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Personal growth is about becoming more completely our authentic selves, more fully realizing our talents and abilities.

But real growth is not following just one strategy or set of ideas. There are many dimensions and many paths. We are complex beings, and there is no magic key that works for everyone.

The Nautilus shell symbolizes this self-improvement process of spiritual and personal growth as continually moving into newer, larger “rooms” of our life.

But, unlike growing a shell, personal development can get bumpy and may not be always be in a forward direction. It takes commitment, plus courage and awareness.

At the left, see titles and categories of self-improvement books, CDs, courses and other material that can help lead and inspire you on this journey. Also see the article and book links below.
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Why bother with self-improvement?

An example of achievement: Darren T. Kimura
Founder of Energy Industries, Honolulu
Projected 2008 sales: $16 million

Darren T. Kimura, 33, is the founder of a 14-year-old company that has earned millions by helping commercial and industrial clients drastically reduce their energy consumption.

Before his time: Now hailed as a visionary, Kimura remembers all too well when others simply deemed him crazy.

Green is the buzzword today, but getting others to see the light more than a decade ago was a battle he initially fought solo by running the business out of the back of his car and selling women’s shoes to supplement his income… Kimura’s team has grown to 90 employees.

What is your secret to success?

Kimura: It’s about working very hard and always learning. You have to be a lifelong learner. I have been doing this for 15 years, but I haven’t even come close to achieving any level of wisdom, and I don’t think I ever will…

I’m constantly reading and trying to digest information because there are so many new things happening all of the time…

I love to try to become the best at whatever I’m doing… Stay humble. You have to know who you are, because that drives where you are going to be, the person you’re going to be.

Source: Entrepreneur.com

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Author Steve Pavlina (Personal Development for Smart People) points out that “We primarily grow as human beings by discovering new truths about ourselves and our reality.”

Business philosopher and personal development leader Jim Rohn has said, “We can have more than we’ve got because we can become more than we are…

“You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.”

in his article Personal Development - The Plan, he notes that “We as humans have the unique ability to affect change in our lives; it is through our own conscious choice when we engage in the miracle process of personal development that we are able to transform our nature and our lives.

He also calls on us to think bigger: “Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else’s hands, but not you.”
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In his article Self-Actualizing and Beyond, psychologist Abraham Maslow explains, “Self actualizing means experiencing fully, vividly, selflessly, with full concentration and total absorption. It means experiencing without the self-consciousness of the adolescent. At this moment of experiencing, the person is wholly and fully human.”

And Writer, philosopher, psychologist Ken Wilber thinks “Development is a process of continual transcendence… evolution is indeed, self-realization through self-transcendence.” [From pdf document Ken Wilber and TPD, about The Theory of Positive Disintegration of Kazimierz Dabrowski.

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Also see Personal Development Articles/ Resources

Authors include psychologists, entrepreneurs, consultants, teachers and artists. Topics in hundreds of articles include a wide range of psychological and social issues that can affect our healthy development and impact how we understand and express our talents.

Many products and programs for personal growth are also listed.
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Book lists

There are many hundreds of titles, summaries and excerpts posted throughout the site. Some titles are listed under the ‘Books’ category at the left, plus on multiple site pages shown by following the Book lists link above.
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