People are talking a lot about the world of Personal Growth these days, not least because of the well-documented events at James Ray?s retreat at a sweat lodge in Arizona last fall, and the probe into the deaths that occurred there. I can?t even begin to say how tragic I think it was, and of course want to express my condolences to the families of the victims, and everyone else involved. That said, I don?t think James Ray should be considered a con man, or that his entire career in helping people achieve personal and business success should be slammed because of what happened. So, for now, let?s leave Ray himself out of it-?whether he was in the wrong is up to the people investigating the case to decide. More than that, it bothers me that an entire industry is being pilloried based on one (admittedly horribly sad) event.
The Personal Growth (also known as Personal Development, Self Help, Self Improvement and more) industry produces overwhelmingly positive and tangible results for a wide array of people, plain and simple. Take it from me. I grew up in an affluent area, but my parents struggled financially. I couldn?t help attaching my self worth to my parents? net worth (or lack thereof), and at the same time, started to overeat to compensate for my feelings of inadequacy. I wasn?t exactly a happy kid, and no one in the medical or education systems seemed to be able to light on the right words (or prescriptions) to help me. I learned later that unlike standard medicine and/or education, Personal Growth encompasses a holistic approach, and deals with root issues of problems, not just symptoms. As I got older, I got in with the wrong crowd, which for me meant drinking, drugs, and other unhealthy behavior. I was arrested four times before graduating high school, and then ended up dropping out of college to take over my father?s business and start others. Entrepreneurial spirit aside, the businesses failed, and I found myself hitting rock bottom a short time later. I?d ballooned to 245 pounds, been clinically depressed for more than ten years, and I was $100,000 in debt. At the young age of twenty-four, in addition to failing at all the commercial ventures I?d undertaken, I?d also already failed in six intimate relationships. I even contemplated suicide as the only solution I thought was possible for a world I couldn?t figure out. Looking back, I realize I was just never given an -?owner?s manual-? of how to be successful in my life, whether that meant to be healthy, make a decent living, or just to be happy. I was introduced to Personal Growth by reading about it and hearing about it, and to be honest, I was skeptical. Up until that point, everything I attempted to better my life had failed. But I suppose I felt I had nothing more to lose, and maybe even something to gain. So I made the decision, and signed up for a four-day seminar that promised to unleash my -?Power Within.-? Over the course of the seminar?s four days, I learned more about my life than I had in the previous twenty-four years. My transformation began then and there. With the help of the seminar?s instructor, I came up with a plan to turn my life around and stuck to it (with more help from mentors and coaches). In eleven short months, I lost fifty pounds, got myself out of the six-figure debt, began my first lasting and healthy relationship (with my now-wife), and discovered a satisfying and lucrative career path. The Personal Growth industry has given millions of people from all over the world the same opportunity. It might manifest differently for each and every one of them, because -?Personal Growth-? can mean a lot of different things. And as my journey demonstrated, it certainly doesn?t just include spiritualism, sweat lodges, or other esoteric practices. In fact, there isn?t much that?s -?mystical,-? or mystifying, about it. Though some critics might suggest otherwise, the truth is, we human beings do have the ability to transcend our limitations, be they emotional, physical, or even spiritual. But please-?none of us who truly understand Personal Growth is suggesting that only visualization and positive thinking will get you there. A positive attitude is important, but taking real action is even more important. So at its core, Personal Growth is a synonym for personal responsibility and the understanding that we create our own reality. We are the referee and judge of our own life. We create the meaning and purpose of our life. Similarly, if we insert ourselves into an environment where somebody is leading us, it?s still imperative that we take charge of ourselves-?if Personal Growth teaches anything, it?s that. But of course, there are people who might follow an expert in the field too far and do things that go beyond their core beliefs, values and capabilities. In other words, extreme elements-?and major mistakes-?unfortunately show up in just about everything, and I know that what happened in that sweat lodge was a true anomaly in the bigger picture of Personal Growth. To knock down an entire industry that does a lot of good for a lot of people because of one incident is unfair. Instead, let?s keep a positive perspective, and allow people to see for themselves what Personal Growth can do. What are your thoughts about this industry and movement? Please click the -?Post Your Comments-? button below to share your thoughts. http://www.PersonalGrowth.com/blog Connect with us on Facebook http://bit.ly/8ZOtQW
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Source: http://hotnews.blogspages.com/2012/10/20/the-truth-about-the-personal-growth-industry-2/
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