Personal development course for smart people. Master class from a recognized specialist

Steve Pavlina

Personal development for smart people

Introduction

“When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I only think about solving the problem. But after finishing, if the solution is not beautiful, I know that it is not the right one.”

Richard Buckminster FULLER

Do you remember when you first became interested in personal development? I I definitely remember. It was in January 1991, when I was sitting in a prison cell. I just got arrested for grand theft. This was not my first encounter with the law, so I knew I was in for trouble. I was 19 years old.

I started stealing after moving to Berkeley, California, during his first semester at the University of California, Berkeley. I I didn’t steal for money or for reputation, I stole for the thrill. I addicted to the adrenaline rush. The urge to steal was so strong that shoplifting became part of the routine, no more so than drinking espresso every day. Usually I didn't care what it was to steal, I was attracted to the act itself. During a regular walk, I would steal a dozen candy bars and then leave them in a public place, thinking that someone would eat them. I I didn’t eat candy because I thought it was unhealthy.

While I sat in jail for a few days in January doing nothing but wallowing in my own stupidity, the reality of the situation I was in hit me. In school, I was an excellent student, president of the math club, and captain of the Academic Decathlon team. My future in computer science overall looked incredibly bright, but somehow I tore it to pieces. Now I was planning to spend the next year or two behind bars.

Upon returning to my apartment after three days in prison, I received a letter from the university informing me in no uncertain terms of my expulsion. Apparently schools do this kind of thing if you don't show up to class and your GPA starts with a decimal after the decimal point. At that moment, I realized that there were two main options for how to deal with such a situation: grow up or give up.

Over the next few months, while awaiting trial, I was in complete panic. Almost every day I woke up in the afternoon. I played video games for days on end, sometimes for 18 hours. These are NINTENDO single-player games, not online multiplayer games. It's hard to feel motivated when you're expecting to go to jail for a while.

Eventually, I was provided with a lawyer and I met with him in his office to discuss my situation. Before I could open my mouth, he said, “Steve, I've looked at the case, and since this is your first crime, I'm confident we can get it downgraded to petty larceny. If you plead guilty, you'll get a reduced sentence and end up with community service. I I know the district attorney well, and I'm sure he'll go through with it. I I am strongly opposed to the proceedings in court, since the evidence against you is undeniable, you were caught red-handed.”

My thoughts immediately began to move. First crime? Is he confusing me? Why does he think this is my first crime? Does he know about past crimes? If he thinks this is a first offense, will others in court think the same? Should I clear up his grave misconception?

While I was deciding how to answer, I heard a voice in my head: Keep your mouth shut! I realized that if I spoke now, it might have negative consequences later, but there was also a faint hope that the consequences would be positive. I realized that at worst, the lawyer would be very angry at the end, but at best it was too good to pass. Grand theft is a felony; petty theft is only a petty crime. I I decided I had to take a risk. Risk was an all too familiar pastime.

A few weeks later we went to court and I was extremely nervous. My plan was to keep my mouth shut as much as possible and say as little as possible. Outside the courtroom, I reviewed the documents in my case. None of my past misdeeds were listed. Was it human or computer error? Either way, it was one big mistake in my favor.

Of course, when my lawyer and I entered the courtroom, the court was confident that this was a first offense and the trial was conducted accordingly. I pleaded guilty and did not object to a reduced discharge for petty theft, receiving 60 hours of community service. I was dizzy as I rushed out of the courtroom. The next two years of my life were mine again.

I worked those 60 hours as if it were my dream job, knowing that my punishment could have been 17,520 hours. It's hard to remember a more joyful time in my life than the days spent picking up trash at EMERYVILLE MARINA Park. You have no idea how wonderful freedom seems when you know you can lose it. I felt enormous gratitude for being given a second chance that I didn't think I deserved.

I wish I could say that my recovery from these events was quick and easy, but it wasn't. Despite this amazing gift, turning my life around was incredibly difficult. I said goodbye to his friends from Berkeley and moved back to his native Los Angeles. I got a minimum wage retail job. Even with a criminal record, I most likely could have found a more lucrative position, but I just didn’t want to. I I just wanted to play without risk, to stay below the radar, living a “vanilla” life, devoid of stress and worry. Courage has now become my enemy.

During the year of a quiet and calm life, I worked on myself. Gradually, I developed a new code of ethics that guided me, integrating the values ​​of honor, integrity, honesty, humility and fairness. This conscious process of restoration was to continue for at least a few more years. As the months went by and I started to feel like I was getting better, I decided it was time to go back to school. I I figured that if I got an education in computer science, it would somehow erase my past mistakes.

In the fall of 1992, I entered California State University Northridge (CSUN), starting as a freshman. At CSUN, the Computer Science program was not overcrowded, which meant there was plenty of room for new students. I was guaranteed admission even if I just filled out an application form, so they didn't care that I failed at UC Berkeley. Now at 21, I was not the same as when I was 18. Something had changed. I developed a passion for personal growth, and felt a strong desire to do my best this time.

In my mind, I was already three years behind, and I couldn’t accept the fact that it would take me another four years to finish my studies. I I knew that I myself was responsible for this situation, and I really wanted to speed up the process. Therefore, I set an ambitious goal, to complete my education in three semesters and take a triple load. My friends thought I was crazy, but they couldn’t look into my heart. I was 100% committed to my goal, and knew that nothing could stop me from achieving my goal. It was the only way to honor the great gift of freedom.

To prepare myself for a large amount of work, I studied time management techniques and immediately applied my new knowledge. I listened to motivational tapes every day to maintain a positive attitude. I practiced managing stress daily and found creative ways to increase productivity. I I felt a huge flow of energy and drive, because I knew that I was doing everything to the limit of my capabilities. I worked hard and did great in his classes. I I even doubled my math workload once again. When I graduated, I received a special award for being the best student of the year in computer science.

Steve Pavlina is an amazing person, the creator of the most popular blog on personal growth and a true guru in this topic. The book published by Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, which you are holding in your hands, is the quintessence of his works and thoughts.

It’s probably no secret to anyone that often many personal development specialists are based on diametrically opposed views on the problem, thus contradicting each other and creating chaos in the head. Some, for example, advise setting goals, while others advise abandoning them. Some argue that only time management, self-organization or working on increasing productivity will help in personal development. On the contrary, there are experts who argue that strength lies in doing less, but doing exactly what is dear to you.

However, in his research, Steve comes to the conclusion that personal development, first of all, must be based on indisputable principles from which practical solutions can be derived. Just as the surrounding world cannot contradict the laws of physics, human development cannot contradict certain laws. And it's hard to argue with that. The focus of personality development according to the Peacock method is focused precisely on fundamental factors, and not on following a list of actions necessary for happiness.

Steve suggests using a technique called “Individual Development for Smart People.” Its main essence is a conscious approach to personal growth, which is impossible without understanding the things that are important to you. Pavlin's methods help to find the answer to this question.

In total, the author offers 7 principles: they are universal and applicable in any area of ​​life. Among them, three are basic: Truth, Love and Power. To the three basic principles, the author adds four more, developed on the basis of their combinations: Truth, Authority, Strength and Courage.

It should be noted that Steve's book is self-contained. In the first part, the author discusses the theoretical foundations of personality development. In the second, he moves from lofty concepts to solving practical problems.

“Personal development” by Steve Pavlina is an inspiring, engaging, thought-provoking book. It helps us understand that we are not powerless creatures, even if sometimes it seems to us because of a job we don’t like, because of the responsibility that falls on our shoulders, or because of the gloomy weather outside the window. It's never too late to start living consciously, strengthening your body, mind, spirit, and following the path to success!

Remember, what you focus on is your reality. By choosing the path of self-improvement, you fill your life with unprecedented awareness and confidence in your own abilities. The book is recommended for reading by the SelfGrowth.ru community as one of the best in this topic.

I never think about beauty when I'm working on a problem. I only think about how to solve it. But when I finish my work, I know that if the solution is ugly, then it is wrong

R. Buckminster Fupper

Do you remember the moment when you first became interested in personal development? I remember exactly. This happened in January 1991 - I was sitting in a prison cell then. I was arrested for grand theft. This was not my first run-in with the law, and I knew I was in serious trouble. I was only nineteen.

I started stealing shortly after I arrived in Berkeley, California, during my first semester at the University of California. I stole not for money or reputation, but for the thrill. I was an adrenaline junkie. The compulsive desire to steal was so strong that shoplifting became as much a part of my daily life as my morning cup of coffee. Usually I didn't care about stealing. The act of theft itself attracted me. On a standard outing, I would take a dozen candies and then leave them somewhere in a public place, hoping that someone would eat them. I myself did not eat the candy - I thought it was harmful.

The three days spent in prison, when I could only wallow in the quagmire of my own stupidity, became hell. The full horror of the real state of affairs fell upon me. At school I was an excellent student, president of the math club and captain of the academic decathlon team. My future as a student - I was preparing to become a computer technology specialist - seemed surprisingly bright, but I smashed it into pieces with my own hands. I had to spend the next couple of years behind bars!

Returning to my apartment, I received a letter from Berkeley University informing me in no uncertain terms that I would be expelled. This is usually done when a student does not show up for classes and his average grades drop below the baseboard. At that moment, I realized that I had two options: either grow up, or give up on everything and go with the flow.

Over the next few months, while awaiting trial, I was in complete despondency. Slept until noon. He plunged headlong into video games, sometimes sitting at the computer for eighteen hours a day (we are not talking about online games with a large number of participants, but about playing Nintendo). It is difficult to live in anticipation that you are about to be sent to prison.

Finally, I hired a lawyer and met with him to discuss the situation. Before I could open my mouth, he blurted out, “Steve, I looked into your file. Since this is your first offense, I am confident that I will be able to classify it as petty theft. If we don't contest the charge, you'll get away with a minimum sentence of community service. I'm on good terms with the DA and I think he'll go through with it. I don’t recommend contradicting the prosecution, there is plenty of evidence - you were caught red-handed.”

My head was going, “First offense? Was he misled? Why does he think this is the first time I've been detained? Or does he know nothing about previous drives? If he thinks that this is my first offense, then don’t they think the same in court? Should I tell him about the mistake?

While I was trying to figure out what to do, an inner voice said: “You fool, shut your mouth and be silent!” I realized that by telling everything openly I would be setting myself up for trouble in the future, even though there was a chance that confessing would benefit me. I realized that the worst case scenario was that I would have to face an angry lawyer someday, and that the best case scenario was a sin to refuse. Grand theft is a serious crime, petty theft is only a minor offense. I decided to take a risk and remain silent. Risk was generally my hobby.

A few weeks later there was a trial. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. My plan was to keep my mouth shut as much as possible and speak only when asked about something. Before entering the courtroom, I reviewed the documents in my case. None of my previous arrests were mentioned there. Was there human or computer error here? In any case, it worked to my advantage.

Of course, when my lawyer and I entered the courtroom, the court was confident that this was my first offense, and considered it as such. I pleaded no contest to the petty theft charge and received sixty hours of community service. When I rushed out of the court, I was dizzy with happiness. The next two years of my life were mine again!

I spent those sixty hours as if it were my dream job: because I knew all too well what was in danger: I could lose seventeen thousand five hundred and twenty hours of my life. It's hard to imagine a more joyful time than the time I spent picking up trash in Emeryville. You don't realize how wonderful freedom is until you realize that you could lose it. I was immensely grateful to fate for the chance I had been given, which I did not deserve at all.

I wish I could say that my recovery from these events was quick and easy, but it was not. Despite the amazing gift of fate, returning my life to normal turned out to be incredibly difficult. After saying goodbye to my friends in Berkeley, I returned to my native Los Angeles and got a job in a store. Even with a criminal record, I could have found a better job, but I didn't want anything. I just wanted security. I wanted to live without attracting attention to myself, without any stress or worry. Courage became my enemy.

I spent the whole year of a calm, quiet life working on myself. And he gradually developed an ethical code for himself, including such values ​​as honor, honesty, decency, modesty and integrity. This conscious process of personality restructuring continued for several years. After some time, I felt that it was time to return to university. I thought that if I could get a degree in programming, it would somehow atone for my past mistakes.

In the fall of 1992, I was a freshman at California State University Northridge (CSUN). There were many free places in the groups of people wishing to study electronics. I was able to attend classes, and no one cared that I had once been expelled from Berkeley. At twenty-one, I became a different person than I was at eighteen. Much has changed. A passion for personal growth developed and I felt a strong desire to do whatever it took to achieve it.

It seemed to me that I had lost three years, and I could not come to terms with the idea that I would have to spend another four years studying. I knew that I was to blame for everything, but I really wanted to speed things up. So I set myself an ambitious goal: to complete my degree in three semesters while taking on triple the course load. People who knew me thought I was crazy, but they couldn't see into my soul. I was completely focused on my goal and knew that nothing could stop me on the way to it. It was the only way to earn the amazing gift I received: freedom.

To work at my best, I learned time management techniques and immediately put them into practice. I listened to motivational tapes daily to keep a positive approach. I trained myself to manage stress and found an exceptionally good way to increase my productivity. I felt an incredible surge of energy and strength because I knew I was doing my best. I worked hard, passed my exams with excellent marks, and even chose a second specialization for myself—mathematics. At the graduation ceremony, I received a special prize as the best student of the year in my main specialty.

Steve Pavlina runs one of the most popular personal growth sites on the Internet, creatively named StevePavlina.com. He has written over 700 free articles and recorded 20 free audio programs on topics such as productivity, relationships and spirituality. Steve's site is enjoyed by over two million monthly visitors from 150 countries, and he continues to post new material every week.

Prior to launching StevePavlina.com, Steve founded and ran Dexterity Software, a computer game development and publishing company. He also served as president of the non-profit Association of Shareware Professionals. He resigned from this post in 2004 to begin a new career in personal development, a decision he considers extremely worthwhile. Steve lives in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Books (5)

Personal development for smart people

Personal growth for smart people is a phrase I use to describe my approach to personal growth. Instead of picking the low-hanging fruit and solving simple problems like making healthier food choices or making more money, I wanted to answer the really difficult question: What does it mean for us to grow as a conscious person, and how wisely are we leading this process?

Personal development course for smart people

Steve Pavlina is one of the most famous self-development experts both in the USA and in Russia.

For many years he studied the literature on personal growth and came to the conclusion that today there is no truly effective approach. There are many methods for spiritual development, and they all contradict each other. When Steve tried to implement these ideas, he received only an incoherent jumble of views. Taking this problem seriously, he found the “general scheme” behind all attempts at personal growth, and created his own - universal! - method.

This method involves using seven universal principles to reveal the unvarnished truth about your inner qualities. The reader is invited to analyze in detail his ideas and beliefs in every area of ​​life (family, career, health, relationships, spirituality), and then apply simple exercises in order to change them for the better.

Self-development elevator. How to avoid getting stuck between floors

Steve Pavlina is one of the self-development gurus, and the size of his audience reflects this: Steve's personal growth website is visited by more than 2 million readers every month from 150 countries around the world.

He has written more than 1,000 articles on various current topics, and those articles that were recognized by his subscribers as the most effective are presented in this book (many are published in Russian for the first time).

How to increase your productivity? Why is selfishness a necessary quality? How to turn a pessimist into an optimist? What method of achieving goals suits your character? How to make shame a success. Steve Pavlina talks about this in his book.

Courage to live

About everything from a recognized expert in personal development.

The book "The Courage to Live" features Steve's articles that are among the "top" most popular on his site.

In the articles, the author reveals topics such as awareness, personality development, self-discipline, habits, money, business, health, relationships. Steve Pavlina talks about how to learn not to put things off until later, how to speed up the process of making a desire come true, how to stop living from paycheck to paycheck, how to win over your interlocutor, how to create inspired relationships, etc.

All these articles are united by one idea - for change, a new life, all you need is your determination. If an inner voice whispers to you that something is missing in your life - be it your personal life, career or spiritual quest - you need to throw away all the “what ifs” and “whys” and decide to change.

I'll do it today!

How to stop procrastinating and start taking action.

Do you often put things off until later? Are you busy with endless nonsense when really important things await you? Do you find it difficult to concentrate on the main task? And are you tired of it? Fortunately, you don’t need anything special to upgrade your own.

Steve Pavlina, a personality development expert and one of the most successful Internet bloggers in the United States, has seen this from his own experience.

Steve developed methods of self-discipline that changed his life: he completed 5 years of university study in three semesters, learned to do a week's work in one day, and now works only 2-3 hours every day, receiving quite decent pay.

This book features Steve's articles in which he shares his original methods with readers. After reading the book, you will learn how to properly organize your day, increase your productivity, and also learn how to work less while earning more.

Book by an American expert on personal growth and self-development Steve Pavlin "Personal Development" for those who are looking for their path, looking for themselves in life. This work is universal and suitable for absolutely every person who is looking for his calling.

What will help you develop

• Seek the truth with open eyes.
• Embrace your discoveries and their consequences.
• Rid your life of lies, denial and fear.
• Personal relationships can be the richest source of spiritual growth.
• If you spend too much time alone, you may lose touch with reality!
• If you want to earn a lot, you must create significant social value. The more you produce, the more money you can make. This is a worldview of mutual benefit, as you contribute value to the system to benefit others.

Did you know that you also have an impact on everyone you deal with? By our example, we teach others how to live.

When you are in an intimate relationship, remember that your partner is not your property. Don't cling to people so tightly that you make it impossible for them to connect with anyone other than you.

The best thing you can do to empower others is to become strong. You will bring much more benefit to others if you follow this principle. Weakening yourself won't help anyone. For the entire body to be strong, individual cells must take good care of themselves.

If you need a new relationship, don't wait for people to come to you. Take the initiative. Waiting too long can result in many missed opportunities and lead to disappointment!

Employment

Probably the most common way to make money is selling your time. You get a job and trade hours for dollars. The greater your ability to create something socially significant, the more you can earn.

The difference between making twenty-five dollars and two hundred and fifty dollars is that the second job has much more social value!

1. To make a career satisfying, you cannot simply wander like a blind man along the path that others have chosen. Don't compromise. If you realize that you are moving along a path without a heart, leave it as quickly as possible.
2. Try to avoid a common mistake and don't hold on to your career, which deprives you of power. If your contribution is not valued or respected, get up and leave. Go where your talents will be recognized. Otherwise you will just continue to humiliate yourself.
3. You are solely responsible for developing your career, so it makes sense to do what you love rather than settle for something you don't love. Your current situation is the result of your previous decisions, and if you are not happy with it, remember that you are always free to make a new choice. The only one who can stop you from doing this is yourself.
4. Your career is your business. At a basic level it's just something you waste your time on. Of course, if you are going to live consciously, this choice becomes very important.

Personal effectiveness

Highlight exact time for work on a separate task or habit. One single hour a day can give you a healthier body, a completed book, or a profitable website in a year.

1. Daily goals. Set goals for each day in advance. Decide what you will do, and then do it. Without a clear focus, we become distracted too easily.
2. The most unpleasant thing comes first. To avoid procrastination, learn to tackle the most unpleasant tasks first. Deal with them in the morning, without delaying until the evening. This small victory will set the tone for the rest of the day.
3. Peak productivity. Determine what time you are most productive and schedule your most important tasks for that period. Do less important things at other times.
4. No communication zones. Set aside untouchable periods of time to complete specific work.

If you clearly know what you want, don't settle for anything else. Take it for granted that success takes time perhaps more than you wished for. Get rid of the mindset based on the principles of “easy and fast”, “for nothing”, etc. Roll up your sleeves, work hard and know that your efforts will eventually pay off as you learn and grow.

Take a look around and look at the results you have achieved so far. Life is simply following your commands. If you want different results, you must give other orders. You are the only one who has the right to make decisions. No one but you can become the leader of your life.

Set a daily minimum productivity for yourself in one activity or another. This ensures constant progress and is a fantastically effective way of developing self-discipline.

Use of time

Time is not a resource at our disposal. We can't waste time. No matter what you do or don't do, time moves on. You have no choice whether to waste time or not. Your only choice is where to focus your attention in the present moment.

• Your choice is made only by you, and no one can dictate it to you. Never make excuses for what you want. You want what you want and that's enough.
• If you want results, go and achieve them yourself. Taking responsibility for your life means being willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your desired goal.
• Nobody will come to save you. No one will build the career of your dreams for you, no one will solve your problems in personal relationships. No one will remove excess fat from your body. If you don't actively solve your problems, they will never be solved.

If you try to refuse or evade the burden of responsibility, then after some time it will still fall on your shoulders. You allowed yourself to weaken your zeal in career matters, began to eat fast food in large quantities and quarrel with loved ones - this means that you are creating troubles that you In any case, you'll have to try it for yourself. The sooner you realize that total responsibility is inevitable, the better off you will be.

When your power is insufficient, you cannot effectively satisfy your own needs and desires and become a victim of the environment. When your power is great, you arrange your life according to your choice, and the environment becomes a reflection of it.