Personal Development for Smart People is a book written by Steve Pavlina. The book aims to help people on their way to personal growth.
What the Book is All About
Even before he wrote his book, Steve’s credentials on personal development go a long way, thanks to his famous blog, which covers personal development topics, among others. The book compiles all of Steve’s thoughts and advice on the subject, and reveals the truth as to what people need in order for them to consciously grow. The book delves into the seven universal growth principles, namely:
- Truth
- Love
- Power
- Oneness
- Authority
- Courage
- Intelligence
By examining various problems that people encounter in life, Steve learned that these are the 7 things that affect people’s lives. But he also zooms in on the first three: truth, love, and power. He considers these as the main principles that can work equally well on all areas of life, in any situation and in any time. The four other principles, according to him, are derived from these three. Many people were able to relate to this and eventually realized that most of their problems were caused by a lack in any of these principles.
Aside from these principles, the book also teaches some practical methods on how to improve various aspects of your life, aspects that have an effect on a person’s overall growth. These include:
- Health
- Career
- Relationships
- Finances
What the Book Aims to Do
What’s unique about Steve’s advice is that he has been through everything in his book. All his experiences are chronicled on his blog. As a result, his advice is always on the mark and is often accompanied by practical warnings and tips for those who wish to go the same way. In his book ‘Personal Development for Smart People’, Steve warns that people need a lot of things to be able to truly grow as individuals. These include self-discipline, courage, and hard work, among others. Through this, he makes it clear that it is impossible to grow without effort.
At the end of the book, Steve hopes to teach readers to become the conscious creators of their lives. The objective is to give people a direction, instead of let them drift around hopelessly. The book also aims to help people enjoy a fulfilling life – one that honors their identity, one that allows them to express themselves. As a side benefit, by being able to grow, Steve hopes that readers would be able to attract loving and compatible relationships that empower them. The book, on the whole, aims to create people who wake up every day feeling energized, motivated, enthusiastic, and inspired.
The book’s success can be attributed to many things, such as Steve’s popularity, his blog, and the fact that he has enough experiences to make him a credible expert in self-help. Steve’s writing style, however, also plays a role, as most readers find it refreshing, motivating, yet very honest.
Personal Development for Smart People – a Critical Review
As is true for most work, Steve’s book was met with both positive and critical response. Although readers found it highly informative and engaging, many of them admitted that they were expecting a how-to guide that offered some definitive steps on how to personally grow. In the book, however, Steve offers a more theoretical and philosophical look at what it takes to grow as an individual. It is not a workable system, but a framework. Steve, however, chose to focus in this area because this is where personal development really begins. He offers the starting principles but allows the reader to explore the growth experience on their own, thus letting their creativity and personal uniqueness more than enough room to shine through.
There is, however, a practical application section. It may not be a how-to system, but its close. The second section allows readers to have conversations with themselves so they can identify areas in which they have problems. Some of his practical tips include:
- Breaking bad habits
- Removing connections to friends who encourage those habits
- Create positive habits through 30-day trials and stair-stepping
On the whole, Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina is packed full of good information and that is what smart people really do need to get started on their way to personal growth.
Personal Development for Smart People: The Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth on Amazon, click here.