What's your motivation for improving yourself?

[realignedliving]

I'm kinda curious! With all of the personal development going on in these forums, there's not much talk about motivation.

What's your reason for bettering yourself through self development? To give something for others to talk about? To be the best person you can be in your given career? For your mate? Just something to take up some free time?

I expect everybody to have slightly different answers, but I'd love to hear all of your individual reasons, even if they seem kinda silly! As for me, I'm into PD to improve my habits so no matter what I undertake, I can be that much more successful.

[bluskygirl]

My goal is essentially to leave this world with more than I took from it. So, I suppose that if I'm always working to be a better person, than it allows me to give more of myself in the ways that matter. For example, getting out of the materialistic "more" mentality allows me to free up not only finances but the time that I would use to continuously acquire "stuff". This in the end helps me to dedicate my time doing something for someone else or researching.

As a side note, I have somewhat of an addiction to change as well. When my life gets too stagnant I tend to do drastic and spontaneous things. I need a constant learning curve, so that also keeps me passionate about personal development.

[ZHereford]

Originally Posted by realignedliving

What's your reason for bettering yourself through self development?

My motivation for personal-development to reach my potential, to express myself and to help others do the same. I feel we are all here to contribute to, and help each other.

[Freelancer]

Its odd but everytime I change a part of myself the motiviation changes as well, some things I've been cycling through;
- To be the best I can be in whatever I choose to be (last part turned out to be tough)
- To contribute the most to the world
- To get the most for me
- To experience growth

I really need to settle on a more stable 'identity' sometime soon or else my mind will go nuts...

[sranganayaki]

We all have different personal reasons for seeking to grow. But there is basic common human urge for greater knowledge of self and world, greater capacity for accomplishment (material, social, mental or spiritual), greater mastery over one’s environment, life and own self, and greater enjoyment in all that we are and do. This urge can express in any field or type of personal development activity. There is a will to be, to know and to enjoy, to expand, a will for adventure, a quest for completeness. According to some, romance is the ultimate quest of human beings because it is a seeking for self-fulfillment by discovering one’s complement. Human romance has a spiritual counterpart – the quest for eternal romance which is to convert all life into a spiritual adventure of Self-discovery. Sri Aurobindo goes further and says the ultimate quest is to convert our human personality into a divine personality and human life into divine life.

[songwriter]

Well, I don't have anything more interesting to do, really. lol :-)
What's better that make yourself better?
You've got yourself, that's the only thing you got.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by realignedliving

What's your reason for bettering yourself through self development?

I started into motivation and self-development for the simple reason that I was almost starving... heck, my secretary was making more money than I was...

One year later, I had eight secretaries (or assistants, as they were called....) and I was making more money then all of them put together...

If you want to get ahead in the world... you absolutely need to use what PD and motivation teaches... Now, some people may have learned it from their parents... friends or whatever... but, unless you own and use those teachings... you are dead meat as far as getting ahead is concerned...
.

[realignedliving]

When my life gets too stagnant I tend to do drastic and spontaneous things.
I know this feeling! I'm the same way! As long as I keep moving forward, doing interesting projects and undertakings, it keeps me from getting stagnant.

Well, I don't have anything more interesting to do, really.
I love how straightforward you are. LOL I think boredom prods quite a few people into personal development; when you're bored, you keep searching for something else to do, so why not improve yourself during that time?

but, unless you own and use those teachings... you are dead meat as far as getting ahead is concerned
If you could pick the #1 most important thing that you learned from the PD literature to get to where you are today, what would you choose and why? What you did sounds amazing.

[seeker5]

1) I have a belief that says "Either you're busy growing or you're busy dying". I used to be in a very bad place for several years and I've just gotten out of it. My motivation is to continue to grow so I don't ever go back to that hellish place.

2) I'm also motivated because I'm excited about where I want to go - there are things I want to do and be that excite me a lot. The only way I can get there is to daily focus on growing. I've placed growth as my number 1 value for this purpose.

3) I've adopted the belief of the spiritual world. Thus I want to prepare myself for entry into the spiritual world and the best way I can do is by being the best man I can be right now.

[finandom]

Lately I found that it feels great to share something with others and help them to solve their problems. However, I found that I can't do this if I'm weak and lack of knowledge. So I must improve myself in order to gain more experience, know how and info to help others.

[AldianP]

Originally Posted by realignedliving

What's your reason for bettering yourself through self development?

My wife and my son
I want to be the best husband and the best dad in the world.

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by realignedliving

but, unless you own and use those teachings... you are dead meat as far as getting ahead is concerned
If you could pick the #1 most important thing that you learned from the PD literature to get to where you are today, what would you choose and why? What you did sounds amazing.

By far the most important message in PD is, "There ain't no free lunch..."

That is, nothing will happen by itself... so, when things are not going the way you want too... "do something" do anything... but move... take action... get off your butt and fart if you can't think of anything else...

Failure is a slippery slope... when you get caught in it... you do anything... so long as you do something... and, finally, you'll see yourself grinding to a stop... and then, you can start climbing again...

Easy lesson... but most people simply will never get it...
.

[bradb]

To me PD is a technology that gives me the tools to choose my own adventure. I feel most fulfilled when I live in my discomfort zone.

For example, a few years ago I decided I wanted to drop online dating forever, but had no idea how to start. How on earth was I supposed to go from cyber seduction to flirting in three dimensions?

Then I found the seduction community. Being analytical and goal-driven, this body of knowledge really appealed to me and I ultimately applied it with life-changing results.

[jwz]

A simplified answer would be that I began my PD journey to feel better.
In my opinion, its similar to giving yourself a treat.
Who wouldn't feel much better by achieving a great goal as to quit procrastinating, getting a grip over ones emotions etc?

Just my .50
:-)

[MariaG]

I guess I'm interested in personal development because of the way my brain is wired.

Even from a very young age (3 or 4), I started noticing that the world is always changing, and the people who deal with those changes the best seem to be happiest. For me, PD is a way of building skills to cope with change and use it to have my best possible life.

[Sam988]

My motivation is simply to be the best at any area i choose. I'm intending to be a business person, so i have many areas where i'm developing, like management, leadership, social skills, foreign languages (english included ), memory, intelligence, energy, fitness, and many more that will help me be a better businessperson.

[lizthefair]

Originally Posted by MariaG

I guess I'm interested in personal development because of the way my brain is wired.

My experience is much like MariaG's. I've been blessed with a lot of gifts, and an oldest child's drive to do as much as I can with them.

As I've moved forward on the journey though I've learned so much about myself, and have been though so many paradigm shifts, that I stay on the path somedays just because I'm curious to see what new element of the world will be revealed to me next. It's an exciting thing.

There are downsides though. There are lots of things in the world that "normal" people enjoy that because of my personal development journey have lost their luster for me-- I see how while they may seem shiny on the outside, in the long run they hold you back. There are days when I wonder if it might not be simpler to just be like other people.

But then I remember that when "bad" things happen to normal people, they often miss the growth opportunities that come with them. I can't imagine what it would be like to go back to a place where disaster struck and I was only pushed back, rather than pushed back and then propelled forward.

[MariaG]

There are lots of things in the world that "normal" people enjoy that because of my personal development journey have lost their luster for me-- I see how while they may seem shiny on the outside, in the long run they hold you back. There are days when I wonder if it might not be simpler to just be like other people.

That's a great point, Lizthefair. A mentor of mine once told me, "Always remember, you can walk down the road, but you can't ever really go back." It took me years to realize what he meant. Now I know that it may be "simpler" or "easier" to stay "normal", but I don't have a place there anymore.

One thing that has helped me is to learn to do "normal" things - going to bars and casinos come to mind here - but using new perspectives and skills. I'll use time in bars or clubs to observe the way people interact or try experiments. Or I'll sit at a blackjack table and practice card counting. That way I can continue grow, but still keep a social life.

[lizthefair]

The thing that hangs me up the most is gender stuff. I spent my whole life being trained that the most valueable thing I can do as a woman is to grow up, find a dude, get married and have kids.

I'm coming to realize, that my true path probably doesn't look like that and most days that's ok. But then I talk to people who look at me with pity because I've been with a guy for a long time and we aren't married and they quote ridiculous sayings about cows and milk, and it can get to you.

Sometimes it's hard to seperate what you really want because it's right for you and what you think you want because you've been conditioned to want it--even when you recognize the difference.

[realignedliving]

""Always remember, you can walk down the road, but you can't ever really go back.""

Wow, I love that quote! I put it on a post it and stuck it on my computer's power button, so I can read it every morning.

[dulaney0330]

My motivation for improving myself comes from a past of disappointments, mistakes, depression, and unused talents and abilities. I have known the way of not being able to handle stress, being miserable all the time, and wallowing in self-pity. I now want to expand my horizons and self-actualize and change my old ways of thinking and dealing with stressors.

[stephencp]

I am driven to be in control of my life and fulfill my potential to be best able to handle any and all future challenges in my life. Additionally, I love teaching change management, goal setting, leadership, creative thinking etc to others and so must first BE the "change I want to see" (to misquote Ghandi).

Stephen

The Internet Largest Free Give Away Ever - ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

[RandomGuy101]

When I tell people I'm into PD they always ask what's wrong with me. As if PD implies something has to be wrong. I think Steve puts it best in his article:
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...rsonal-growth/

There is nothing wrong with the permanent parts of myself. I want to improve the positional things in my life such as my health, career, relationships, etc. Why settle for anything less than the best in the positional realm? Just make sure your identity is not attached to these positional things.

[Kaspian]

Short Answer: to be happier

I feel best when I'm self-aware, making progress in something, improving myself, and learning new things.

[johnths]

Motivation for personal development? - It's to be enriched, not necessarily with extra material possession (I don't mind, though... ), but it's more for instrinsic satisfaction.

JT

[Peleke4]

If it weren't for women, I would have never gotten into PD in the first place. Now it's not even about that.

[Jes]

I believe in a god, and I believe in an afterlife. I also believe that this life is preparation for the next one. Personal development is the only thing I know of that helps me take full advantage of the time I have now while preparing me for the time I get later.

[realignedliving]

Wow, so the general consensus for going after personal development seems to be to internally improve yourself, to make yourself the best person you can be.

I thought people would have been more motivated by other gains - other people would like them more if they were different, materialistic items, etc..

[lizthefair]

Originally Posted by realignedliving

I thought people would have been more motivated by other gains - other people would like them more if they were different, materialistic items, etc..

I would bet that more people initially started because of the things you mention here and then though PD realized that those things don't matter so much.

Or, we could all be big liars

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by lizthefair

I would bet that more people initially started because of the things you mention here and then though PD realized that those things don't matter so much.

I wholeheartedly agree with you... money and toys are not the most important thing... but becoming who we have to become in order to get those things is the most important thing...
.