In the Western educational system we are taught the 3 “Rs”. Reading, Writing and Arithmetic? (in old American slang, ‘reading, riting, and rithmatic’)

Not at all.

The three Rs are three rules of life you are taught from the first few seconds of school. 1. Be on time, 2. Follow orders, and 3. Love boring repetitional work.

The sad thing about this is the correlation it produces in society, and that is, “do not say ‘no’. To develop personally, having been taught otherwise, means learning how to say ‘no’

The Hippie Phenomenon

During the late 1960s in the United States, and parts of Europe, saw the rise of a certain segment of young people who just refused to follow the norms.

They changed their appearance, their way of living, and thinking.

Basically they were saying ‘no’ to the status quo, and to the ‘establishment’.

Their movement carries on today as New Age thinking and acting, with proactive involvement in all the aspects that effect everyone’s life.

The Green political movement is a statement of saying ‘no’, and even in the US, where the real 3 Rs are now firmly rooted in the public’s group consciousness; there is a tendency to keep saying ‘no’.

Why It’s Important to Say “no” in Your Life

Being ‘programmed’ to say yes can leave you doing things which are often against your personal development. You need to question all ‘yes’ answers in your life.

You need to ask, “is it me who is saying ‘yes’ here, or am I following the suggestions of the advertising

agency. Is it right to sit on the couch and eat potato chips, ice-cream and watch programs which 100% predictable plots and endings?”

It is important to examine yourself, your motives, and see who is saying yes or no.

If its not you, and it is the programmer of one sort or another, you must say ‘no’ before you have had time to see what are the consequences of agreeing.

Learning to Think Before You Speak

As is human nature, when we are acting habitually, we often speak before we think, and agree before we think. We react in a predictable way.

The various forecasting companies dealing with public opinion know this fact, and build it into their mathematical models and predictive conclusions.

To avoid being like a robot or zombie, start thinking before you speak.

When someone asks you a question of substance, you might think to yourself, “why did he ask me that? What does he want from me? Why was I asked?”

Even a few seconds of thought before responding will give you the edge, as you have left the area of predictability. You can consider the question, and respond after thinking…not automatically.

Learning How to Say ‘no’

The best way to learn to say ‘no’ is to not be so ready to say ‘yes’. You should always be polite in your response, but to say ‘yes’ you must think does the request carry any of the essential requirements:

• By saying yes am I furthering my personal development?

• By saying yes do I get some positive reinforcement? (reward)

• By saying yes am compromising my dignity in any way?

• By saying yes am I betraying important loyalties?

• By saying yes do I advance myself in a positive way?

There are other criteria, but the idea is to fight your programming, and ask yourself by agreement what the consequences are? Learn to say ‘no’, and you will see more coming to you than going from you.

Sacha Tarkovsky
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/personal-development-learning-to-say-no-to-improve-your-life-140171.html

Do you wish for more success in your life? Whether it is professionally or personally we all wish we could master success. That is why the self help industry is such a profitable market. What makes personal development so difficult for us all is that it really is not something we can get from someone else. In the end it comes down to what we possess already. We have to want to change. Perhaps it might help to consider the story of the tortoise and the hare. This familiar children’s tale can be easily applied to the field of personal development success if we only consider the three lessons this story teaches us.

The first lesson is that you have to want it bad enough to work for it. The hare does not want to win. He just assumes that he will. He assumes that he deserves to win because he is the fastest. However in the end he does not win, the race does not go to the fastest at all. In the end, the race goes to the tortoise who simply wants it more. Life is much like that. We should never make assumptions about who is going to win in the long race of life and why they will win. We simply have to focus on what we want and continue to work very hard for that goal.

The second lesson is that you have to plan for the long haul. The hare is easily sidetracked from the goal of winning the race because he believes the outcome is sure. He is not in the race for the long haul because he does not think he needs to be. If anything is worth having–financial success, personal relationships, etc.–then it is worth it to you to be in the race for the long haul. Do not get sidetracked by short-term delights and distractions. Focus on the finish line and the sweet rewards of victory.

The third and final lesson is that you have to be able to withstand some bumps in the road. This lesson is all about the tortoise. He suffers the taunts of the hare and faces the same distractions and disturbances the hare does. However the tortoise works through the difficulty because he is focused on the end result. He knows his path to victory will not be easy or smooth. However accepting the troubles that comes his way and continuing to plod forward means that eventually he will succeed where others fail.

What can we learn from the tortoise and the hare? How can these lessons contribute to our personal success? We can learn that you have to want it bad enough to work for it, you have to plan for the long haul, and you have to be able to withstand some bumps in the road.

Deanna Mascle
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/master-success-and-personal-development-by-transforming-the-hare-into-a-tortoise-123907.html

Hey i'm studying for my childcare exam and i can't seem to get definition of emotional, personal and social development.. can anyone help me?

Emotional is -

In children, emotional development refers to the attainment of emotional capabilities and their expansion as the child grows. These capabilities enable the children to have feelings about what they do and also about others. Emotional development provides children the capabilities and skills that they need to function and survive in the society as well as the world. There are many different stages in the development of a child’s emotions and at each stage; the child learns a new kind of emotion. - see link below

personal is -

develops skills related to positive interpersonal relationships within the family, peer groups, work place, and community. …

social is -

Social development is learning the skills that enable a person to interact and communicate with others in a meaningful way. Social skills are closely allied to Emotional Intelligence (EI)- a kind of intelligence or skill that involves the ability to perceive, assess and positively influence one's own and other people's emotions. In order to interact effectively with others, one has to be able to monitor and control one's own emotional state.

Regardless of which method or belief system about personal development that you subscribe to, the fact that your state of mind is the primary fuel for your success is a foregone conclusion.

However, knowing that fact and putting it into action are two different things. In order to maximize your personal development results, make this simple method a part of your conscious efforts.

For this exercise, we will use the example of weight loss, but you can do this exercise with anything in your life that you want to improve, including finances, relationships, etc.

Step 1 - Think of someone who has what you consider to be a “nice body”. Get a clear picture of that person in your head using as many details as possible.

Step 2 - Now consider what you think that person has as a result of having that nice body.

Do they have a very attractive partner? Do they have more opportunities in life because they are more physically appealing? Do they have more friends? Do they command more respect? Are they going to live longer because of their level of health?

Step 3 - Think of the top 3 benefits in life that you think that person has, but you don’t. There are likely several things that you can think of, but for this exercise just think of the 3 things that you feel most strongly about.

Step 4 - Recognizing 100% that this is not real and that it is just a mental fantasy, visualize what it would be like if you had the body this person has, and how those top 3 things would play out in your life.

If one of the items you chose was having an attractive mate, then picture yourself with someone you find so appealing that you can hardly keep your mind off of them.

If you think this other person has a lot of opportunities in life, then visualize yourself having those opportunities. Picture yourself using each of those opportunities to the fullest, and getting the most possible benefit out of them.

If one of your top three things was that this person has a lot of friends, then visualize yourself with that many friends, and more. Think of all of the activities that you and your friends will engage in, and how much fun you will have.

Step 5 - How do you feel?

No, really. How do you feel?

Step 5 is actually not part of this process, but rather the reason for doing this exercise to begin with.

You see, it isn’t the nice body that you are after. It is the way that having that nice body would make you feel that matters.

This is a common mistake that almost everyone makes when they are trying to maximize their personal development and self improvement efforts. They think that it is the attainment of a goal that is the driving force for their success, when in all actuality, the attainment of the goal is all but irrelevant.

It is the feeling that the attainment of the goal will evoke and sustain in the person setting the goal that matters.

Cars and houses do not make people happy. Maximum health and physical fitness do not make people happy. Massive financial success does not make people happy. Successful careers do not make people happy.

People become happy because of the way that each of those circumstances makes them feel. Focusing only on the attainment of a material possession, a state of wellness, a level of career success, or great wealth will not generate sufficient emotional fuel to keep you motivated long enough to attain your goals.

The thought of having things that you do not presently have is almost completely powerless unless it is backed up by having a very strong emotional attachment to attaining those things.

As Napoleon Hill says in the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’, weak desires bring weak results, just as a small fire brings a small amount of heat.

If you want to super-charge your personal development in order to attain incredible results, you must first create a burning desire to attain your goals by creating the feeling of what it will be like to realize them.

You can visualize your life as if all of your dreams have already come true, but if you cannot generate the emotional response that will be attached to actually living those dreams, you run the risk of running out of fuel long before you achieve success.

Aaron Potts
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/a-simple-personal-development-method-for-bonding-yourself-to-success-121259.html

Like many personal development innovations, NLP - which stands for neuro-linguistic programming - is a product of the 1970’s when the idea of cognitive patterns creating a subjective form of reality that by virtue of its ability to be manipulated, could be slated into personal development tools.

The goal is to align perceptions - usually of the individual self - with desired outcomes, such as behavioral changes. A large number of proponents of NLP have come forward with an array of techniques and theories which all sought to put this new tool into the proper service of the individual desiring a shift in personal self image and a boost to personal
development.

Of course, no theory will remain unchallenged for long and soon an equally dedicated number of opponents to this new tool were quite vociferous in their allegations that NLP was an unworkable concept that oversimplified rather complex processes within the human mind.

Whatever the case may be, NLP is here to stay. Noted motivational speakers, such as Tony Robbins, have subscribed to the tenets of NLP and thus introduced them to the eager mainstream.

People visiting these seminars or purchasing the materials being sold there are always on the lookout for working concepts, and it seems that NLP fits the bill.

Just like many other innovative ideas in the field of personal development, this one - too - was soon embraced and taken further by many noted authorities in the field who found many new approaches to the subject.

Of course, the application of NLP principles is a highly subjective field of study and application, and it has often been shown that what will work for one person may not actually have any results - beneficial or otherwise - for another.

Thus, many critics have chalked up this tool to the New Age craze of the 1970s, while others have instead opted to integrate its precepts and techniques into their self-help curricula and publications.

The goal for many a person using the tools and techniques is to overcome performance diminishing aspects of their own characters, such as fear of failure, fear of speaking before groups, or simply a lack of self esteem.

All these are viewed as being in direct opposition to the character traits that must be possessed by someone who will succeed in business, and anything that will help a person to get rid of these performance busters is considered well worth its cost.

If you take the time to visit the self help section of any bookstore, or if you simply veer off and visit the professional development section, you will find copious books that employ NLP techniques and tools in order to help the interested reader to overcome a large number of issues themselves, without the need for professional intervention.

Who knows, it might be well worth your time to take a closer look!

Charles Williams
http://www.articlesbase.com/leadership-articles/nlp-a-personal-development-tool-87520.html

After seeing Larry King's show last night on "The Secret" I am interested in what other people have read regarding self improvement for gaining more success and life fulfillment. The Secret to me seems to be repetitive as far as other self help methods plus "Law of Attraction" principles written about from everyone Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins, Norman V Peal, The Magic of Believing and of course the Bible is filled with "ask and ye shall receive." Of course things aren't always that simple for everyone, especially that people's mind sets are unique and what works for one doesn't necessarily work beneficially to others. There are so many self help method books and DVD's out there now, so I would like to see what you guys have used that made real life changing breakthroughs and helped improve your finances, relationships, goals, jobs, whatever

I haven't read many, but I did like "Your Erroneous Zones" by Wayne Dyer.

I’m sure you have a bright personal development idea hidden somewhere in the back of your mind that you just can’t wait to test out. Of course you’re not the only one with the bright idea. So what motivates you to churn those creative, or even inspiring juices to its utmost flavor?

It’s always best to set up a personal goal where you can accomplish the most in record time, maybe like mowing the lawn in an hour before the big game on TV. A correct and positive attitude in whatever you do will make personal development easier, and even enjoyable.

Here are some personal development tips to make it through the week even if you’re just sitting in your favorite couch. An idea takes time to form in your head and is always at work while you are busy sitting.

Having a bit of positive thinking can help you realize things that are never thought possible. Thinking big is indeed the way of thinking that made people prosperous.

Take passionate action towards living your life by design. Talk is cheap. Action = deposits in the bank of a passionately authentic future. Without it, passion is void.

This is a perfect example where personal development is made of where you start by tinkering with your mind, then with your hands. And if the idea weakens, you can always go back to it later until you finish it.

Commit to your personal development as well as those you love to create powerfully a life you can love. Instead of reacting, commit to creating from your heart and soul, out of love rather than fear. The American Dream will always be there, but a dream will still be a dream without motion. Be amazed as the transformation begins.

Recognize and embrace the thought that each moment is perfect regardless of its outcome. Every time you hit on something that may appear too extreme, why not give it a shot and see if it will work. You will be surprised to see of there are other ways to get the task done in time. If you are not pleased with the outcome of your personal development, decide to use that moment to learn from and make the appropriate shift.

Dwell completely in a place of gratitude. Learn to utilize what you have in your hands and make use of it in the most constructive personal development way. Slipping into neediness will become less of a habit when you repeatedly shift towards gratitude, away from poverty consciousness.

Use a Passion Formula of Recognize/Reevaluate/Restore in place of the Shoulda/Woulda/Coulda whirlwind. The former is based in increased knowledge and abundance while the latter focuses on scarcity and lack. As you face people or tasks that may seem harder than scaling the summit of the Himalayas, allow yourself to realize that the task is just as important as giving out orders to your subordinates. You would rather be richly passionate!

Believe that you are the architect of your destiny. No one can take personal development of your passionate future from you except for you! Create your life authentically. As long as there’s still breath in your body, there is no end to how much you can accomplish in a lifetime. The concept of thinking big is all about enjoying your work, which would lead to celebrate a discovery that is born within your hands. Watch everything flow into place with perfect, passionate precision.

It’s interesting how people get wallowed up by something trivial as learning to use a computer, when nowadays that top computer companies are manufacturing software that even the kids can do it. I don’t mean to be condescending, but that’s the idea of not having any Positive Thinking in your life-you’ll just end up as a dim bulb in a dark corner. So instead of subjecting yourself to what you will be doomed for, make your path by taking the first step with a positive personal development.

Tomas Labas
http://www.articlesbase.com/motivational-articles/bright-ideas-for-personal-development-82344.html

Preferably a 3-6 month martial arts/mental strength training facility. Something so physically and mentally demanding that it would produce a SIGNIFICANT change in my personal habits and self-discipline. I'm in my mid-30s, lazy, and can't put together enough consistent effort to achieve anything worthwhile. Time is running out. A potentially meaningful life is being wasted. I need radical change and I need it now.

A lot of gyms offer boot camp style training. Golds gym has a good one.

What Is Personal Development?

Personal development used to be a course taught at business and vocational schools around the United States.

It was long since held that self-improvement was an essential aspect of succeeding in a more and more competitive marketplace that left little room for those who would not be able to pull their own weight - usually because of self image problems.

Personal growth was considered to be the antidote to the possibility of failure very often experienced by job changers, vocation changers, and those who might embark on a new career at a more advanced age than most of their competitors in the marketplace.

Personal development was said to be effective in combining an individual’s innate wish for success with a change in the person’s mode of viewing her - or himself and also the way the person is portraying her - or himself to others.

NLP - neuro-linguistic programming - is one of the favored tools of the personal development movement. Since it offers a wide variety of tools and techniques, this application itself promises success simply because of its superior adaptability to the needs of the person seeking personal development.

For example, for those will simply performance anxiety problems, a large number of exercises will make an accomplished introvert out of a phobic introvert who is sent into stammering or excessive sweating bits at the prospect of speaking in front of a crowd.

For the person suffering from extreme anxiety the idea of meditation - well within the framework of NLP - will quite often yield amazing results.

While traditionalists might scoff at the idea of personal development simply because it is such a subjective exercise, it is noteworthy that many people sear by it and attribute their business success to lessons learned and exercises attempted during a personal development seminar.

Perhaps the most important aspect to remember when discussing personal development is the fact that it seeks to capitalize on a person’s good intentions.

These intentions may be the wish to succeed in business the innate need to be useful, or maybe just the wish to further the role of leadership a person has taken within a corporation or business.

The goal is to draw out the good intentions and turn them into marketable objectives which the client will be able to realize and develop further, so as to ensure that her or his confidence will grow enough to pursue the next level of professional development.

For those who are gifted with a go-get-it attitude, this need may be hard to understand, but suffice it to say that in a world where corporate success is hard won, and abilities have to be proven time and again, those who may suffer from a lack of self esteem have often found themselves relegated to the sidelines.

If this is you, it is also important to understand that you do not have to be on the sidelines, but that you have everything it takes to make it up the ladder of success!

Author Charles Williams: For more information on Motivation and self improvement visit: http://www.lsft.org

Charles Williams
http://www.articlesbase.com/self-help-articles/what-is-personal-development-84023.html

I am a big fan of The Secret and other self-help books but I was looking for ones geared towards my gender and age group. I am a twenty year old in college and want something to inspire me to follow my dreams.

You're better off reading biographies/autobiographies of successful women and literature from successful women than reading shallow self help books. What are your dreams? Find about about women in your field. .