It seems we have a not-so-new, but rarely discussed scourge on the personal development landscape.

We've all met Mr and Mrs Fit-In-At-All-Costs, the Social Zombie (what would you like me to do, be, say?). But over the last decade or three we have seen the rise of the Personal Development Zombie — the Self-Help Automaton — the person who hasn't had an independent thought or opinion since the eighties.

Now before I get on my cyber-soapbox, let's take a look at a couple of definitions:

• Zombie - a person whose behaviour or responses are wooden, listless, or seemingly rote; automaton (ring any bells?).
• Automaton - a person or animal that acts in a monotonous, routine manner, without active intelligence (know a few of these).
• Cult - Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion by a group of people to, or veneration for, a person, principle, or thing. (Hmm... any personal development programs, books, DVDs orgurus spring to mind?)
• Personal Development Zombie - a person seemingly incapable of independent thought. Takes on the beliefs, philosophies, ideologies and identity of other higher profile and allegedly(?) more enlightened individuals. Believes what he or she is told without question and typically memorises and quotes their guru ad infinitum. Doesn't really understand or practice what he or she preaches but sounds very convincing.

The first three definitions are from respectable sources, the fourth is from the not-so-respectable Harper Dictionary (a little-known Australian resource). Like many of you, I cut my teeth on a mountain of self-help... stuff. I read, I listened, I studied and I observed. I questioned, I disagreed, I made mistakes, I got into arguments (no!).

And while I learned plenty from some great teachers and found much of what I explored to be insightful, educational, inspiring and incredibly valuable, I also realised that the results I would produce and the reality I would create in all areas of my life was still all about me.

I could memorise and quote Tony Robbins, Steven Covey, and Deepak all day but that wouldn't make me the best me I can be; it would make me a pathetic, wanna-be clone of someone else. I still had to do, be, cope, manage, react to and learn from life and all its unpredictable variables.