When it comes to learning from the personal development gurus (and they are numerous), listen to them, consider their philosophy — but be YOU. Think, explore, question and discover your own truth. Not someone else's.

I've had people say to me, "I don't know any more — you tell me what to think." I know that sounds ridiculous but it's true. And sad.

Personal development books, CDs, DVDs, programs and websites are not answers to problems. They are resources. They are information and inspiration. Nothing more.

How valuable they (those resources) will be for you (personally) will depend entirely on what you do with the information. My observation is that most people go to workshops (or read books), get educated, get informed, get motivated (for a minute), leave the auditorium (or book), and then go straight back to their destructive habits, bad attitudes, and unfulfilled lives.

Straight back to where they don't really wanna be (literally or figuratively). They do nothing. They create no (genuine) change.

Don't believe what I write merely because you (may) respect me or connect with my communication style. No, consider what I write, think about it, test it and see (prove) if it's true for you. Then come to some independent realisations about what is right (appropriate, real, meaningful, relevant) for you.

Have your own revelation. And then do something with it. Spend time becoming your own guru. It's all there — you just need to develop it.

Genuine personal growth (life-long, forever change) doesn't come through courses, books or motivational workshops. They might be a catalyst for change, but the real growth comes through our experiences. Our practical life lessons. What we do. We have to experience in order to learn and grow.

And as long as our personal growth journey is limited to books, CDs, DVDs, workshops, websites, etc. (verses getting off our ass and doing life practically; learning by doing) we run the very real risk of becoming a Personal Development Zombie.

Life ain't a theory or a philosophy.

It's an experience.