Acknowledgments

There are so many amazing people in my life who have played

a part in the creation of this book. So much time, energy, and effort goes into a project of this nature. It could have never happened without the help of so many people.

First and foremost, this book would not have been possible without guidance and inspiration from my Higher Power. Some may

call it God, the Divine, Spirit, or the Universe. To me, they are all

one and the same. I truly believe and know that this book was a gift. I am extremely grateful to be the receiver.

My parents, Allan and Doris Goldman, have played an integral

part in who I am and where I’m going. Throughout the year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, they have made sacrifices to provide me with the best life they

could. I am forever grateful for their never-ending support, encouragement and extreme generosity.

I am blessed with and thank my beautiful and amazing wife, Vania Goldman. Having her in my life makes me the luckiest person in the world. Vania loved me before my Personal Growth journey—and that wasn’t an easy thing to do. Her continuing support, love, and belief in who I am and what I am doing are critical to my success.

I am also extremely grateful to my brother, Mark, and his girlfriend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com), Deanna; my sister, Vicki, and her life partner, Erica; my nieces, Alexa and Lillian; my grandmothers and all three grandfathers who are no longer with us; my aunts, uncles, and cousins; my in-laws, Manuel and Fatima Delgado, sister-in-law Cecilia Delgado, god-daughter Isabella and the rest of Vania’s amazing family. I also want to thank my friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s who have touched my

heart throughout my life. They all bring me much joy and fuel

my passion to live my dreams.

Without the following group of people and companies, I would not have been able to conceive this project. I would like to thank my teachers: Anthony Robbins, T. Harv Eker, Landmark Education, Robert Kiyosaki, Chris Howard, Clinton Swaine, Steven S.

Sadleir, James Ray, David Deida, Jack Canfield, Les Brown, Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy, Alex Mandossian, Jay Abraham, Joel

and Heidi Roberts, Blair Singer, Keith Cunningham, Jim Rohn, Sarano Kelley, Pat Finn, Dr. Lin Morel, Bill Bartmann, Lynn Rose, Joseph Faust, David Wolmack, Nada Adams, Denis Waitley, Napoleon Hill, Dr. Colbey Forman, Kim Castle, and many others. As you can tell, I am an avid student of Personal Growth.

There is one person directly involved that stands out in the

crowd—Jennifer S. Wilkov. Without her guidance, contacts, support, and efforts, The Power of Personal Growth would never have materialized. Jennifer is a dear friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) and the book consul

tant for the project. Thank you so very much, Jennifer, for who

you are, what you stand for, and what you do in this world.

Other very significant people directly and indirectly involved

in the project whom I want to thank are: David Sendroff, Korby Waters, Angela Hartman, Ed Ernsting, Susie Ward, Gregg Corella, Spike Humer, Bret Dabe, Ira Goldman, Henrietta Cohen, Charles Debenedittis, Jr., Rod Nunez, Pat Finn, Kathryn Arnold, Keith Johnson, Mike Heu, Paul Hoffman, Payson Cooper, Eric Lamb, Peter McGreevy, Becky Dielman, Erik S., Mikae Pilaprat, Otto

Ruebsamen, Joseph Varghese, Daniel Topkis, Brenda Zimbardi,

Richard Duszczak, Stephanie and Greg Mulac and Mark Katz.

I want to personally thank those extraordinary people who purchased the book before it was formally released. Without them,

this book may have not been possible. These people believe in

me and my mission. For that, I am forever grateful.

Special thanks go out to the amazing people, who were interviewed for The Power of Personal Growth. If you go to pages

iii

97 through 99, I have listed each of them. These people have a unique place in my heart and I am extremely grateful to have connected with them.

And finally, my deepest appreciation is to you, dear reader: I honor and respect you for your courage to pursue Personal Growth in your life, and for making the decision to join us in creating a compelling future for your life, your loved ones and the world.

I’m looking forward to spending time with all of you in the near future as we continue to raise the global awareness of the power of Personal Growth for billions of people.

In this picture taken October 2nd, 2004 I was…

• 245lbs

• Clinically depressed

• $100,000 in debt

• Lost with what to do with my life

In this picture taken

September 4th, 2005 I was…

• 190lbs

• Extremely happy about my life

• Financially stable

• Clear about my purpose in life

*These pictures are only 11 months apart

in this book, i share my story of how Personal Growth transformed my life and the key insights and wisdom that made all the difference for me.

Contents

Acknowledgments
introduction
Understanding Personal Growth
Myths About Personal Growth
How To Read This Book

1: What is Personal Growth, Anyway?

2: How Does Personal Growth impact Your Life?

3: What’s Possible When More People Experience The Power Of Personal Growth?

4: insights And Wisdom For Living .
Epilogue
Contributors ..
Ways to Experience Personal Growth 
Resources .
About the Author  
Special Offer
index 

Introduction

You are about to embark on an exploration into The Power of Personal Growth. You will uncover various definitions of Personal Growth, what impact it has had on people just like you, what’s possible when more people integrate Personal Growth into their lives, and what are the key insights and wisdom that some of the greatest minds of our time live by.

First, I acknowledge you for your commitment to Personal Growth. I truly honor and respect you for taking the time to better your life and read this book.

You may be aware of Personal Growth and not convinced it’s for you. Maybe you’re new to this approach to living and looking to take the next step forward. Maybe you’re already passionate

about Personal Growth. This book is for everyone interested in

living an extraordinary life. It’s a multi-purpose Personal Growth guide to assist you on your journey.

I have personally interviewed twenty-five of the most influential leaders in the Personal Growth industry and surveyed forty-four individuals who have made a commitment to Personal Growth.

In this concise yet powerful collection of stories and insights by amazing people, you will learn timeless wisdom. Everyone who reads this book will take away something different: Depending on what you’re looking for, you’ll find clarity, experience, understanding, inspiration, and ultimately be encouraged to make a difference in your life, in the lives of your loved ones, and in the world. When you continue to integrate the concepts of Personal Growth into your life, you will have the power to produce the results you’ve only dreamed about—until now.

The book is a compilation of hundreds of year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s of experience in

life and Personal Growth. Instead of reading hundreds of books on Personal Growth, this one volume presents succinctly the stories and concepts you may not have read before and would like to know. Personal Growth is all about learning from ourselves

and each other. This book encourages exponential growth and

awareness. The Power of Personal Growth will save you year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s

of figuring out life on your own.

The Need For Personal Growth

More than ever we are in need of Personal Growth on a global level. We are in dire straits because of a general worldwide lack of knowledge and awareness of what’s possible when we create extraordinary lives for ourselves and each other. We can all contribute to the one world community and make the planet a bet

ter place. The norm has been people who spread negative news,

promote fast food and pharmaceutical concoctions rather than address the cause of real life issues.

We have been trained, to varying degrees, to obey authority, work hard, and to speak when called on. The educational system instills an early model for learning that conditions our behavior as adults.

Some of you may be going through life, day-in and day-out, just

working hard, watching TV, eating junk food, and falling into

bed at night. You may be living on autopilot rather than directing your energies and living life to its fullest.

Think about it: You are the producer, director, and actor of the movie called your life. To live an outstanding life, which includes doing what you love and being all you can be, you need to be proactive and deliberate on designing your destiny.

Today’s world demands that powerful people step up and take a stand for what’s important. Together we can challenge systems

3

that no longer serve us and create new structures that will be designed more effectively to set us up for success.

The quality of our lives depends on us and how we choose to live. The choices we make ultimately shape our lives and many

of us are waking up to this fact. With movies such as What The Bleep Do We Know!?™ and The Secret, people are becoming aware that there is more to life than what meets the eye. The Power of Personal Growth offers you significant awareness and knowledge so you can make empowering choices to positively impact your life.

What societies think and feel affect and determine their environments. In Washington, D.C in 1993 a study was conducted

in which 4,000 people (1% of the population) meditated twice daily for 8 weeks; the overall city crime rate dropped 23% during the study.

In the book, Messages in Water Dr. M. Emoto studied how words affect the composition of water: When you speak empowering words or think positive thoughts about love, joy, and peace, the

water crystallizes into beautifully defined shapes. When you say

disempowering words and think negative thoughts about hate, war, and anger, the water forms broken separated crystals. As a matter of fact, our bodies as well as the world contain more than

70% water: Just like in Dr. M. Emoto’s study, it has been proven

that the words we think and speak affect our lives, the world and everything around us.

There was another study done with plants. One plant was spoken

to in a loving manner, the second plant was yelled at constantly. After a short time, the first plant thrived while the second withered and died. Words have the power to hurt or heal.

My Personal Growth Journey

My journey began in October, 2004, when I was living an unful

filled life. I had closed my third business in less than one year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com). I was fifty pounds overweight, clinically depressed, and was

more than $100,000 in debt. All of this didn’t happen overnight, it had been building for six year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s.

Near the end of October, I was introduced to my first Personal

Growth seminar, which I speak about in greater detail in chapter two. The four days of the seminar were the most confrontational and liberating moments in my life. I released much of my emotional baggage and picked up many useful tools to begin shaping the life of my dreams. Within weeks after the event, I lost forty pounds, eliminated my depression, and started living a passionate life.

Following that seminar, I wondered why everyone didn’t know the benefits of Personal Growth and why it wasn’t more readily available. Following that first seminar I decided to dedicate

my energies to Personal Growth and to building a company that would raise the global awareness of the power of Personal Growth for billions of people.

5

The Personal Growth Advocate^™

My vision includes a world where Personal Growth is a way of life for everyone. My role models are: Henry Ford (whose wish

was that everyone own an automobile), Bill Gates (who wants everyone to own a computer), and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (who desired equality for all).

I am the Personal Growth Advocate™ with the sole mission to

support people who want to fulfill their potential and live their

dreams.

I believe so much in Personal Growth and its power to transform the world that I put everything I have on the line for this book. I borrowed money from family and friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, cashed in my IRA, used the gift money from my wedding, and was even on the verge of bankruptcy. I know in my heart it will make a significant difference as people integrate Personal Growth into their lives.

My wish is that every single person on the planet has access to Personal Growth. I want to share with everyone what’s possible when each of us integrates Personal Growth in our daily lives. It has been said that we tap into only a fraction of our potential— Personal Growth is all about becoming aware and allows us to tap into our endless potential.

Your life is waiting and your loved ones and the world are counting on you. I encourage you to read through the chapters and take action: be inspired, get motivated, and revel in the shared wisdom in this small and important book. If I can support you in any way throughout your journey, feel free to connect with me anytime through PersonalGrowth.com.

Lastly, please share with me the impact of this book on your life. Also, be sure to pass on the book to impact the lives of your family, friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, community, and beyond…

Thank you.

“In times of change, learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”

~ Eric Hoffer

Understanding Personal Growth

I want everyone to be free of constraints and conditioning, whether cultural, environmental or societal. When this happens, people will live with joy, love, gratitude, and abundance. When people engage fully in a Personal Growth journey they experience a new sense of freedom and purpose that they never had before.

Personal Growth is, at its core, about nurturing the growth of an individual. We are holistic beings with a mind, body, and spirit. We live in a world where we are increasingly challenged to draw upon our full potential. Personal Growth helps us to rise to the occasion—to become all that we may be and adapt to the lightning-speed changes in society.

Personal Growth and Spiritual growth are very intertwined. As

Teilhard de Chardin said, We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. Is it an innate force that propels us forward to engage in life and everything around us? Some say the force is God, the Universe, the Divine Spirit, or something else. For me, it is the Spiritual that both moves and defines us. Personal Growth is the connection to that innate power, which allows an individual to grow and live life to the fullest.

Many people are not aware or do not understand what Personal Growth is. I believe one of the core reasons is because it is called by so many names. Personal Growth may also be known by: self help, personal development, self-improvement, new age, and many others.

In my opinion, once we choose a name for the concept of the growth of an individual, even more people will understand what’s possible for them and the world. I feel that Personal Growth is the best name.

Personal Growth is a solo journey and one you don’t have to embark on alone. Even though you take the journey yourself, others are working on their journey as well. When we support each other everyone grows exponentially.

For me, Personal Growth is a way of life – a way of being, thinking, feeling, and acting. It begs the questions: What do you think about during the day? How do you feel most of the time? How

proactive are you in life? To what level are you playing in life?

Who are you?

We are creatures of habit. Have you been thinking, feeling, or acting in a certain fashion for too long and want to break with old patterns? By fully embracing Personal Growth and taking action to change, you can transform your life and start thinking, feeling, and acting in brand new ways.

Myths About Personal Growth

There are so many myths about Personal Growth. These myths

are also part of the reason why more people do not yet know the true power of Personal Growth. Let’s take a look at a couple of them so you can see for yourself the value in Personal Growth.

Myth # 1: Personal Growth is only for people who need help.

The truth is that many people find Personal Growth at different

points in their lives. Some people are looking for help with a crisis while others are looking to develop skills to improve their lives.

Many people work through difficult life situations with Personal

Growth techniques. People may explore it, for example, when they want to improve their health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com), make more money, or enhance their relationships. In my experience, Personal Growth supports people who clearly state their dreams and commit to living life to its fullest potential. Personal Growth is for everyone.

Myth # 2: Personal Growth is a religion or cult.

Unlike a cult, there is no one path or person that you are forced to follow in Personal Growth. You study what you want at your own pace - you choose your own journey. With some religions and cults, you are told what to think, how to act, and what to do. Personal Growth is open and available to everyone regardless of age, race, culture, religion, and any other element of segregation.

Each person explores freely who he wants to be, how he wants to grow and change, what he wants to achieve, and how he plans to get there. In Personal Growth, nobody tells you what you can and should do – it is completely up to you to create your own plan of action. Everything you desire, dream, and want is available to you when you are willing to dedicate yourself to life long learning.

Abraham Lincoln says it best, If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my ax.

How To Read This Book

The Power of Personal Growth explores what Personal Growth is, illustrates its value and demonstrates what’s possible for you, your loved ones and the world at large.

The book offers an inside view of the impact Personal Growth

has had on the 56 people who contributed to this book. You discover what Personal Growth means to them, the impact it has had on their lives, what they envision is possible for themselves and the world, and wisdom they live by that makes all the difference for them.

The interviews represent collectively hundreds of year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s of experience of Personal Growth. I’m grateful to those who have opened up and generously shared their journey—the stories offer pearls of insights that you, the reader, may take pleasure in while reading The Power of Personal Growth.

There are several ways to read this book. First, you may choose

to read the book from cover to cover - starting at the beginning

and reading straight through to the end. This will provide you

with a great overview of the impact Personal Growth can have on your life.

Second, you may choose to read the book in sections, specific

chapters, story topics, or read only what particular individuals

have to say. If you prefer to read selectively, you will find an index

in the back of the book that will help you navigate the content.

Third, you may opt to read random pages. Have fun with it! Every page is filled with insights and wisdom that will positively

I recommend that you explore all the options and allow the insights and lessons in this book to become fully integrated into your life. I also invite you while reading to write down those insights, action items, and a-ha moments at the end of each chapter on the lines provided.

The Power of Personal Growth is a book to re-read throughout your Personal Growth journey. As you grow and evolve, you will continually discover new nuggets of wisdom that speak to you at one point in your life or another.

Turn the page to experience your exponential growth... and enjoy the power of Personal Growth.

What is Personal Growth, Anyway? ₁

“The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

“The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.”

~ Benjamin Franklin

Everyone defines Personal Growth in his or her own terms. It is

amazing how many people refer to it as a journey, while others look at it as an evolution.

In this chapter, a group of individuals and industry leaders have

generously shared what Personal Growth means to them. There

is so much wisdom in each and every one of their statements—a richness of experience in life that helps us understand who we are and why we are here.

~ George Lodge ~

“Personal Growth is the pursuit of positive activities, experi

ences, and education: The process expands your consciousness

and opens you up to possibilities far beyond your currently per

ceived limits and boundaries.”

~ Kathryn Arnold ~

“…A constant examination of what is and isn’t working in your life, and an exploration of new ways of being to achieve a fulfilling life, which is composed of health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com), wealth, love, and personal

self-expression.”

~ Matthew Britt ~

“We are alive, and if we aren’t growing we are dying. Make sure you’re growing! Lifelong learning and striving for growth are

the secrets to life.”

~ Debbie Hoogestraat ~

“The willingness and ability to look at life situations head on and

to make informed choices is empowering. Instead of making decisions based on fear and negative past experiences, everybody can learn new strategies to succeed each day. At the heart of the

matter are growth and change.”

~ Eric Turiansky ~

“Discovering who we are is a lifelong pursuit. The process embraces the spiritual, emotional, and intellectual aspects of ourselves. It is the journey, not the destination!”

~ Monika Zands. ~

“The study of the self is both an internal and external experience. The gamut of lessons we learn along the way shows us how to

break habits and patterns so we expand from what we think is

available to us or possible in our lives.”

~ Lee Lam ~

“Living more fully means the ability to open yourself up to the possibility that you are capable of more than you are currently doing. It is about recognizing the frustration you feel about where you are in your life, the negative and positive feelings you have about yourself, and knowing that there is more about you that you haven’t developed yet.”

~ Korby Waters ~

“Personal Growth is the willingness to go through whatever it takes to express yourself. In essence, being uncomfortably comfortable becomes a new way of being—and will give you more

juice in your life.”

15

~ Lew Bronstein ~

“Learning something new and applying it each and every day gives meaning and purpose to our lives. Growth is the ability to learn how to take any situation either good or bad and get the most out of it, and then share what you’ve learned from the experience. Making progress in life is about taking responsibility for ourselves and being responsible to others. It is about using past pains as a motivator to embrace future pleasures. In summary it is about our stepping up to the plate of being all we can

be and then striving for more!”

~ Manny Goldman ~

Author and Founder, PersonalGrowth.com “Personal Growth encourages proactive learning. Here’s a metaphor to describe it: you can water a plant or wait for it to rain. Each action or reaction has a very different outcome. When you water a plant, you are proactively providing the resource required for

its growth. The same concept applies to your life. You can either

create the life of your dreams or settle for what you get.

“Personal Growth is a personal journey about becoming aware, obtaining knowledge, and learning from every situation in life. It is about being grateful, optimistic, and going after what you want.

“There are many ways to experience Personal Growth, such as:

attending seminars, reading books, listening to audio programs, watching inspirational movies, having a mentor or coach, spending time with supportive friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, meditating, journaling and

especially finding lessons in everyday experiences.

“Personal Growth speeds up the process of taking in and absorbing wisdom fully so you don’t have to learn through repeated trial and error. One of the quickest methods to accelerating your Personal Growth is to consider the company you keep: Surround yourself with people who believe in you and will hold

you accountable to fulfilling your full potential and living your dreams.”

~ Cynthia Kersey ~ Author of Unstoppable and Unstoppable Women

“To me, Personal Growth is raising your consciousness and getting in touch more deeply with who you really are on an authen

tic level. Taking responsibility for your life and the results you

are creating is the basic entry point of growth.

“To do this we must first understand that how we interpret the

events of our lives determines everything; how we feel, how optimistic we are, how we respond to our circumstances, and what we will ultimately create for ourselves. Our thoughts create our life’s experience. Once we understand this at a deep level is when Personal Growth can really begin.

“The practice of Personal Growth helps us release limitations as

to what’s really possible in our lives: It’s about shedding illusion and false beliefs that give us the feeling we are separate, not good

enough or can’t have or be the person we truly desire to be.”

~ Jennifer S. Wilkov ~ Best-selling Author of Dating Your Money,

Publisher and Book Consultant “Personal Growth is an opportunity to let go, learn something new, integrate changes into our lives, and live life easily. It is about seeking new information to enhance our life experiences.

“Personal Growth is available to each of us, through a simple conversation with someone where we become aware of how we are thinking and feeling about our lives. Books, audiotapes, live

events and teleseminars make it easy to find the information and

teachers to support you through thoughtfully designed programs

and presentations for any area of interest.”

~ Pat Finn ~

CEO, Rubicon Results Institute “Personal Growth is a combination of what, in the past, we have called self help, self improvement, transformation, and spirituality. It is about taking responsibility for knowing that all ‘growth’

starts within.”

17

~ David “Avocado” Wolfe ~

Author, Entrepreneur, and Raw Food Expert

“Since the 1900s, Personal Growth has been the science and fine

art of personal transformation—the path from caterpillar to but

terfly. It is a process of self-mastery that is startlingly simple, yet

sophisticated. Personal Growth is activated through stages of

discipline practiced daily.”

~ T. Harv Eker ~

Author of NY Times #1 Best-seller

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind™

“Very simply stated, work on yourself with the intention of growing yourself. What does that mean? Most people work from the outside—they work on their job, business, marketing, negotiations, finance, money, and even relationships. They work on all kinds of exterior things in their lives.

“Most people don’t work on them. What do I mean by ‘them’? Personal Growth is working on your mind-set, attitude, characteristics, the way you think and your habits—working from the inside.

“Who are you?

“One of the sayings I use in my course is, ‘Fortunately or un

fortunately, you take yourself with you wherever you go.’ The answers are not outside of you. The answers are you.”

~ Robert G. Allen ~

Best-selling Author of Multiple Streams of Income “‘Personal Growth’: two great words coming together to spell out what it means to become better and better.

“Growth is the result of being able to deal with challenges,

struggles, difficulties, barriers, obstacles, and problems. It’s the

process of becoming human, and growing from the lower self

to the higher self.”

~ Lin Morel, MA, DSS ~

CEO, Beyond Words Group;

Transformational Women’s Groups & Keynotes “The full embodiment of spiritual expression is, to me, the highest pinnacle of Personal Growth. It is about taking responsibility

for your development as a human being. As Teilhard de Chardin

said, ‘We are spiritual beings having a human experience.’

“Those who walk the path of Personal Growth are consciously

aware that their thoughts and actions affect everyone around them. Native Americans, the Seneca in particular, say that anything you say or do affects seven generations. Personal Growth makes us mindful that we impact the world around us with our

words, actions and deeds.”

~ Jack Canfield ~

CEO, The Canfield Training Institute;

featured teacher in The Secret “I believe that we’re all born with a potential to maximize our lives. If we are conscious about our powers, we can choose to focus on growing ourselves in a number of different ways.

“I teach the ‘holistic model,’ which says that we are a higher self, a spiritual being incarnated in a physical body with an intellect, emotions, and imagination, intuition and a will. I’m aware of who I am and what I think. I’m aware of what I feel. Who’s the

‘I’? The ‘I’ is the center of awareness.

“My higher spiritual self knows that the essence of change is awareness. People can become more focused using their willpower: For example, we talk about using our willpower to set New year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)’s resolutions and achieve goals.

“As to the intellect, much of the intellect is informed by beliefs, mostly programmed by our parents, grandparents, friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, the

community, school, and work. The programming doesn’t always

know the truth about how the world is and how it works. Instead, we’re programmed to have fears about life, relationships, and money.

19

“It is our responsibility to grow ourselves intellectually: I have read more than 3,000 books, and encourage people to read, attend seminars, and listen to audiotapes to challenge themselves and their beliefs about the world.

“To grow emotionally, we need to know that it’s okay to experience the depths of our feelings. Men need to know they can be sad and cry—it won’t make them a wuss or a sissy. Women need

to know that they can get angry and define boundaries without

feeling they are bitchy.

“Many of our feelings are the result of our thoughts about how the world should be. When the world doesn’t match up, we feel resentment and anger. I use metaphors for getting angry: You

come home and find cow manure in your living room. The first

couple times, you just clean it up and get your living room back in shape. Eventually you ask, ‘Where’s the cow coming from?’

“If you’re angry or scared all the time, you can pinpoint and change those thoughts that are producing negative emotions.

That’s a very important part of Personal Growth.

“People have active imaginations. We need to harness our imagination to serve our goals and align us with our higher self, our life purpose. We can learn to visualize positive outcomes rather than negative outcomes, which are a by-product of worry.

“Visualization is probably the least understood tool. Yet we think visually more than verbally or subauditorily. From research we have learned that we can program our subconscious mind with visualizations because the unconscious mind thinks visually.

“Intuition is knowing what we know without knowing how we know it. Most of us are talked out of trusting our intuition and are instead asked: ‘How do you explain that rationally? What’s your defense for that? Where are the statistics?’

“When we know we don’t trust a person, we know when we shouldn’t pursue a business opportunity. We feel it in our gut. For me, when I get a tight feeling in my chest, I know something is not right. If I get an expansive feeling in my chest, I know I can go ahead. And I get goose bumps when something is spiritually clear! If I get a great idea, my body tells me whether it will work. We have to learn the language of our intuition.

“Personal Growth also involves keeping our body health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)y, ex

ercising, remaining fit, and learning to love and nurture our

body. I make a commitment to get 26 massages a year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)! Every two weeks, I schedule one to make sure I relax. Yoga and Pilates

are excellent for stretching and flexibility. Our heart and lungs

need endurance and aerobic exercise, and we need to do strength training for our muscles.

“Personal Growth, including health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) and nutrition, teaches us to laugh and be light and understand the power of our mind and imagination to trust our intuition and be in alignment with our

higher self.”

~ Blair Singer ~

The Creator of SalesDogs®

“I’ve been in the Personal Growth industry since 1980. I’ve taught hundreds of thousands of people, thousands of businesses and worked with some incredibly great masters and gurus.

“My definition of Personal Growth is twofold: there is a natural

Personal Growth and a formal Personal Growth. What I mean

is the following: Through the course of your life, you grow

naturally through trial and error. From all the experiences you have, you grow whether you know it or not. How positive your experiences are and how much you leverage them depends on the second part of Personal Growth, which is the more formal

part. This comes from formal education and training: books,

audio and video programs, seminars, coaching, and mentors. Both of these formats of Personal Growth are aimed to allow you to win the battle of your own brain. It takes initiative to develop yourself.

“Therefore, I don’t see a huge difference between natural Personal

Growth and formal Personal Growth. In reality they’re one and

21

the same. The development of oneself is an activity and growth

is the offshoot. It’s like developing real estate. As you develop the property, the property grows in value.

“Whether you like it or not, you’re growing: If you go out and

stub your toe, you experience Personal Growth. The question

is: Are you aware that whatever happens to you is an opportu

nity to grow and leverage that experience? This is accelerated

Personal Growth!

“From my perspective, it really boils down to the battle of the brain. We trademarked the name ‘Little Voice Management™,’ which is a tool to win the battle of your own brain and be ‘at cause’ rather than ‘at effect’. When you strive to be at cause, you

find that you’re able to better control the game of life.”

~ Alison A. Armstrong ~

CEO and co-founder of PAX Programs Incorporated “Personal Growth is about personal responsibility.

“An individual can make a difference in life—in the lives of other people, organizations, communities, society, and the world. One individual can do all of that and more.

“The idea that one individual can make a difference in the world

still inspires me. Change begins with taking personal responsibility. Any area in which a human being decides to be responsible, not to blame or be blamed, but to voluntarily be responsible for something or someone larger than himself, truly has

the power.”

~ Les Brown ~

Author of the highly acclaimed and successful book, Live Your Dreams

“Personal Growth, to me, is challenging yourself to find out what

makes you who you are. It’s always reaching to discover more about yourself through projects, goals and activities you engage

in to help bring you to that place.”

~ Kim Castle ~

Brand Visioneer, Co-creator BrandU®

“You get involved in Personal Growth to become the fullest expression of who you are and how you relate to the whole. It is an

ongoing commitment to be the very best that you can be.”

~ Sarah Singer-Nourie ~

Founder, Singer Learning, Inc.

“To me, Personal Growth is about following a personal path that’s

actively challenging, questioning, and revealing—all for the pur

pose of tapping into your own potential, realized or not.”

~ Raymond Aaron ~

The Nation’s Number #1 Success and Investment Coach “My definition of Personal Growth? It’s three words long: ‘Address your demons!’ The demons are inner turmoil and struggles. We have names for our challenges, such as ‘defensiveness,’ ‘being a victim,’ ‘being an abuser,’ ‘talking way too much,’ ‘being fearful,’ or ‘feeling ashamed.’

“Whatever your demons are, they normally hold you down, ruin opportunities, and mar your reputation. When you do Personal

Growth work, which is difficult work, you get to address your

demons, clobber them, and push them on their merry way.

“Personal Growth has been the most profound and wonderful

journey of my life.”

~ Gary Ryan Blair ~

Best-selling Author and President of The Goals Guy

“Personal Growth is a lifelong pursuit because life is a work in progress. You never totally arrive; there's always some polishing

to do, knowledge to gain, and love to deepen.”

23

Conclusion

From each definition in this chapter, you begin to see that Personal Growth is about possibility, focusing on what you want, and living your full potential.

Personal Growth is in the process of being commonly understood and accepted in society. Many of us have been enjoying its value for year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, while some of us may be learning about the

benefits of Personal Growth for the first time.

As you read on, I ask that you start exploring what Personal Growth means to you as you enjoy making it a way of life.

I encourage you to write down everything that was meaningful to you in this chapter. Make a commitment to yourself to integrate them into your life:

How Does Personal Growth ₂Impact Your Life?

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”

~ napoleon Hill

“The secret of life isn’t what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.”

~ Dr. norman Vincent Peale

Personal Growth has the potential to literally transform any area of your life. You have to be willing to look at the area, be open to consider some changes and take action to make the necessary adjustments.

You are about to read stories from extraordinary people who have changed their own and others’ lives in surprising ways.

The journeys shared by both individuals and industry leaders

in this chapter detail what life was like before they discovered Personal Growth and what their lives are like today as a result of making Personal Growth a way of life for them.

~ Carolyn Ellis ~

“I was in my late 20s and had just become a mom. At home on maternity leave, I felt I didn’t know who I was anymore. Up until the birth of my child, I measured my success by my paycheck

and my influence at work. Looking after an infant at home was

foreign to me and I wasn’t sure I was doing a very good job at it.

Where was the training for becoming a new mom? I remember looking at my schedule and seeing that only a week before the

birth of my child my day was filled with meetings with senior government officials and strategy sessions with staff people. Fast-

forward and I was now counting the number of dirty diapers per day. I hadn’t realized that my self-worth and value were tied up with people outside myself. One morning while holding my

baby daughter in my arms, I embraced the notion of defining for

myself my own self-worth. A few months later my sister stayed at my house for a transformational workshop. She kept outrageous hours and it sounded like they were doing a lot of weird stuff in the workshop. She invited me to check it out. My brain said, ‘No way! It’s too far out, maybe even dangerous.’ I came up with all sorts of reasons not to accompany her. But then she said, ‘I think you’ll learn something about yourself that will make you

a better parent.’ That was all I needed to hear and I agreed to go. I attended my first Personal Growth workshop almost 15 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s ago and it opened a door to discover myself.”

~ Karen Walker ~

“Through my journey in Personal Growth, I was able to transcend my old life, get rid of fears, regain my self-esteem, and begin a new life. I had been in a very abusive relationship and once upon a time lived in constant fear. I was unable to function on a daily basis until I realized that my fears and my worries were manufactured by me. Even though my surroundings were what they were, I began to understand that I had the power

to filter my emotions, balance my perceptions, and control my

responses to even the most negative events in my life. Personal

Growth freed me!”

~ Edward Munoz ~

“In 1994 I got out of the Marine Corps after serving four year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s for my country in the Persian Gulf War. I came back to Brooklyn, New York, to a different war—a family living in poverty. I had a choice to become either the victim or victor of my circumstances. I ended up becoming a victim. My parents had just gone through a bad divorce. My younger brother took it hard and quit high

27

school and would not return to the house for days. No one knew where he was. It seemed that he got in with the wrong crowd for a while. My younger sister slipped into a terrible depression and had serious problems with her boyfriend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com). My mother was

clinically depressed and contemplated suicide. They all looked

to me for support and inspiration. Mind you, I was trying to be there for them, but I had ended up collapsing into their negative spiral. I fell into depression, slept 10 to 14 hours a day, and even got a potbelly—a real no-no for a Marine. My standards had always been high, but like I said, I allowed myself to become a victim of circumstance.

“To make matters worse I became a taxi driver in the worst area

of Brooklyn and my shift was at night. I was also in school and had to live in challenging conditions where I slept in a sleeping bag because there was little to no heat in the apartment. Imagine taking a shower in those conditions. Life really, really sucked. I

even got myself into a lot of bad debt—$30,000 to be exact. UNTIL

one day I saw an infomercial with Anthony Robbins. His words had a great impact on me. I decided to buy his book, Awaken the Giant Within. After reading it, my life changed. I started reading books by other leaders on Personal Growth, and I began

regaining my confidence. For the first time in my life I began

thinking like a champion and wanted to be successful. Basically I got my hope back and I felt unstoppable. I got my real estate license and joined a real estate company. Within two year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s I was a sales manager. My task was to recruit and build a sales team. I started with one agent and ended up managing 25 agents. In the

next two year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s I became a partner. Then we opened a mortgage

company. Currently we have a 4,000-square-foot location and

are renovating. These quantum leaps would not be possible if I

hadn’t had a date with destiny: encountering Personal Growth in 1995. What I have learned in my pursuit of success, happiness,

and fulfillment is that most people spend their time working

harder and harder hoping they will have it all someday. In fact, success is not something you pursue but something you attract by being the best person you can be—with that, success just can’t

help but fall into your lap!”

~ David Sendroff ~

“In my early teens, I used to hang out with the ‘bad kids.’ We started smoking pot and getting into all sorts of mischief, as troubled kids do. Somehow, I was drawn to these types of kids. When I got my driver’s license at age 16, I began sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night and driving 45 miles to

all-night raves in Baltimore. Then I got into much harder drugs,

including ecstasy, acid, and crystal meth. I focused on the immediate pleasures and was oblivious to the havoc the drugs

were wreaking on my body. To slide by in high school I did the

minimum, and at 17 I went to college at Kent State University

in Ohio. During the first semester I was caught smoking pot

and put on probation. At the end of the semester, I transferred to the University of Maryland. Wherever I went, I found drug users and other distractions to keep me from feeling what was going on inside me.

“One day, I saw an infomercial for an audio program called Personal Power® II. I sat and watched the whole thing, and when it ended I bought it. The program was a major wake up call: I began looking at what wasn’t working in my life and where I was going. At age 19, during my second year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) of college in November of 1997, my grandparents were near death and my life began

flashing desperately before my eyes. My new year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)’s resolution

was to quit drugs. No one believed me. I wrote down all the reasons why I was quitting, including my weakened immune system, lack of motivation and having no true friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s who really cared about me. I told my parents about my problem and gave them a copy of my resolution to quit drugs so they could hold me accountable.

“It has been 10 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s since I’ve kicked the habit. One of the hardest things I did was to disassociate with all of my old ‘friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s’ who did drugs—everyone I had known at least smoked pot. A new drug-free friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) and roommate and I began working out together, and I gained 20 pounds of muscle. My self-esteem began to soar. In 2001, I attended Anthony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within. The seminar had the most profound impact on me.

I learned about psychology, communication, relationships, and

29

more. My biggest takeaway was that my old worn-out belief system, which had me convinced that ‘I was not intelligent’, could now be discarded. Inspired by the fact that Anthony Robbins was reading a book every few days at the time, I began doing the same. I was so moved by Anthony that I attended his Mastery University® program and headed to the Date with Destiny® seminar a few months later. From the seminars I was able to

evaluate and redefine my values and beliefs. The ‘What if I fail’

syndrome had been driving my life. In the past if there was a remote chance of failure, I wouldn’t even try. I wanted to look

good. Redefining failure opened up new possibilities for success

in my life. I began growing from all of the books I was reading, and I was able to get a nice raise at work. My parents and sister started working out, eating health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)y foods, and eventually attending seminars too.

“After looking one day at my notes from Anthony’s seminar, I made a list of exactly what I was looking for in a woman. Six months later, I met my soul mate, Joie, and she embodied ev

erything on my list to a T. For our second date, I invited her to

Anthony’s Unleash the Power Within seminar. During Joseph Mc-Clendon III’s guided visualization, we held hands while we all yelled ‘I love you!’ In that moment, I grabbed her and we kissed. Later, everybody in the group wrote letters to him or herself, which were mailed to us six months later. In the meantime I

proposed to Joie. After we moved in together, the letters finally

arrived. It brought tears to her eyes as Joie read that I knew she

was the one for me ever since our first date. She had written the

same in hers. Now, more than ever, I see the power of writing down goals because we attract what we want in our lives. Personal Growth has been the catalyst for a 180-degree shift in my life and it has had a ripple effect on everyone around me, includ

ing my soul mate, Joie.”

~ Nancy Brandt ~

“My husband left me when I was seven months pregnant. When he left the country I got stuck with the ruined business. I slipped into being the victim and felt depressed and hopeless. I was barely able to care for my children or go to work. Over the course of three year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s I became bitter and stuck. I felt that I was dealt a

bad set of cards. Then a fabulous, caring friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) gave me a ticket

to an Anthony Robbins seminar and insisted I needed to go for the kids. Feeling desperate, I went to the seminar while feeling that nothing would help. The seminar helped me redefine a future for myself. I was shown what could be if I only changed my disempowering beliefs and also what would happen if I did not change those beliefs.

“In only two year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, I have tripled my income. I am writing a book on relationships and I am dating. I love my children, and they smile a lot more now that I am smiling too. What really matters to me is having a loving family and friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s. In this environment I have created a wonderful peer group, which supports my new

life and way of thinking. I look forward to the future.”

~ Matthew Britt ~

“Life before Personal Growth was rather slow. Life seemed to be something happening to me. I was going through the motions on a daily basis. I was living, but I wasn’t alive. Looking back on it, I can say that Personal Growth has absolutely, no question about it, made me a happy person with a mission.

“I discovered Personal Growth through my wife. She introduced me to a book called The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, by Robin

Sharma. That book opened my eyes and encouraged me to take

my life into my own hands.

“My life since discovering Personal Growth has shifted from one with limits to one of abundance. I am now a full-time student of greatness. I spend my time surrounded by top-quality books, audios, magazines, events, courses, and people. I love my life and share it on a daily basis. I want to add value to the world and

Personal Growth allows me to make that a reality.”

~ Lew Bronstein ~

“I began my journey in Buffalo, New York, while working in the family business. Although people told me I was good in the business, I always felt there was more to life. After a few

31

frustrating year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s professionally and personally (failing busi

ness, failing marriage, and low self-esteem) I moved to Orlando,

Florida, to begin a new life. My entrepreneurial spirit returned, and although I became mildly successful in business I felt that I had no real zest for life. In 1998 my baby girl, Lexi, was born and now I had something to live for.

“At the same time I was 30 pounds overweight and didn’t respond well to most challenges. Yet in 2004 I went from being a halfassed student of Personal Growth to being 100 percent engaged in my first Anthony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within seminar. When we chose buddies, a girl from three rows away turned and shouted out to me: ‘You!’ I knew then and there that I was supposed to be a leader. Since the seminar I have completed Anthony Robbins’ Mastery University®, become a member of his Leadership Academy®, and enjoy other self-study audio programs and books. One of my missions in life has become to support others,

and I help people find ways to change negatives into positives.

No one is a failure as long as he is learning and growing.

“I have become a much more balanced person as a result of Personal Growth. I have gone from being judgmental to being accepting. My business has grown exponentially, and my relationship with my daughter, my family, and my friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s has strengthened. I have gone from 215 pounds, with high cholesterol, and feeling tired and worn out to becoming a lean, 185-pound, vibrant, clear-eyed powerhouse who feels phenomenal. Everyone around me

senses how alert I have become. To sum it up I feel gratitude for

the ability to manage my emotions and help others do the same. My two new mottoes are: ‘Live, love, and dream with passion’

and ‘I am love, light, and strength!’”

~ George Lodge ~

“I was living a life according to the beliefs that I had always been taught from the time I was a child: ‘Go to school, get a good job, and work hard until you retire.’ You know the litany—we’ve all

absorbed it. The problem was, I felt unfulfilled and unhappy,

even though I had a fantastic job, a great place to live, and friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s and family who loved me. Something was missing. I didn’t know

what my mission or purpose was, or how to find one. In my late

20s, one of my friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s went to an intensive workshop and it cre

ated such a positive effect on his life that I decided to go too. The

event was the Landmark Forum, and it began my Personal Growth

journey. It was my first exposure to a different way of thinking

about and looking at life, and I came out of it with new ideas

and concepts to help me find my purpose. At the same time, I

decided: ‘I never want to do an intensive again!’ At 39, I thought that I had it all nailed down again. Little did I know what the future had in store for me! Great job, great place to live, friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s and family that loved me, and again I felt stuck. I wanted to do more with my life.

“My best friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) had been working with Peak Potentials Training

for the last year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com). I could see how he was growing and changing as he worked through their curriculum. I wanted to experience this for myself so I attended their Millionaire Mind Intensive program, and I was hooked! I became a Quantum Leap member with Peak Potentials and started working on myself. I quit my job to seek a new career using my natural gifts and abilities. Greatness is moving forward exponentially beyond where you ever thought you’d be. At 41, I am still on an active Personal Growth track. Some people say I’m crazy for going to all those seminars. At the same time, they admire the way I look at life and my ability to

frame situations in a positive manner. They enjoy my energy, say

I’m a pleasure to be around, admire my courage not to pursue a traditional career, and applaud my decision to focus on what I love and follow my heart. My mission now is to inspire people to spread peace, joy, understanding, and healing to all, and thereby

make the world a better place—and I’m living proof.”

~ Dave Ulloa ~

“Prior to discovering Personal Growth, I was a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. As a police officer I experienced many horrible life-threatening and life-altering moments that really desensitized me. I became progressively distant, angry,

and numb during the five year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s on the force. I was drinking a lot with other officers or by myself. I watched a lot of TV to escape

the pain and dull the thoughts in my mind. Financially, I was

33

on the verge of bankruptcy. My wife and I made decent money but we did not have the discipline to save.

“A few year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s back while we were making our New year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)’s resolutions, my wife and I decided to start meditating because we had heard it was a great way to become more centered. At an event we attended there was a silent auction where you could bid on trips, gifts, products, and services. We bid on a CD series called Get the Edge® by Anthony Robbins. Retail price was $200 and

the opening bid was $60. We won it! The CDs changed my life.

We began going to seminars, including Anthony Robbins’ Mastery University®, and have invested a large sum in our Personal Growth. Our lives have changed for the better: We are happier, health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)ier, and much wealthier. As entrepreneurs we have control over our destiny. We see the world in a different light now and are attracting amazing people. Recently we’ve been blessed to

co-author a leadership book with Jim Rohn, Zig Ziglar, and Denis

Waitley. We have become life coaches for a few select clients. Personal Growth has completely changed our lives. We believe in it

and promote its benefits to anyone who will listen.”

~ Venloe Scott ~

“My energy used to be channeled through a spatter gun—it was all over the place. I have always been creative and never afraid of tackling anything. I became proficient at digging myself into holes and not being able to climb out. Trouble was, this approach zapped my energy and focus. Life became complicated and small tasks became overwhelming. I was a single mother of two children and ended up with a full-time job that barely paid the bills. I juggled well for many year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, but there was no margin for error. I started dropping the balls. No money. No relationship. No time.

“In 1999 I started my Personal Growth journey. I completely re

defined my goals and values. I worked on the process everyday

and included my children, family, and community.

“In 2007 my family is happy: We are involved with each other, not just ships passing in the night. I aligned my social and fi

nancial goals and values with those of my family. I founded a small company, we live on a dream property, and our lifestyle

suits us fine. Everyday I work toward my vision, which includes

more people in my world than it used to. My life is in harmony

and it is conducted with integrity: It flows and is exciting. Even

though I am thinking and working on my Personal Growth all the time, it doesn’t feel like a chore but a pleasure. I now have all the resources I need to achieve whatever I want. I know that everything I wish for, visualize, and focus on—no matter how

intangible at the time—becomes a reality.”

~ Paul Gruber ~

“I grew up in a small farming community. At an early age I learned about working hard for a living. My father and all my family told me that I must work hard. My early year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s were spent toiling away, so I never learned much about Personal Growth. As the year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s passed, I didn’t know the true meaning of happiness. Hard work with no vision or purpose made me feel unhappy

and unfulfilled. I felt suicidal, began living recklessly, and got

in trouble with the law. At this point I discovered God and decided to start living life differently. I committed to my Personal Growth, and found that the more I learned and grew, the more I wanted to learn and grow. Today I’m a full-time student of Personal Growth. I say full-time because I learn from everything I do—from the time I get up at 4 a.m. and review my vision board

until the time I fall asleep at night.”

~ Eric Turiansky ~

“My first exposure to Personal Growth was when I found my

dad’s copy of Anthony Robbins’ Personal Power® II. As a teenager, the audio program enlightened me; I understood that people of all ages could be on a path of Personal Growth. Up until this time, I had felt pretty unmotivated, unsure of my path in life, and believed something was wrong with me. After studying Personal Growth, I know that developing a path is a lifelong

process. There are no quick fixes to daily problems, but Personal

Growth certainly provides a powerful catalyst to change the way

we perceive ourselves and the world around us.”

35

~ Dave Razo ~

“As a teenager I was lost, without direction, and felt miserable.

I knew I had potential, but never could seem to develop it. Then

I bought a Personal Growth book that explained to me that my thoughts actually produced the life I was living. Since that time I have been a long-term believer in the power of Personal Growth. I know that my inner world, my thoughts, beliefs, and values manifest in the outer world and create my destiny. Over the past 30 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s I have traveled the world as an Air Force pilot, have completed three master’s degrees, and most important, I have a loving wife and family. I have recently embarked upon a new journey: my own company, which invests and trades in

stocks and options. The principles of Personal Growth are ever present in my life.”

~ Judith Akins ~

“When I was 16 I became pregnant. My mother bought me a one-way ticket to Sydney, Australia, and told me not to bring my

problems home to her. In 1970 there were no benefits for single

mothers. I put my baby up for adoption and got on with my life. When my son turned 18 we connected and became really close. In 2000 he attended a Personal Growth seminar at which I was on the Logistic Team. During the seminar, he revisited the circumstances around his birth and shared them with me. Memo

ries of it came flooding back to me and I began remembering

what he and his birth were like for me. For 35 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s I protected myself from feeling the pain of giving up my baby. Since then I have allowed the archetype of the lover to step forward and

replaced the image of the warrior. The experience has changed my life.”

~ Manny Goldman ~

Author and Founder, PersonalGrowth.com “In a short period of time, I have experienced many life lessons. Prior to Personal Growth, I learned the hard way. Looking back, I wouldn’t change anything because those lessons have shaped who I am today.

“I was a troubled kid from age 3, and my difficulties continued straight through my early 20s. I have been arrested for fighting, for selling drugs, and twice for driving while intoxicated

(DWI). Throughout my childhood, I struggled to understand

who I was, and constantly found myself turning to the wrong crowd for approval.

“I was clueless about managing my emotions: I was depressed for many year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s and was on and off medication for this condition. My relationships were up and down. I had failed not only at several relationships but also in several businesses. Right before I found Personal Growth, I hit rock bottom: I weighed 245 pounds, was clinically depressed for more than 10 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, and had failed in a third business within the year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com). When I closed down the last business, I was in debt for more than $100,000 and felt completely lost and confused about what to do with my life.

“As fate would have it a postcard came in the mail: Anthony Robbins was having his Unleash the Power Within weekend close to my house. I felt this was just the solution I needed and asked

several people to accompany me. After finding little interest in my invitation, a friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) and former client finally volunteered to

come with me to the event.

“The weekend was extraordinary and became a turning point in

my life: I gained greater awareness, insight, and wisdom to begin exploring what was possible for my life. In a short time, I lost 40lbs, got rid of my depression, became engaged to the woman of my dreams, moved to California, and found purpose in my life. Over the last three year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, I have dedicated myself to my own Personal Growth and living my life purpose: to raise the global awareness of the power of Personal Growth for billions of people. If they choose, they too can make it a way of life.

“One of the greatest gifts I have received during my Personal Growth journey has been seeing the impact on my family and friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s. Many of them have embraced Personal Growth in their own way. I’ve seen amazing results in their lives. I am extremely grateful to see the ripple effect in my life from my willingness to share it with them.

37

“As student and leader, I look at Personal Growth today as integral to my life as breathing, eating, and sleeping. I have attended and volunteered at more than 50 seminars, read dozens of books on the subject, and listened to countless audio programs. Everyday I learn from people from all walks of life who share a similar path—people who want to examine life and their actions, have a thirst for knowledge, apply what they learn, and create positive experiences in their and others’ lives.

“I visualize what it is that I want and the steps I am going to

take to get there: I define, redefine, and refine my goals and the

steps to reach them. I enjoy meeting amazing people who are invested in their own Personal Growth because they care about being the best he can be.

“Personal Growth is about being proactive rather than reactive, growing and evolving, and living life to the fullest. My passion is to share the power of Personal Growth with everyone around

the globe.”

~ Pat Finn ~

CEO, Rubicon Results Institute

“I was a broke part-time TV weatherman in San Francisco when I did the Landmark Forum in 1989. That weekend I was able to transform my paradigm around money and success. Within 6

months I was hosting the first of several national TV shows and bought the first of several businesses. …Anything is possible!”

~ Les Brown ~

Author of the highly acclaimed and successful book, Live Your Dreams

“I was born with my twin brother in an abandoned building of a poor section called Liberty City in Miami, Florida. We were adopted at six weeks.

“In fifth grade I was identified as Educable Mentally Retarded (EMR) and was put back a grade. I was considered EMR throughout high school too, and I didn’t go to college. My mother was a domestic worker in Miami. Fortunately for me, I had a job too. I

kept Mr. Sadirski’s office spotless and I shined his shoes.

“They say coincidence is God’s way of staying anonymous. When I cleaned Mr. Sadirski’s office, he would listen to Dr. Norman

Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking, and Earl Nightingale, Lead the Field and The Strangest Secret in the World. Being exposed to those messages changed my life: It challenged me to look beyond making up beds, cleaning homes, cleaning toilets,

scrubbing floors, and raking yards.

“An 11th grade teacher, Mr. Leroy Washington, who happened to be a disciple of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, challenged me one day in class. I responded to his request: ‘Sir, I can’t do that.’ He said, ‘Why not?’ I responded, ‘Because I’m not one of your students.’ He said, ‘It doesn’t matter. Follow my directions anyhow.’

“I replied, ‘Sir, I can’t do what you’re asking.’ The other students began to laugh. Finally, one of them said to the teacher, ‘He’s Lesley, that’s not Wesley. Wesley is the smart twin. He’s the dumb twin.’

“The teacher came from behind his desk and examined me while

the students were laughing. He said to me: ‘Someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.’

“On one hand, I was humiliated. On the other hand, I was liberated because he looked at me with the eyes of Goethe, who said,

‘Look at a man the way that he is, he only becomes worse. But look at him as if he were what he could be and he becomes what he should be.’

“The same teacher said, ‘Mr. Brown, work on yourself. ‘Be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ People don’t live life as it is. They live life as they are.

“Working on my mind became my magnificent obsession. And

as my teacher also instructed: ‘Develop your communication skills, because once you open your mouth, you tell the world who you are.’

“It is said that a career is something that you love so much that you’d do it for nothing, but you do it so well that people pay you. I began to get requests from churches, clubs, organizations, and corporations to speak. As a result of my joining the National

39

Speakers Association, which gave me a larger platform to be seen and heard by people from across the country and around the world, I was able to secure a spot on PBS producing specials. One was called You Deserve, which got me national recognition.

“Toastmasters International conducted a poll to find out who were the top five speakers in the world. At the time, General Norman

Schwarzkopf, Robert Schuller, Barbara Walters, Paul Hobby, and I were selected. When I received that acknowledgement and the

president of Toastmasters said I received more votes than all of

the others combined, I was very proud of my accomplishment.

The level of recognition and honors I received promised a new beginning—not only the Golden Gavel award from Toastmasters

International, but also the CPAE Award from the National Speakers Association, the largest professional speaker’s organization.

Their award is for top speakers, whose names are entered in the

Speakers Hall of Fame.

“My greatest asset to the industry is not as a speaker. There are

many great speakers. My greatest asset is as a coach. I teach

people how to find their voice, how to create value, and how to

seize special moments and opportunities.

“My favorite book says, ‘Faith comes by hearing and hearing and hearing.’”

~ Sarah Singer-Nourie ~

Founder, Singer Learning, Inc. “I was 10 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s old, hated school, and was labeled as a kid with

an attitude problem. I had conflicts with teachers and spent a lot

of time in the hallway. It was not because I didn’t like learning. It was quite the opposite. I loved investigating: taking things apart and putting them back together. I was very curious for my age and was reading before I was supposed to. Yet early on, school felt restrictive.

“I’ve always listened to a little voice in my head, which sometimes is and sometimes isn’t in alignment with what’s going on around me. The voice usually asks two questions: ‘What’s in it for me?’ and ‘Is there a better way than this?’

“The ‘What’s in it for me?’ question came out of my mouth a lot

of the time. I would raise my hand in class and say things like, ‘So what does this have to do with real life? Where can we actually use this outside of school? Isn’t there some other way we could be doing this that’s a little more fun?’ As you can imagine, my teachers didn’t want to get into that conversation with me. I learned that the most fun I was going to have in classes was seeing how quickly I could get myself kicked out of a class.

“Looking back on it, I was not a traditional learner - I was a very kinesthetic, concrete-random, outside-the-box learner. My learn

ing style didn’t fit with conventional education.

“My oldest brother, Blair Singer, who is also active in the Per

sonal Growth industry, said: ‘There’s this program you need to

go check out. It’s called: SuperCamp®. It’s 10 days out of your life. You’ll go and then you’ll want to come back to school.’

“I told him, ‘Forget it! What is it, some summer school? There’s

no way.’ And he said, ‘You need to go do this thing. It’s going to change the way you look at not just school, but the way you look

at yourself.’ I was a sophomore in high school and said, ‘There’s

no way.’ He explained that it had to do with accelerated learning.

That year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) the one school project I initiated was a paper I wrote,

researching accelerated learning—right brain/left brain learning. I suddenly agreed, ‘Okay. I’ll check out this thing called: SuperCamp®.’ So I did.

“I went, and it was a major shift for me. Those 10 days turned

me into a different person in terms of learning, leadership, and

tapping into my own potential. Then the big light bulb came on

for me: I wasn’t crazy. I spent so many year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s wondering, ‘What’s wrong with me? I’m not buying into the system that everyone

else thinks is so great.’ There was nothing wrong with me—I

just learned in a different way than my teachers had been trying to teach me.

“At the time, SuperCamp® was like an Outward Bound–type of physical-kinesthetic learning program, which brought in the

best of the best in the field of accelerated learning and Personal

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Growth. Started and run by Eric Jensen and Bobbi DePorter, Anthony Robbins was a major part of the program, as well as people like Scott Bornstein.

“SuperCamp® shifted my thinking from being the troublemaker in school to the kid who was holding workshops for teachers after school. I shared with them how they could teach in a way that tapped into how kids learn and how to make education more fun.

“I decided to become an educator because I wanted to change the system. I wanted to create a method of teaching where kids could be who they were, learn the way they learn best, and be challenged by programs based on relationships, accelerated learning, teams, and fun.

“This was my introduction into the world of Personal Growth:

SuperCamp® taught me how to approach Personal Growth and accelerated learning.

“In the way I run my workshops today, what people remember, in addition to the content, is the way that I deliver it. It’s a fusion of accelerated learning, high energy and high visual/auditory/ kinesthetic state changes. It’s a lot of fun.

“My vision is: If we can make positive changes in the way educators teach and in the school environment, kids’ futures will change for the better. Kids will come out of the system having gotten both content and process, and establish a foundation for lifelong learning.

“Today I split my time between my own Personal Growth leadership programs, coaching, and doing work in schools where

the heart of learning lies.”

~ Jennifer S. Wilkov ~ Best-selling Author of Dating Your Money, Publisher and Book Consultant “I was the second child to divorced parents, and married to a man who had no spiritual interests. My marriage felt more like

a companionship than an intimate relationship: Romance was not the norm. My husband and I soon began growing in different directions: We increasingly developed different interests and

lifestyles that were no longer working well together. We finally agreed to divorce.”

“I started learning more about myself through Personal Growth programs. Because of the work in Personal Growth, my ex-husband and I were able to move through the divorce with respect for each other. I felt blessed that we were able to communicate openly throughout the break up as compared to the uncomfortable experiences I felt during my parents’ divorce year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s earlier.

“In addition, I had been living for 25 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s with Crohn’s disease, a debilitating health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) condition that affects the digestive system. I experienced countless numbers of times when I would double over in pain with everyone surrounding me, wanting to help and support me but not knowing what to do—feeling helpless like me. Because of the illness, I had multiple emergency room visits, surgeries, and hospital stays. After my second surgery, I returned home and promised myself I would find a way to stop the disease, even though it had been clearly stated that there was no cure. I made up my mind to get off every drug therapy and begin a journey toward excellent health(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com). After six months of researching alternative methods for treating the condition, I was able to miraculously eliminate all drug treatments.

“My first experience with Personal Growth came from a week-

long program in Northern California. In the summer of 2001 I met my beloved sensei, H. F. Ito, through the American School for Japanese Arts. I found a martial art in the program that was both holistic and focused on the synergistic development of the body, mind, and spirit.

“As one of the founding members of the art of Shintaido, Ito Sensei taught that the practice was rooted in learning about yourself and your relationship with nature, other people, and the world

around you. Through body movement, Shintaido teaches that

the body is a message to the Universe. It’s about a moment—each

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moment—in which you have only one opportunity to express your fullest and greatest self. Ito Sensei and I agreed to become master and student. One day, he explained something about commitment to me that was so clear: ‘I can only show you the movements and the way to practice. You have to do it yourself in order for it to work and for you to learn from it. Learn from your commitment to the practice and the value of experiencing the movement yourself.’

“The following year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com) as I continued to seek ways to support my

recovery from many year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s of suffering from Crohn’s disease, I attended a weekend seminar program with Anthony Robbins.

As the saying goes, my life has never been the same again. The

program opened my eyes to a whole new way of approaching my life, aspirations, and dreams. I became determined to travel

and to live my life to the fullest. The program was the beginning

of a great quantum leap in my personal evolution.

“Traveling to the programs I signed up for was important because

when I had Crohn’s disease I believed that traveling abroad was

too difficult for me. Breaking through my limiting beliefs was a

milestone and I traveled to Australia and Fiji for programs that truly transformed my perspective on life.

“I became hooked on Personal Growth and found that the more programs I took, the more accelerated growth and learning resulted in my life. I would attend a program, take away three key points, review my notes, and start implementing right away. I got so adept at the process that one year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com), I took 10 programs— averaging almost one a month!

“Sharing insight, knowledge, and wisdom that I learn through Shintaido and talking with others about their lives and interests are the most important activities I enjoy. By understanding our commitments and desires, we are able to support each other’s goals and dreams.

“Calling out my goals has made so much happen in my life: from beating Crohn’s disease and traveling abroad to writing and pub

lishing my first book in 90 days. My mentors and teachers also

helped me to realize one of the most rewarding goals in life: I am now a best-selling award-winning author, book consultant, and publisher. Publishing and writing are so meaningful for me. I have a joy and passion for publishing and assisting people with

sharing their stories. Teaching others how to write and produce a book in 90 days is thrilling. To see the spark in their eyes and

a knowing that ‘yes! they can do it!’ are incredible gifts I feel blessed to share with them.

“When I meet people interested in publishing their own books— I’m on fire. I show budding writers how to produce books using Earth-friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)ly environmentally sound practices and resources. Proactively educating writers that they have a choice of working with large companies or an option to publish their work on

their own is very fulfilling. Showing authors how to work with

their book as a business to properly market their message is so rewarding. When I write, publish, or teach my well-known workshop called Your Book Is Your Hook™, I feel I am able to share the God-given gifts I have been blessed with.

“By calling out my dream and sharing it with a network of friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s, family, and colleagues, I have discovered the most enjoyable and

passionate experience in my life today.”

~ Robert G. Allen ~

Best-selling Author of Multiple Streams of Income “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to become a better person. I can remember all the challenges and periods of growth in my life.

“There have been many devastating periods in my life, where I

experienced a lack of awareness or lack of discipline and I made mistakes, stumbled, fell, and had to learn hard lessons.

“The biggest lesson for me was making a lot of money from my first book and then losing it all because I didn’t listen to my intuition. I went through bankruptcy and lost everything. I was at the bottom with nothing. In retrospect it’s easy to laugh about,

45

but at the time it was devastating. I felt worthlessness, stupid, and guilty. Beneath worthlessness, lack of self-esteem, guilt, and failure, I learned that there’s something else—deep inner resources and a profound sense of personal worth.

“Inner strength exists regardless of external failure, challenges, fears, disappointments, struggles, or low self-esteem. Beneath low self-esteem is your inner wealth. At the bottom of severe

financial collapse, I discovered a connection to a Higher Power

who loved me, and wanted me to grow, learn, and become just like Him.

“I had a very profound spiritual experience as a result of prayer. I went from a sense of complete financial, personal, and emotional devastation to feeling a sweet, peaceful, indescribable love. I realized I was loved regardless of my mistakes—a love that I

can hardly express in words. The weight of guilt lifted and I

felt lighter and more able to handle the pressures and burdens that I had placed on myself. Regardless of how low I had fallen, I could dig myself out of the hole. I surrendered to my situation and trusted that a Higher Power would show me the way out.

“I had a purpose and destiny in life.

“It took almost 10 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s until the debts were all paid off and bankruptcy was behind me. I remember how wonderful it was

to write that final check: it was to the IRS for $500,000. To write that check was a very difficult decision because it meant we

were broke again.

“It was a profoundly liberating experience.

“Those 10 year(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s of financial collapse were part of my Personal Growth. They meant I had to go back to zero and build a more

solid foundation of truth, not a foundation of lies.

“Belief has the word ‘lie’ in the middle of it and most people’s beliefs are lies. My belief about wealth was a lie. My belief about what I could do in life was a lie. My belief about whether I was worthy enough to create a destiny for myself was a lie. I felt I

was not worthy of creating wealth. That Heavenly Father didn’t

love me. All that was a lie.

“Losing everything meant I had nothing left but truth. I could begin anew and build on a foundation of strength and truth.

“There is a Higher Power who loves us and wants us to grow,

learn, struggle, and expand. We need to give Him more credit and to involve the Higher Power in our decisions. We need to be part of the Higher Power’s team.

“It’s better to work toward building a better world. I want to teach people how to have a better life and to have it quicker and

less expensively.”

~ Blair Singer ~

The Creator of SalesDogs®

“What’s compelling about my story is that it’s not very compelling. Sometimes people go to a Personal Growth program and the speaker talks about all the misery and obstacles they overcame. You walk away thinking, ‘Geez, do I have to go through a mountain of misery in order to have enlightenment?’ The answer is no.

“My life was pretty ordinary and like many, I wanted more. When I started my journey I had just gone through a painful divorce. Some really great people introduced me to Personal Growth.

“At the time I had a surf shop in Waikiki, Hawaii. A 6’ 3” Japanese guy walked into my surf shop, and tried to get me to buy some Velcro nylon wallets. It was Robert Kiyosaki. I told him, ‘These guys are surfers. They have no money. What would they need a wallet for?’ I was trying to make a joke that didn’t go over too well. We’ve been friend(Buy now from http://www.drugswell.com)s and business partners ever since. He is one of those individuals who introduced me to the world of Personal Growth training.

“Before the surf shop I was financially at the top of my game,

working in sales for the Unisys Corporation. I had always been

47

one of those kids who wanted something more. Fast forward to

the infamous surf shop meeting: Robert and I both figured that