The 31 Absolute Best Resources for Self Improvement
The 31 Absolute Best Resources for Self Improvement - By David
Riklan, Founder of SelfGrowth.com
Every week, I hear from people with the same Self Improvement
questions: Where should I go for help? What should I do? Who
should I listen to?
This article is designed to help you explore all of the people,
places and things available to help you improve your life
starting today.
Right off the bat, I want to share with you some very good news:
There are literally DOZENS of places to go and people to talk to
when it comes to Self Improvement. The only problem is that it
can difficult to comprehend and evaluate all of these options.
That's why I've compiled a complete list of 31 Self Improvement
resources. Consider it a brainstorming session to help you think
about and understand all of the different choices available.
I've divided the list into five sections, and for each section,
I include the pros and cons of using those particular resources.
Basically, I want you to use this list for two reasons:
-- To get you thinking about all of the different resources
available to you, and -- To get you thinking about their
advantages and disadvantages, so you can appropriately choose
the right one(s).
So, how many of these resources have YOU used to improve your
life?
YOUR IMMEDIATE CIRCLE OF CONTACTS (1-4)
As a general rule, the people in this group are more likely to
give you personal attention, and they are more likely to
sincerely care about your needs. There are two things to look
out for, though. These people are not necessarily experts in the
areas where you need to improve, and they might have their own
agenda. But they are generally easily accessible and can be
great resources.
1. Your Friends 2. Your Family 3. Co-workers 4. Your Employer
(boss or manager)
INFORMATION RESOURCES (5-12)
There is an unbelievable wealth of information out there to
improve your life. On the Internet alone, there are over five
million websites with the exact phrases of "Self Help" or "Self
Improvement." On Amazon.com, there are over 190,000 books with
references to these topics. Almost all the information you are
looking for can be found here, but it could take hundreds of
lifetimes to find the right information for you. Which of these
resources do you currently use to help you improve your life?
5. Internet Websites 6. Books (Library, Bookstore) 7. Seminars,
Retreats 8. High School, College or Continuing Education
Courses. 9. Audio Programs 10. Television and Video Programs 11.
Radio 12. Other Media, Magazines, Movies, Music
TRAINED PROFESSIONALS (13-22)
A trained professional can help you survive and thrive in many
areas of your life. Many have worked with people in your exact
circumstances and helped them find the answers they were looking
for. As a general rule, professionals can provide you with more
objectivity than you would get from a friend or family member.
One of the challenges of working with trained professionals is
finding one that is suitable for you. It is important to find
the right type of trained professional (i.e.--therapist or
personal coach) and then the best person based on your
background, needs, and personality. Trained professionals can be
very expensive to work with and in some instances have a stigma
attached to them. But in many cases, the benefits of working
with a trained professional far outweigh the costs and the risk.
13. Therapists (Professional Counselors, Psychologists) 14.
Personal Coaches, Life Coaches 15. Clergy (i.e.--Priest,
Minister, Rabbi) 16. Accountant, Attorney, Stockbroker,
Financial Planner 17. Self Improvement Experts (Tony Robbins,
Dr. Phil) 18. Librarians 19. Personal Trainer 20. Doctors and
Other Health Care Professionals 21. Employment Experts (Job
Placement Experts) 22. Psychics, Spiritualists, Yogis
ORGANIZATIONS (23-25)
I am using the term "organizations" in a very broad sense. These
can include non-profit and for-profit organizations and both
professional and social organizations. The biggest benefit that
many of these organizations provide is the ability to work with,
network with, and share experiences with people in the same
boat, on the same mission, or with the same problem. These
organizations frequently have "trained professionals," often
have people who are our friends and family, and use "Known
Information Resources" to help each of us grow. These types of
organizations are not for everybody, and the benefits that you
get back are tied directly into what you are contributing. The
wrong group could be a waste of time, but the right group could
change your life forever.
23. Non-Profit Support Groups (i.e.--AA, Child Support Groups)
24. Social and Professional Organizations (i.e.--Toastmasters,
MENSA) 25. Spas, Health Clubs 26. Personal Support Network
(Master Mind Groups)
OTHERS POTENTIAL AREAS (27-31)
The above areas covered countless resources to improve your
life. Here I have included some additional areas that others
have found helpful in the past. As you can see, there is a
tremendous amount of overlap between the different resources.
27. Free Government Resources (Hotlines, Brochures, Help
Centers) 28. Inner Guidance (Asking and Giving Yourself Help)
29. Pets for other wisdom (Great listeners) 30. Mentors 31. God
Now that you have gone through the whole list, I have an
assignment for you. I want you to evaluate each of the areas
above and try to determine which of these has helped you the
most in the past. Then see which resources you can use to make
your future a bright one.
FINAL NOTE
For those of you who want to additional resources right away, we
have written a comprehensive book, entitled:
"Self Improvement: The Top 101 Experts That Help Us Improve Our
Lives"
This book is a groundbreaking 460-page comprehensive resource
with detailed information on the top 101 experts, their
insights, their messages, and their products.
You can learn the secrets of Tony Robbins, Dr. Phil, Zig Ziglar,
Deepak Chopra, Stephen Covey, Wayne Dyer, Dale Carnegie, plus 94
more in this epic 460-page book on Self Improvement.
To get complete details, visit
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