninspiring job, or restore an unfit body to a state of health, the long-term outlook may be wonderful, but you can also expect short-term challenges as you transition. Courage is the application of power to break through short-term challenges in order to achieve long-term goals."
I work in an unfulfilling job. I use truth to accept that. I use courage to get up at 4:00 am most everyday to work on this web page, so I can create my new source of income.
I have a fulfilling relationship with my wife, but I can use courage to make it better and to be more loving and connected.
My body is less than optimal (which is a nice way to say "unfit")...but three times a week I use courage to ride my bike 12 miles one way to work and about 7 miles home...that not only takes courage it also takes some Ben Gay sometimes!
Personal Development for Smart People: Intelligence
"Our universal principles give rise to the following definition of intelligence: Intelligence is alignment with truth, love and power. There is an elegant simplicity to this definition. In order to behave as a "smart person" in any area of your life, you must bring yourself into alignment with truth, love and power. If you use these principles to guide your life, you will live intelligently. When you violate these principles, you turn your back on intelligence."
So, the next time things don't go my way, I have a list of questions to ask myself:
Was I aligned with truth? Was I aligned with love? Was I aligned with Power?
Personal Development for Smart People: Part II Practical Application
In Part II, Steve really dives in with suggestions for real world things to experiment with...the inspiration and challenges still abound as well.
Throughout Part II, Steve applies the principles from Part I to each of the areas of your life in Part II.
For example, Chapter 8 is Habits, Steve has sub sections for each of the seven principles and how you can align your habits each principle.
Personal Development for Smart People: Habits
Steve starts out this chapter describing the benefits of habits, and how we really can't live without them.
For example, he reminds me that when I was a baby, I had yet to learn how to control my arms and legs...
...I'm sure this was a rather difficult endeavor that my little baby-self spent a large amount of time and effort trying to work out. Thankfully my mind saved all that work in habits (or sub-routines in computer lingo).
Now, I don't have think about moving my arms and legs...and frankly I don't even KNOW HOW to do it...I just do it...my mind-body remembers the sub-routine and I benefit from the habit.
The system of saving habits can also create some bad habits as well...we label those habits "addictions". I have already talked about my attempts to convert bad habits...so I will discuss how I have done with installing new habits.
For some reason, I don't like shaving in the morning. I think it has to do with me serving in the military for 20 years and being required to take up this habit.
Now that I am retired, I can skip shaving for a day or two and still go to work and that is acceptable...another thing I can do, is shave before I go to bed instead of part of my morning clean up routine.
I tried doing this while I was in uniform, but inevitably, five-o'clock shadow would show up after lunch instead of at five o'clock and I would feel "out of uniform"
This habit was rather easy to install, because I wanted to...but I still had to make a conscious effort to remember to do it before I went to bed...the upside was if I forgot...I went to work scruffy that day. :-)
Habits and Truth
"To apply truth to your habits, take a moment to assess the habits you're already running (<---see computer geek!). What are your best habits? What are your worst? Do you have any addictions? Do these habits serve you well or hold you back? Do they help you align with truth, or do you feel compelled to lie about them? What habits are you hiding? What habits are you most proud of?"
I still have addictions...I am working on ridding myself of tobacco (not very hard really, but I am working on it.)
I recently stopped drinking beer and wine after work or with dinner. I changed into an "event" drinker.
One of my favorite habits is getting up at 4:00 am basically everyday. Even if I was up really late the day before...I still get up. If I feel like I need to sleep more, I will stay up for a little while and then go back to bed...at least I maintained the "wake up" habit.
I have also started riding my bike to work, which is a lot of fun, but I am still perfecting that habit.
I really need to start working on my diet. Even though I am exercising quiet a bit, my weight is off the charts. I weigh more now than I ever had.
I have just recently (like this weekend) started experimenting not eating meat...it's not as difficult as I thought...you can usually find a bean burrito in California...I want to see if I feel better without meat...so far I do...after just a few days without meat.
This meatless idea was sort of a spontaneous experiment that I decided to try after feeling EXTRA bloated after eating a hamburger. I thought, "I wonder how I would feel now if that had been a veggie burger?" So the next day, I got the veggie burger...I felt (and feel) a lot better.
Habits and Power
"Bringing truth to your habits is an important step, but nothing will change if you don't take action. You must accept the greater truth that if you don't consciously and deliberately alter your habits, you'll continue reinforcing your existing patterns by default, and your predicted outcomes will likely come to pass. If you wish to improve upon those results, you must do whatever it takes to change your habits now, even if you expect the process to be brutally difficult. Facing a significant short-term challenge today is vastly superior to decades of regret."
Steve uses a metaphor of a chess game for attacking your problems. In chess, there is a early game, a middle game, and end game. You should approach bad habits (or new good habits) the same way. I like this paragraph about the early game of weight loss:
"...For example if you want to change your eating habits and loss weight, specific methods may include measuring food portions, keeping a food journal, buying extra fruits and vegetables, ridding your house of junk food, learning healthy recipes, keeping the television turned off at mealtimes, finding a diet buddy, joining a weight-loss group, buying a new scale, posting pictures of thin people to motivate you, avoiding situations where you tend to overeat, charting your progress, and so on."
...whew! If I did all of those in preparation to loss weight...I think it would be a foregone conclusion that it would happen.
List of 66 good Habits
Under "Habits and Authority" Steve lists 66 habits that you might try to install in your life, all of them described in about 3-5 lines of text...wow! You already know some of them, but as a small sample of habits:
(I paraphrased the first two of these and partial quoted the last one)
Daily Goals - Decide what do to; then do it
Worst First - Do the thing you dread the most first...everything after that will seem easy
"Peak Times - Identify your peak cycles of productivity, and schedule your most important tasks for those times..."
I use Peak Times to write this web page. I am most able and willing to write as soon as I get out of bed (after I make a banana, raw chocolate, flax, cashew butter smoothie...yummies!).
Personal Development for Smart People: Career
"The message of your career is at least as important as the medium. Your medium is how you express yourself, but your message is what you express. My message is about consciously growing as a human being, but I can express that same message through different media. I can write about it, speak about it, or even make a movie about it if I wanted to. Someone else could use these same media to express an entirely new message. For example, a doctor's message could about healing, compassion, scientific discovery, education, vitality, or a variety of other possibilities. Just because two people share a similar medium doesn't mean that they share the same message"
So, for me this web page is my medium, and my message is about shifting your (and my) consciousness.
My current "job" does allow me to express my message...just only the small amount of folks that work with me or near me get to benefit from my message...that's why I am working on changing my medium to this web page.
Steve says you should not confuse your medium with your message...your medium is bound to change many times during your life, whereas your message will remain largely unchanged.
Also, when you change your career, you can expect a significant income drop:
"The most important element of choosing the right medium is whether it's a good fit for your inner message". It's important to stay true to that message, even if you must endure a substantial pay cut. In order to transition from game development to personal development, I allowed by income to drop significantly, and my family made some sacrifices to support my decision as we cut back on expenses."...
"...Never allow considerations such as security, money, or fame to get in the way of the truth. Real security doesn't come from your job or position; it can only come from your alignment with truth, love and power. You'll explore money in more detail in Chapter 10, but for now just consider that the best way to optimize your income is to find a career medium that allows you to share your most important message. By sharing your message with others, you provide exactly the kind of value that can generate abundant income. And as for fame, if you do become famous, then let it arise from your alignment with truth, love and power, not because of a false image you've concocted."
Career and Love
In order to find your core message Steve suggests the process below:
"1. Take out a sheet of paper or open a blank word-processing document where you can type. I recommend the latter because its faster.
2. Write at the top: What is my true purpose in life?
3. Write an answer (any answer) that pops in your head. I doesn't have to be a complete sentence. A short phrase is fine. If your feeling nihilistic, begin with the answer: "I don't have a purpose," or "Life is meaningless", and to take it from there.
4. Repeat Step 3 until you write an answer that makes you cry. This is your core message."
I started doing this exercise, but I ran out time before I cried, so I will have to try again later.
For now, I am going to ask life what it wants me to do and see what happens.
My current message that I am working with is I want to help people learn to shift their consciousness and learn to be present in the moment.
I want to teach everyone that they can be excited to jump out of bed in the morning (whenever that is) and be excited to live the day in service to humanity however they see fit.
Career and Power
Steve is more than a little "in the face" of the reader here...I LOVE IT.
"Reasonable career choices will depend on your knowledge, skills, and talents; and it's up to you to proactively develop those abilities. You may have been born with few advantages, but you're perfectly capable of growing beyond the limits of your upbringing. If you didn't receive a good education, then educate yourself now. If you're starting off broke or in debt, then accept that as your reality, and work your out of it with disciplined effort. If you're surrounded by people who denigrate and criticize you for wanting more, leave them behind and build a new social group that will support you. Stay loyal to truth, love and power and you'll attract others of a similar nature.
(There is more, but I hit the text limit) Check [...] for the complete 2-part review.
Steve was kind enough to convince his publisher to give away about 420 free review copies of his new book to bloggers and web page owners that could prove they were trying to write something.
So, I got a free book, that I would have bought anyway, (THANKS!) and I also get to review it on my web page (which I would have done anyways....THANKS again!) and not only that...if Steve feels my review provides value to the world...he will link to my site....(OMG!!! THANKS!)
The link is a huge boon to a web page like mine, because Steve's site receives about 2 million hits per month, so here is hoping I provide a lot of truth, love and power alignment with this review...but wait...I might be jumping ahead a little.
Personal Development for Smart People: First impressions
I was really excited to get this free book to review...and of course excited to read what Steve would put in a book. I read this book in about two weeks, but I was more than half through it in the first two days.
I was able to read it while riding on the Metro during my commute...so that was about two hours of reading for a couple of days. Before I got the book, I was worried that I would have trouble finishing the book before the the end of October...it's the 2nd of October and I finished yesterday.
I think you can tell by now, that I am a Steve Pavlina fan, so I am doing my best not to sound too "gushy" with praise...but I have to admit the truth...I have a hard time being objective or critical with anyone...and Steve is kind of a hero of mine, so I will probably sound like a Fan Boy during this review...
...I will do my best to point out aspects I didn't resonate with or disagreed in the book.
Personal Development for Smart People: Part I
The book is divided into two Parts. This page will focus on Part I, and I will cover Part II on a separate page.
Part I is about the Fundamental Principles of Personal Development which are:
Primary:
1. Truth
2. Love
3. Power
Secondary:
4. Oneness (Truth + Love)
5. Authority (Truth + Power)
6. Courage (Love + Power)
7. Intelligence (Truth + Love + Power)
Now, on the surface, this doesn't seem all that new. Most books of this sort, use some sort of framework to outline and provide structure to the ideas in the book.
Steve's outline in Part I provides the framework and is echoed (a lot!) through out the whole book...this might sound tedious...but I liked it.
One of my complaints with other Personal Development books, is that there is so much to remember....with Steve's ideas you can read the book and then remember a couple key questions that will help you in any situation...i.e.:
"Where is the heart in this?"
"Am I aligned with truth, love and power?"
That's cool...I like "easy to remember".
Steve is working from a highly conscious state all the time. So, he is as close to a "Whole Brain" thinker that I have ever come to know.
Steve started out his life as a primary left-brain logical type thinker...but over the years, he developed his right-brain intuitive/creative side as well.
This "blending of the brains" type of thinking, along with a deep knowing and love of himself and others, allows him to happily and lovingly give of himself everyday.
I don't consider myself a whole brain thinker...I use one brain at a time for the most part...but I am working on it.
I have said before that one of my goals in life is to wake up and want to enthusiastically jump out of bed and be honestly excited to go to WORK! Steve does this everyday of his life!
Try to imagine how cool that would be to live like that for ONE day...and then realize you COULD do it everyday...that is real life inspiration right there baby!
His spirit shines brightly through on all the pages of this book (as it does on his web page) and it is challenging and simultaneously inspiring.
Personal Development for Smart People: Truth
I was most challenged by the chapter on truth...the truth about myself. Admitting the truth to myself is not an easy thing to do...but Steve let me know that step one is just to accept the truth even if I don't have the power to change in right now...
..I can work on making it better for the rest of your life...but at least look at myself in the mirror and admit the truth...the whole truth about myself and accept it as is.
Here is short quote from Chapter 1...simple and yet very powerful:
"Genuine personal growth is honest growth. You can't take shortcuts through the land of make-believe . Your first commitment must be to discover and accept new truths, no matter how difficult or unpleasant the consequences may be. You can't solve problems if you don't admit they exist. How can you achieve a fulfilling career if you won't admit that your current job is wrong for you? How can you improve your relationship situation if you refuse to accept that you've been feeling empty and alone? How can you better your health if you won't accept that your current habits don't serve you?
I love that paragraph...it reminds me of what this Air Force Colonel who was talking about a person that was going to be discharged from the Air Force for being over weight. He said as if he was the person being discharged,
"I want to stay in the Air Force...if I could just put down this piece of pizza!"
I think if the person really wanted to stay in the Air Force, they would have lost the weight...perhaps, they truly wanted to get out.
I faced some truths about me...I wanted to cut down on my drinking...I want to be an "Event" only drinker for now...not a beer after work guy.
I don't have problem with beer...I just don't like that habit...I gain too much weight and if I drink more than a couple, it is harder to get out of bed and ride my bike.
So, if I limit my drinking to event only the I can plan to tend to the hang over on a day off and still try to get a work out in later on in the day...that's not perfect either...but it's better.
Steve also makes a lot of suggestions for clearing potential "Blocks to Truth".
My favorite is media fasting.
"A great way to reduce the impact of media conditioning is to go on a 30-day media fast. For 30 days straight, keep the television turned off and avoid all newspapers, magazines, and online media sources. Unplug yourself completely and see what happens."
I stopped watching most TV around 2003 when we moved to LA from England. Cable was just to expensive, so we get very basic cable bundled with our internet (local channels only...no ESPN even...or CNN).
We watch TV via Netflix on DVD and online.
My life is much better after cleaning out all the advertisements...I just don't need to hear about new products to make my life better...I'm good.
I never liked newspapers or magazines...I get a ton of them...but I rarely read them...they came from from left over frequent flyer miles...now we have stacks of unread magazines in the house...great!
I read online news, the Motley Fool, and I really like Sirius Radio...music with no commercials! I also get my NFL radio broadcasts for all the games (that I can take in the car) and Deepak Chopra all day on Saturday.
Personal Development for Smart People: Love
The love chapter is awesome...I tried to write a page about love and it is just funny...but Steve does a great job of defining love and recognizing it's fundamental importance in life.
Here is a small quote to let you sample what I am talking about. This is the opening paragraph of Chapter 2: Love.
"Love is the second principle of personal development. Obviously love is an emotion, but it is much more than that. One of the fundamental choices you face in every encounter is the choice to approach or avoid. You can try to connect with people, or you can pull away from them. You can immerse yourself in your day's work, or you can procrastinate. You can approach any person, place, or thing with the intention to connect, or you can remain aloof and keep your distance. The decision to connect is the essence of love."
When I was reading "A course in miracles" I went through a "transitional phase" in my life.
For a long period time...many months...I loved everything and every moment...I projected love all the time and saw love coming back at me as well.
This time was a huge amount of fun...I actually performed everyday miracles at work and had a great time doing it.
One time (...but not a band camp...it was at my Former Air Force IT job) I had to swap out a voice mail server. The old server broke...but my predecessor choose not to buy the service contract.
I needed a new server, so I arranged for the service contract with the voice mail service provider.
So, while the check was in the mail so to speak...the service provider sent out a new server for us to install, but could not send out a technician to install it until the contract was finalized and paid...but I needed to get the voice mail working again.
I figured...meh...how hard can it be? I don't need to know what to do or what to say to work a miracle...I just need to want what I want and show up and see what happens.
So, I asked one of my new troops to help me...she had less experience in computers than me...but she was very mature and fun to be around and I figured it would take some time and I wanted some company and a hand to talk on the phone in case I need to call the service provider.
Right away, I found a CD with documentation which outlined the whole procedure. We would have been done before lunch if I hadn't missed a small step in the procedures and forgot to write down a password. The only way to re-set the password was to do it all over again...no big deal, just took the rest of the day.
I loved that day...my troop was amazed...and frankly I was to. It was really easy and a lot of fun to just "jump of the cliff" and see what happens.
Now, I understand that this is not a world class event...but so what?...there was a task in front of me, that in the past world have caused me to be fearful and most likely procrastinate as long as possible...
...but because of my love projection miracle mind set...I just accepted and thought..."what's the worst that can happen?
Really the answer to the question was..."we still won't have voice mail" and since we didn't have voice mail at the time...the downside was the same as doing nothing...so any success would be great and if we didn't figure it out...at least we would have learned something.
Steve would say that I aligned with love and immersed myself into the project...I loved it until it was finished...and that is a true statement.
Reading Steve's book reminded my how fun and exciting life can be when you align with love...I need to do that more often.
Personal Development for Smart People: Power
"Power is the third principle of personal development. It is you ability to consciously and deliberately create the world around you. When your power is weak, you can't effectively satisfy your needs and desires, and you become a victim of your own environment. When your power is strong, you successfully cultivate a life of your own choosing, and your environment reflects it."
This is the first paragraph of Chapter 3, Power...I love that definition. He later lays out a challenge again saying:
"The triad of truth, love, and power and can serve as an incredible force for good. When honest, compassionate people remain powerless, and only dishonest, uncaring people acquire power, we all suffer for it. The world is well served when those who are aligned with truth and love gain the third element. If you can be such a person, then I encourage you to consciously develop your power, since that decision benefits us all."
When put in this light, I fell compelled to work more consciously to develop my power...not just for me...but to help my country and the world shift from a fear and dishonesty based system of power to a truth and love-based system of power.
Steve also describes a person like me. I am a person that is aligned with truth and love but I don't have much power. I have more power than some people, but not much "worldly" power...which Steve is talking about.
Last night I watched Michael Moore's new film called "The Slacker Uprising" about how Michael "almost" got enough votes in 2004 to get John Kerry elected.
It's a fun movie to watch...and my wife couldn't believe that Kerry lost...I know he did and the movie was set in the past, but the number of people that Michael Moore inspired to vote (mostly for Kerry) was quiet staggering.
So, why did he fail?
Was Michael Moore fully aligned with the truth? Maybe...maybe not. Was he fully aligned with love....maybe...maybe not.
He definitely aligned with POWER. In 2004, on college campuses...Michael Moore was like a Bob Dylan or a John Lennon...there were girls asking him to sign their boobies (I think I would have...but he declined...boo!).
Perhaps, people that are fully aligned with all three of these principles will help successfully turn our country and our world toward truth, love and power (or TLP for short.)
Personal Development for Smart People: Oneness
"Oneness is the principle that results from combining truth and love. Whereas love is the ability to connect by choice, oneness is the recognition that being connected is your natural state. Love is choosing to connect. Oneness is knowing you're already connected. Oneness has no specific target; its omnidirectional feeling of connection to everyone and everything at the same time. Oneness is pure unconditional love."
Oneness is the first of the secondary principles. Steve tells a brief story about his first experience of oneness.
I had a similar experience again, while I was reading and doing the exercises within the course of miracles.
Steve says that once you have had an experience of true oneness, you are forever changed...and I agree with him. After I experienced the knowing that I am not contained by my body and am connected to everyone and everything, I have forever transformed into a new entity...
...I became a butterfly...as Jed Mckenna might say...or I might say "I am cookies" if I am in a Buffy sorta Joss Weedon kinda of mood.
I still need to meditate for a few moments to remember oneness...but I don't need to say ahh for 20-30 minutes...I can remember the truth of oneness in a few quite moments sitting at my desk at work.
When I am tired, hungry, or emotional...or intensely focused on a task...I might tune out of the fact of oneness and act a little less connected, but I have not forgotten the truth of oneness...I have just turned down the volume of the oneness radio station.
Steve suggests some activities that might help me experience oneness, such as:
A form of meditation called "Oneness World" where you "...imagine what it would be like to live in a world where everyone lives in alignment with oneness."
He also suggest that I spend time in nature...which is neat...because I already do that one. I love being out in the world, and in nature. I even love being in the concrete jungle some times...but I really prefer nature.
The sounds and smells of nature always rejuvenate my spirit and help me turn up the oneness radio dial.
Steve also suggests physical contact...I have this one down as well...my friends know that I don't need a beer to want to hug someone...but if I have a few beers then the hug monster is really strong and powerful...very few people have the ability to escape the hug monster in full force.
I also hug my wife as often as possible...hugging and other physical contact...reminds us that we are connected and one...without really being consciousness of why we are making the contact.
Look at sports teams. Those folks are always touching each other...because touching helps them tune in too each other and increase their performance and their ability to "sync up".
Just the other night I experienced a little "oneness" in my life...it happens to me quiet a bit, but this was sort of special.
Steve does Personal Development for Smart People...I might do PD for Drunk people...I have many experiences while meeting people in bars.
So, I rode my bike to the beach, to get in touch with nature...really...then after listening to the waves crash, I remembered that I was close to a favorite bar of mine that has a lot great microbrew beer (I no Steve doesn't drink...and I do...I'm ok with that.)
While at the bar, I meet a great couple, and we start jamming out to the blues/rock band and they invite me to their table and we start talking.
After a while, I think...wow...I need to leave if I am going to make it home on my bike without getting killed on the way home...so I start getting ready to go.
The couple then offers me a ride in their truck if I stay...so I thought...oh what the hell.
After that, we really started sharing and I found out that he is still feeling a lot of pain from discovering his son after he had committed suicide years ago...I didn't say much...but I said death was an event...not a real state and that he could let him go and he will always be with him.
We all cried and got another beer...then I got a ride home and we exchanged phone numbers.
These are the types of experiences I have had since connecting to oneness.
I had mild hangover they next day...not to bad...but that is the payment for drinking...not really worth it...I know, I'm working on that.
I was kicked out of the same bar a long time ago, for talking to another dude's girl friend...I honestly don't remember what I said...I had to much to drink...but her boy friend didn't like what I said and the bouncer very kindly asked me to leave...
...so I left...I waited outside for my ride and then had to go back in to close out my tab.
I vaguely remember that the girl was crying in her beer about the way her boyfriend treated her...it is interesting that drunk people talk to strangers in bars about things they won't share with their best friends...or boyfriends.
I'm not sure if the booze does this...or a connection to oneness...or both.
Personal Development for Smart People: Authority
"Authority is the principle derived from truth and power. Truth without power accomplishes nothing. Power without truth generates wasted action. The principle of authority teaches you to purposefully blend knowledge and action to produce intelligent results.
When you live without authority, your default behavior is to squander your time. You may acquire some knowledge, but you won't apply it well. You may take some action, but your movements will be chaotic and unfocused. You have the potential to live a powerful, self-directed life of your choosing, but until you step into your true authority, this potential remains a fantasy."
I really like the How to Increase you authority section of this chapter...there are only three sub-sections: 1) Orchestrate Small Rebellions 2) Triage 3) Experiment.
"A small rebellion is an act of free will with minimal negative consequences"
I love doing small rebellions...like when I tell people that I enjoy being in traffic on the freeway after work...because I am alone and it's quiet...which is true...I enjoy the quiet time alone...but most people just HATE traffic.
I don't watch much TV...or listen to the news. I don't get upset about little things that go wrong...but I do my best to empathize with other people feelings.
Steve tells a story about how when he was a kid, he turned in math homework done in crayon...that's funny and cute...but a little annoying...his teacher encouraged his creativity.
Some day, I am going to work without matching my shoes and belt...I'm going to do it...just watch me!!!
Personal Development for Smart People: Courage
"...When your mind predicts a positive long-term outcome but a negative short-term outcome from a course of action, courage is required to bridge the gap. If you want to leave an unfulfilling relationship, quit an uninspiring job, or restore an unfit body to a state of health, the long-term outlook may be wonderful, but you can also expect short-term challenges as you transition. Courage is the application of power to break through short-term challenges in order to achieve long-term goals."
I work in an unfulfilling job. I use truth to accept that. I use courage to get up at 4:00 am most everyday to work on this web page, so I can create my new source of income.
I have a fulfilling relationship with my wife, but I can use courage to make it better and to be more loving and connected.
My body is less than optimal (which is a nice way to say "unfit")...but three times a week I use courage to ride my bike 12 miles one way to work and about 7 miles home...that not only takes courage it also takes some Ben Gay sometimes!
Personal Development for Smart People: Intelligence
"Our universal principles give rise to the following definition of intelligence: Intelligence is alignment with truth, love and power. There is an elegant simplicity to this definition. In order to behave as a "smart person" in any area of your life, you must bring yourself into alignment with truth, love and power. If you use these principles to guide your life, you will live intelligently. When you violate these principles, you turn your back on intelligence."
So, the next time things don't go my way, I have a list of questions to ask myself:
Was I aligned with truth? Was I aligned with love? Was I aligned with Power?
Personal Development for Smart People: Part II Practical Application
In Part II, Steve really dives in with suggestions for real world things to experiment with...the inspiration and challenges still abound as well.
Throughout Part II, Steve applies the principles from Part I to each of the areas of your life in Part II.
For example, Chapter 8 is Habits, Steve has sub sections for each of the seven principles and how you can align your habits each principle.
Personal Development for Smart People: Habits
Steve starts out this chapter describing the benefits of habits, and how we really can't live without them.
For example, he reminds me that when I was a baby, I had yet to learn how to control my arms and legs...
...I'm sure this was a rather difficult endeavor that my little baby-self spent a large amount of time and effort trying to work out. Thankfully my mind saved all that work in habits (or sub-routines in computer lingo).
Now, I don't have think about moving my arms and legs...and frankly I don't even KNOW HOW to do it...I just do it...my mind-body remembers the sub-routine and I benefit from the habit.
The system of saving habits can also create some bad habits as well...we label those habits "addictions". I have already talked about my attempts to convert bad habits...so I will discuss how I have done with installing new habits.
For some reason, I don't like shaving in the morning. I think it has to do with me serving in the military for 20 years and being required to take up this habit.
Now that I am retired, I can skip shaving for a day or two and still go to work and that is acceptable...another thing I can do, is shave before I go to bed instead of part of my morning clean up routine.
I tried doing this while I was in uniform, but inevitably, five-o'clock shadow would show up after lunch instead of at five o'clock and I would feel "out of uniform"
This habit was rather easy to install, because I wanted to...but I still had to make a conscious effort to remember to do it before I went to bed...the upside was if I forgot...I went to work scruffy that day. :-)
Habits and Truth
"To apply truth to your habits, take a moment to assess the habits you're already running (<---see computer geek!). What are your best habits? What are your worst? Do you have any addictions? Do these habits serve you well or hold you back? Do they help you align with truth, or do you feel compelled to lie about them? What habits are you hiding? What habits are you most proud of?"
I still have addictions...I am working on ridding myself of tobacco (not very hard really, but I am working on it.)
I recently stopped drinking beer and wine after work or with dinner. I changed into an "event" drinker.
One of my favorite habits is getting up at 4:00 am basically everyday. Even if I was up really late the day before...I still get up. If I feel like I need to sleep more, I will stay up for a little while and then go back to bed...at least I maintained the "wake up" habit.
I have also started riding my bike to work, which is a lot of fun, but I am still perfecting that habit.
I really need to start working on my diet. Even though I am exercising quiet a bit, my weight is off the charts. I weigh more now than I ever had.
I have just recently (like this weekend) started experimenting not eating meat...it's not as difficult as I thought...you can usually find a bean burrito in California...I want to see if I feel better without meat...so far I do...after just a few days without meat.
This meatless idea was sort of a spontaneous experiment that I decided to try after feeling EXTRA bloated after eating a hamburger. I thought, "I wonder how I would feel now if that had been a veggie burger?" So the next day, I got the veggie burger...I felt (and feel) a lot better.
Habits and Power
"Bringing truth to your habits is an important step, but nothing will change if you don't take action. You must accept the greater truth that if you don't consciously and deliberately alter your habits, you'll continue reinforcing your existing patterns by default, and your predicted outcomes will likely come to pass. If you wish to improve upon those results, you must do whatever it takes to change your habits now, even if you expect the process to be brutally difficult. Facing a significant short-term challenge today is vastly superior to decades of regret."
Steve uses a metaphor of a chess game for attacking your problems. In chess, there is a early game, a middle game, and end game. You should approach bad habits (or new good habits) the same way. I like this paragraph about the early game of weight loss:
"...For example if you want to change your eating habits and loss weight, specific methods may include measuring food portions, keeping a food journal, buying extra fruits and vegetables, ridding your house of junk food, learning healthy recipes, keeping the television turned off at mealtimes, finding a diet buddy, joining a weight-loss group, buying a new scale, posting pictures of thin people to motivate you, avoiding situations where you tend to overeat, charting your progress, and so on."
...whew! If I did all of those in preparation to loss weight...I think it would be a foregone conclusion that it would happen.
List of 66 good Habits
Under "Habits and Authority" Steve lists 66 habits that you might try to install in your life, all of them described in about 3-5 lines of text...wow! You already know some of them, but as a small sample of habits:
(I paraphrased the first two of these and partial quoted the last one)
Daily Goals - Decide what do to; then do it
Worst First - Do the thing you dread the most first...everything after that will seem easy
"Peak Times - Identify your peak cycles of productivity, and schedule your most important tasks for those times..."
I use Peak Times to write this web page. I am most able and willing to write as soon as I get out of bed (after I make a banana, raw chocolate, flax, cashew butter smoothie...yummies!).
Personal Development for Smart People: Career
"The message of your career is at least as important as the medium. Your medium is how you express yourself, but your message is what you express. My message is about consciously growing as a human being, but I can express that same message through different media. I can write about it, speak about it, or even make a movie about it if I wanted to. Someone else could use these same media to express an entirely new message. For example, a doctor's message could about healing, compassion, scientific discovery, education, vitality, or a variety of other possibilities. Just because two people share a similar medium doesn't mean that they share the same message"
So, for me this web page is my medium, and my message is about shifting your (and my) consciousness.
My current "job" does allow me to express my message...just only the small amount of folks that work with me or near me get to benefit from my message...that's why I am working on changing my medium to this web page.
Steve says you should not confuse your medium with your message...your medium is bound to change many times during your life, whereas your message will remain largely unchanged.
Also, when you change your career, you can expect a significant income drop:
"The most important element of choosing the right medium is whether it's a good fit for your inner message". It's important to stay true to that message, even if you must endure a substantial pay cut. In order to transition from game development to personal development, I allowed by income to drop significantly, and my family made some sacrifices to support my decision as we cut back on expenses."...
"...Never allow considerations such as security, money, or fame to get in the way of the truth. Real security doesn't come from your job or position; it can only come from your alignment with truth, love and power. You'll explore money in more detail in Chapter 10, but for now just consider that the best way to optimize your income is to find a career medium that allows you to share your most important message. By sharing your message with others, you provide exactly the kind of value that can generate abundant income. And as for fame, if you do become famous, then let it arise from your alignment with truth, love and power, not because of a false image you've concocted."
Career and Love
In order to find your core message Steve suggests the process below:
"1. Take out a sheet of paper or open a blank word-processing document where you can type. I recommend the latter because its faster.
2. Write at the top: What is my true purpose in life?
3. Write an answer (any answer) that pops in your head. I doesn't have to be a complete sentence. A short phrase is fine. If your feeling nihilistic, begin with the answer: "I don't have a purpose," or "Life is meaningless", and to take it from there.
4. Repeat Step 3 until you write an answer that makes you cry. This is your core message."
I started doing this exercise, but I ran out time before I cried, so I will have to try again later.
For now, I am going to ask life what it wants me to do and see what happens.
My current message that I am working with is I want to help people learn to shift their consciousness and learn to be present in the moment.
I want to teach everyone that they can be excited to jump out of bed in the morning (whenever that is) and be excited to live the day in service to humanity however they see fit.
Career and Power
Steve is more than a little "in the face" of the reader here...I LOVE IT.
"Reasonable career choices will depend on your knowledge, skills, and talents; and it's up to you to proactively develop those abilities. You may have been born with few advantages, but you're perfectly capable of growing beyond the limits of your upbringing. If you didn't receive a good education, then educate yourself now. If you're starting off broke or in debt, then accept that as your reality, and work your out of it with disciplined effort. If you're surrounded by people who denigrate and criticize you for wanting more, leave them behind and build a new social group that will support you. Stay loyal to truth, love and power and you'll attract others of a similar nature.
(There is more, but I hit the text limit) Check [...] for the complete 2-part review.
5 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Top reviews from other countries
Jambo
3.0 out of 5 stars
I wasn't amazed by it though and have enjoyed re-reading articles on ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 11, 2017
As a long time reader of Pavlina's website I was excited to finally read his book. I wasn't amazed by it though and have enjoyed re-reading articles on his website a lot more. I didn't really get anything out of it and found the concept didn't really click with me.
2 people found this helpful
Report abuse
Ioan Biticu
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 15, 2017
Really really good.
Jean Pierre Soso
5.0 out of 5 stars
Promptly dispatched
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 8, 2020
Perfect condition
Mehnaz Amjad
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good start to personal development
Reviewed in India 🇮🇳 on November 27, 2022
If you are a beginner to the concepts of personal development,it is a very good book with concepts explained in the most simple but practical ways.
For me, i came across this gem very late,so found some concepts and topics being repeated.
It makes a good read though.
For me, i came across this gem very late,so found some concepts and topics being repeated.
It makes a good read though.
Reflexiones de un lector . com
5.0 out of 5 stars
"¿Qué significa para nosotros crecer como seres humanos, y como podemos guiar ese crecimiento de manera inteligente?”
Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on February 19, 2017
Leí este libro a principios del año pasado y desde entonces siempre vuelvo a él de vez en cuando para repasar alguna idea acerca del desarrollo personal. Y es que su autor es una referencia mundial en este campo, tal y como hablamos en este post.
El libro comienza contando la historia personal de Steve: cómo llegó, pasando a través de unos comienzos difíciles, a interesarse por el desarrollo personal. Este interés hizo que se leyera decenas de libros respecto a este tema pero ninguno de los libros llegaba a satisfacerle del todo.
En este punto la mayoría de la gente hubiéramos seguido buscando algún libro respecto al tema que mereciera la pena pero Steve, viendo que los mejores resultados siempre los alcanzaba cuando aplicaba ideas propias, decidió crear su propio blog acerca del desarrollo personal. Las ideas más importantes de ese blog culminaron en este libro que analizamos hoy.
Este libro no trata el desarrollo personal en un tema específico como las relaciones personales, la dieta, el deporte o la fe. Sino que el autor se propuso buscar los patrones comunes que había detrás de todo camino exitoso, llegando a identificar siente principios universales.
Es decir, no es un libro que nos de una guía paso a paso de cómo alcanzar el éxito en cualquier campo, en vez de eso se centra en analizar unos principios universales y atemporales que pueden aplicarse en cualquier situación, de ahí el título: Desarrollo personal para gente inteligente. 😉
Estos principios, que Steve divide en un grupo principal y otro secundario al que se llega combinando los primeros, son:
1. Verdad.
2. Amor.
3. Poder
4. Unidad: Verdad + Amor.
5. Autoridad: Verdad + Poder.
6. Coraje: Amor + Poder.
7. Inteligencia: Verdad + Amor + Poder.
Los primeros 7 capítulos, como os podréis imaginar, se dedican a desarrollar cada uno de estos principios en detalle. Ya no es sólo el hecho de presentar “la vida” descompuesta de manera tan ordenada en esta serie de principios sino que el libro da cantidad de ideas muy interesantes sobre cada uno de estos valores.
Algunas de ellas probablemente ya las apliques pero seguramente no te habías parado a pensarlo, como el hecho de que no pasa nada si queremos algo pero no sabemos como conseguirlo pero es inaceptable mentirnos a nosotros mismos pretendiendo que las cosas son mejores de lo que realmente son, cuando sabemos que esto no es cierto.
Por otro lado, la segunda parte del libro nos explica como podemos aplicar ese sistema de manera práctica a nuestra vida tratando temas como los hábitos, carrera profesional, dinero, salud, relaciones y espiritualidad.
Sinceramente este libro va a ponerte las cosas difíciles, va a hacerte sentir incómodo contigo mismo en bastantes momentos. Solemos pasar por la vida haciendo lo que se supone que debemos hacer, sin llegar a cuestionar muchas de las decisiones que tomamos. Por eso a tu ego probablemente no le guste este libro, porque te va a hacer enfrentarte a batallas interiores que vas a perder.
Pero ojo, esto no es malo porque si te lo tomas enserio serás capaz de desarrollar tu propio sistema ético que te permitirá alcanzar la mejor versión de tí mismo, y eso sólo está al alcance de los mejores.
El libro comienza contando la historia personal de Steve: cómo llegó, pasando a través de unos comienzos difíciles, a interesarse por el desarrollo personal. Este interés hizo que se leyera decenas de libros respecto a este tema pero ninguno de los libros llegaba a satisfacerle del todo.
En este punto la mayoría de la gente hubiéramos seguido buscando algún libro respecto al tema que mereciera la pena pero Steve, viendo que los mejores resultados siempre los alcanzaba cuando aplicaba ideas propias, decidió crear su propio blog acerca del desarrollo personal. Las ideas más importantes de ese blog culminaron en este libro que analizamos hoy.
Este libro no trata el desarrollo personal en un tema específico como las relaciones personales, la dieta, el deporte o la fe. Sino que el autor se propuso buscar los patrones comunes que había detrás de todo camino exitoso, llegando a identificar siente principios universales.
Es decir, no es un libro que nos de una guía paso a paso de cómo alcanzar el éxito en cualquier campo, en vez de eso se centra en analizar unos principios universales y atemporales que pueden aplicarse en cualquier situación, de ahí el título: Desarrollo personal para gente inteligente. 😉
Estos principios, que Steve divide en un grupo principal y otro secundario al que se llega combinando los primeros, son:
1. Verdad.
2. Amor.
3. Poder
4. Unidad: Verdad + Amor.
5. Autoridad: Verdad + Poder.
6. Coraje: Amor + Poder.
7. Inteligencia: Verdad + Amor + Poder.
Los primeros 7 capítulos, como os podréis imaginar, se dedican a desarrollar cada uno de estos principios en detalle. Ya no es sólo el hecho de presentar “la vida” descompuesta de manera tan ordenada en esta serie de principios sino que el libro da cantidad de ideas muy interesantes sobre cada uno de estos valores.
Algunas de ellas probablemente ya las apliques pero seguramente no te habías parado a pensarlo, como el hecho de que no pasa nada si queremos algo pero no sabemos como conseguirlo pero es inaceptable mentirnos a nosotros mismos pretendiendo que las cosas son mejores de lo que realmente son, cuando sabemos que esto no es cierto.
Por otro lado, la segunda parte del libro nos explica como podemos aplicar ese sistema de manera práctica a nuestra vida tratando temas como los hábitos, carrera profesional, dinero, salud, relaciones y espiritualidad.
Sinceramente este libro va a ponerte las cosas difíciles, va a hacerte sentir incómodo contigo mismo en bastantes momentos. Solemos pasar por la vida haciendo lo que se supone que debemos hacer, sin llegar a cuestionar muchas de las decisiones que tomamos. Por eso a tu ego probablemente no le guste este libro, porque te va a hacer enfrentarte a batallas interiores que vas a perder.
Pero ojo, esto no es malo porque si te lo tomas enserio serás capaz de desarrollar tu propio sistema ético que te permitirá alcanzar la mejor versión de tí mismo, y eso sólo está al alcance de los mejores.
