The secret to success is no secret at all. If you want to get ahead in life, if you want a moral but unfair advantage over your competitors, if you feel you could do or be more than you currently are, personal development is your game.
Whether it be the struggling network marketing professional or corporate ladder climber or a self-made business man, every person whom I have interviewed and the numerous biographies I have ready of the rich, powerful, and influential, the same theme of personal development runs consistent and deep.
It was only when they buckled down and improved themselves by their own effort did the success come.
But what is personal development? Simply put, personal development is self–motivated education. It can be acquired by many different methods; online, live or recorded seminars, conferences, conventions, self-study at home, reading books, webinars, local colloquia, formal schooling, etc.
The only thing that clearly defines it is that the student is self-motivated and engaging the education out of an inner burning desire to increase in one or more of the following:
- knowledge and wisdom
- spiritual, emotional, and physical growth
- developing and increasing personal and institutional skills and habits
- enhanced relationships
- building wealth and financial security
- creating legacy
Going to college only counts as personal development if you were there out of an burning desire and self-motivation to grow and develop. Being forced or guilted by your parents doesn’t count. Attending primarily for the party life doesn’t count. Enrolling out of a fear of missing out doesn’t count.
In my years in higher education, I have interviewed thousands of college graduates and active and inactive college/university students. More than 80% of them reported having either gained very little from their college experience other than a spouse and huge debt or that it was a complete waste of time.
This is NOT personal development.
Personal development is the result of an internal drive that says you just have to know, learn, and grow or you will explode! If you have every felt this, you know exactly what I mean!
In my adult lifetime, I have spent more than $90,000 on personal development. Currently, I am spending from $5,000 to $12,000 per year and the dollar amount seems to be growing each year. Some family members asks me, “you already have 3 degrees and run a college, why do you need more education and training?”
They don’t understand.
Personal development is like climbing a peak and thinking that you have accomplished a lot, and then seeing all of those other higher peaks in the distance.
I can’t imagine ever reaching a “good enough” level in my understanding of the world, politics, or history. The more I put into my businesses, the more they produce. Why would I stop?
I have lifetimes of growth to accomplish when it comes to my relationships with my wife and children. The more money I make, the more I want to live life more fully, to help make the world a better place, and leave a legacy.
“Good Enough” is just not in my vocabulary.
So I always encourage personal development, and in fact, besides running a school, I am a mentor in a personal development group called Conscious Creator Mentoring Network.
In the articles that follow, I will be highlighting a couple of mentors in each article from the Conscious Creator Mentoring Network so you can meet them and experience a little of their wisdom.
Some of the incredibly talented mentors that have been brought together in this program are:
As a renowned public speaker, author and television personality, Les Brown has risen to national prominence by delivering a high energy message which tells people how to shake off mediocrity and live up to their greatness. It is a message Les Brown has learned from his own life and one he is helping others apply to their lives.
Les has had no formal education past high school, but with persistence and determination he has initiated and continued a process of unending self-education which has distinguished him as an authority on human potential. Les Brown’s passion to learn and his hunger to realize greatness in himself and others helped him to achieve greatness.
He rose from a hip-talkin morning DJ to broadcast manager; from community activist to community leader; from political commentator to 3-term legislator; and from a banquet and nightclub emcee to premier keynote speaker.
Les Brown is one of the nation’s leading authorities in understanding and stimulating human potential, utilizing powerful delivery and newly emerging insights to teach, inspire and channel people to new levels of achievement.
Marci Lock is known worldwide as “The Body-Mind Mentor” and the Game Changer for teaching people how to get their Rockin’ Body of Health and Ultimate Life.
As a Nutrition, Fitness, Mindset Expert and Transformation Mentor, she has appeared on TV around the world. She hosts her own TV and Radio Show, speaks globally, and is a bestselling Author.
She is passionate about changing lives around the world through to get the Rockin’ Body and Life of their dreams by breaking down the barriers to get and keep Breakthrough Results.
Her unique “Lock Formula” implements ALL Components; through her programs,books, and on her regular Marci Lock “Influential TV show, ” she has touched and transformed thousands of lives through her Mind Body Breakthrough Program, Goddess Revolution Experience, and her Corporate Wellness Programs.
Dr. Alex Dey is considered the number 1 Hispanic Speaker and Instructor in the art of selling,negotiating, self-improvement, and self-help. With over 30 years of experience, Alex has trained large sales teams for many renowned corporations like Mercedes Benz and Pepsi. He is the Creator of more than 27 personal development programs and has authored nearly a dozen books including the bestselling titles like: The Seller’s Bible, Believe It, Yes You Can, and Take A Chance, Everything Will Be Fine. Which have gone on to sell millions of copies.
The American Cultural Institute of Mexico has honored him with the Doctor Honoris Causa award. In his dynamic personal events he has trained more than a million people, has keynoted at more than 5,ooo conferences in Latin America, the United States, Europe, and very soon will be in Asia. Alex continues to speak with an average of 25 thousand people each month.
He is the Founder and President of the company Alex Dey Corporation where he has advised companies, governors, and prominent politicians.
Ann Webb is best known as The LifeVision Expert” and has coached thousands of successful entrepreneurs and network marketers in clarifying their business and personal visions, resulting in more money, better relationships, and improved health and fitness.
Ann is the author and creator of Creating Your Ideal LifeVision, a revolutionary Home Study Course that has helped thousands of people start living their Ideal Life. She also certifies Life and Business coaches to use Ideal LifeVision as a tool and process in their own businesses.
Ann is the President of Global LifeVision, a humanitarian outreach program that involves facilitating adventures for those who want to serve and make a different in developing countries. She regularly takes expeditions to teach, train, and serve in Africa and India.
Kevin Harrington, chairman and founder of TVGoods, Inc., is widely acknowledged as a pioneer and principal architect of the infomercial industry.
In 1984, Kevin produced one of the industry’s first 30 minute infomercials. Since then, he has been involved with over 500 product launches that resulted in sales of over $4 billion worldwide with 20 products that reached individual sales of over $100 million.
Kevin founded Quantum International, Ltd. in the mid 1980s, which merged into National Media Corporation in 1991. Under his leadership as President, National Media reached $500 million in annual sales, distributing in over 100 countries and 20 languages. This company’s success has been chronicled in a case study at Harvard/MIT for over a decade.
Throughout his career, Kevin helped to establish two of the most important and recognized global networking associations: the Entrepreneur’s Organization, or EO (formally known as the Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization) and the Electronic Retailing Association, or ERA. Today, the EO has 113 chapters in 38 countries and more than 924,000 members. The ERA represents the $125 billion electronic retailing industry and is comprised of over 450 member companies and subsidiaries that use the power of electronic retailing to sell directly to consumers via television, radio, Internet and wireless media in over 100 countries worldwide.
Due to his extensive resume, Kevin was selected as an investor “Shark” on the ABC television series Shark Tank produced by Mark Burnett. The show gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their products to a panel of acclaimed judges in hopes of turning their ideas into a successful business reality. He recently released a book entitled “Act Now: How I Turn Ideas into Million-Dollar Products” that chronicles his life and experiences in the DRTV industry.
There are about 40 mentors total and we are just getting started.
Watch for more articles about the Conscious Creator Mentoring Network to follow in the near future.
