Who Do You Think You Are?
by Bruce W. Hall
Have you ever wondered why so many self-help and motivation books are published every year? Have you ever wondered why thousands of people throughout the world continue to read the classics from Brian Tracy, Norman Vincent Peale, Napoleon Hill, Stephen Covey, and Dale Carnegie on a daily basis? It’s not because they offer easy solutions to complex problems, although some may suggest that’s the case. These authors know that behavioral change is one of the most difficult objectives to achieve. However, they also understand on a very basic level, self-help books can inspire people and motivate them intellectually, emotionally, and economically in times of crisis.
I’m a personal development coach and a small business coach. Like the authors mentioned above, I’m in the self-help business. My clients are bright, talented, and successful. They are normal people with normal problems that shape and transform adult life. They come to me in search of answers because they’ve reached an impasse trying to work things out for themselves. Also, it’s not unusual for highly motivated people to occasionally encounter overwhelming challenges. Every day, anger management issues, divorce, work, or finances, test our ability to cope. Who among us has not had our self-esteem buffeted by these things and more from time-to-time and sought assistance?
The mind never stops. We are thinking all the time. It’s one of the greatest gifts. However, thinking is only part of the human framework as each of us tries to cope with life according to our own unique biochemical, physiological and psychological nature. It’s a marvel how we manage to function as a cohesive unit, given the forces of nature, language, culture, and subjective experiences that influence us.
Still, people share many things in common. Certain behaviors inevitably link us together. Fear, doubt, and self-limiting thoughts, for example, can happen unexpectedly to anyone, anytime, anywhere. This can even happen to strong-willed, accomplished individuals. Underlying complex or ambiguous situations can startle us in the middle of the night or undermine our self-confidence at the height of a very busy day.
Possibly, we’ve been confused about a particular situation and its consequences, or resistant, stuck, and unable to move forward with something we’ve been planning. Maybe there are unresolved issues as simple as wanting to read a book or mow the lawn. Perhaps, in a world of bewildering change and uncertainty, something infinitely more complicated and transformational is in mind, like changing your life to become an artist, a writer, or an entrepreneur.
We can live up to our potential. Whether it’s a small annoyance or a major event that’s troubling us, we have the capacity to alter our perspective, and to reject and destroy the relentless push of stress and anxiety. The best self-help books combine a logical system with intuition, and rely upon us to review our options, make intelligent, reasonable decisions, then take action and follow through. They show us for every effect in our life there is a cause. When an unwanted effect is the result, a series of specific, measurable, definable ways can often be implemented to remove that cause. It’s up to us, however, to do the work.
An inspiring self-help book will not only remind us we have choices but very often guide us through the decision-making process, as well. However, this demonstration is only effective if we follow through with action. No self-help books, motivational seminars or workshops will do the job for you! No one can take the staircase, one step at a time, on your behalf. No amount of “wishing it was so” will raise your level of consciousness.
If we want a dramatic shift to suddenly take place in the way we think and operate, there are self-help books to expand our awareness, improve our outlook, and offer encouragement in the process. There are personal development coaches who can help us become more self-aware and assume greater responsibility for our own success. However, for any of this to play a significant role in our lives, somewhere, somehow, along the way, it’s incumbent upon us to want change to take place. How well these things play out depends upon who we think we are!
Copyright © 2008, by Bruce W. Hall. All rights reserved.
