Today I had a realization. Everything I’ve learned the past years about personal development was just “mind-feeding” and collecting of knowledge. But little practical experience.
Don’t get me wrong: I’ve implemented a lot of concepts into my life. I’ve worked a lot on myself. But the real nuggets, the core of personal development must be experienced in real time. Not read in a book. Not seen in a video. Not heard at a seminar.
To really learn the lesson, you have to go through the challenge.
Why all the years were just preparing me
All the years of reading books, watching videos and so on were the preparation for the big stuff that is coming right now. By big stuff, I mean CREATING. Creating stuff. Building my business. Contributing to humanity. Living my purpose.
That’s a big deal, so big challenges and therefore big lessons will come. In the same run that’s the sweet spot where the biggest growth and development happens.
Was the preparation needed?
Yes! Big time. If I did not have the knowledge I have right now, I’d quit when the first challenge comes up. On top of that: Nothing outside changed two years ago. There were no changes and therefore challenges. I was not ready for the big challenges. I was not developed enough. So I had no other option than to continue the pure mind-feeding.
Here’s why this is interesting for you:
When you do personal development, especially when you start it, there will be a long period of time where nothing happens. You won’t experience any big changes in your external world. You will have some shifts in your external world, but they will be small. This phase can be one to two years long.
Why keep going?
Because you can feel it. You can feel the change that is happening inside. You feel your inner development. And you have trust that all the work will pay off.
Delayed gratification
In our society, especially among young people, we are used to instant gratification. We get the fruits of our labor instantly. We don’t have to work years until our work pays off.
Don’t expect this in personal development. You have to work for years until you see results. That’s delayed gratification. You have to expect that and deal with it.
Nothing worth having comes easy and immediate.
Is it worth it?
Yes! Five years of pure forcing and taking action can be replaced by 6-12 months of inner personal development work. The real work is done insight.
That’s not what society teaches you
Society teaches you to take action and take action and take more action until you are completely drained. We learn from a young age that taking a lot of rash action is how it’s done. But the opposite is true.
Inspired action is 10 times better than rash action.
Inspired action comes from a state of higher knowing. This higher knowing kicks in when you have a vision for yourself.
Here’s the catch
You can only hear the inspiration if you relax and calm down your busy mind. The best way to do this is through meditation. And because meditation is part of EVERY personal development teaching, you can’t go without it.
So relax, do your inner work. Don’t be afraid of challenges and you will have the adventure of your lifetime.
picture: Pexels (CC0 Public Domain)
