People's Responses To Personal Development

[Actualized Disciple]

Out of curiosity, what are some typical responses from people when you tell them about personal development?

For example:

When somebody asks you why you are reading that book, and you tell them personal development, what do they say?

When you tell your family or close friends about the personal development you have been doing, how do they respond?

When people ask what personal development is and you explain to them (as best you can), how do they react?

Im only looking for stories or generalizations from your guy's perspectives when you tell anyone about personal development. For me personally, when i tell people that I write book reports on some of the personal development books i read, i usually get a response like "Oh what class are you doing that for?" or "When is it due" (as if it were related to my university). Also, when people ask me for advice or talk about certain topics with my i often refer to some of Leo's episodes or different books I have read and people say things like "Well thats just your opinion, and that stuff you read or listen too doesn't reflect everybody" or "my problem insnt like that problem, you wouldn't understand because you are not me, and i dont need any self help". I don't seem to have a lot of supportive peers or friends in my life when it comes to personal growth, my family however is usually pretty supportive and my father in particular, sounds a lot like Leo when he talks to me.

Anyway, what kind of responses do you guys get when you tell someone about personal development?

 

[Steph1988]

Most often complete indifference and indeed that stupid little sentence "that is just your opinion".

People say that stuff without thinking about it and that blows my mind because when i began to read stuff about mastery,history,habits,awareness etc i was immediately interested,you are not taught this in school or anywhere else and maybe u just stumble on it by chance.

 So finding people who relate to that is very rare in my experience. 

 

 

[Christian]

I see personal development like this little fucking chunk of gold sticking out from the mine I was LUCKY to find. And when I dig into that gold and see that it is a gold mine and tell others: "Hey, look!" Here it is, guys, I found the holy grail, they just stand and state like: That is great for you, I just don't get it or say, that's just your view. It's utterly absurd and I just feel like that's it. That was your chance  

[eskwire]

@Actualized Disciple I tried to explain the concept of no free will to my mom and her face was hilarious. She looked disgusted. ?

I have always read self-help and psychology books. I never considered it a field or thought to call it personal development. Of course, now that I found Leo's guides, lists, and videos, I see it as a field and discipline. 

Nobody ever really took any of the advice I gave from reading such materials over the past 10 years. My best friend started a couple of books I recommended and put them down. She drinks quite a bit, so I linked her Leo's video on addiction. I was surprised she watched it, but she did. And she had a meltdown over how uncomfortable it made her and she got wasted.

In summary, it's something of great interest to you, so you think about these concepts and what you've read. If you happen to say something helpful to someone when they need it, great. If they don't listen, who cares? You may have planted a seed that will sprout years later. Or maybe it went in one ear and out the other. 

Ask yourself why you want other people to take any of this seriously or join you for the ride. Why?  Is it necessary? 

[Passionate]

y'know.........most people just don't get it, and that's OK.  My personal development is for me, about me, and by me.  It does not require the approval or participation of others around me.  Instead of trying to "convert" the ones around me, I flock to those people - like in this forum - who have already expressed a like or common interest.  I don't try to change others, I just move to where I am most comfortable with myself when I want to exchange ideas with other people.  I look for the like minded, and here they are!!     

[Saarah]

I've only mentioned it when someone's asked for my hobbies but indifference is the best word to describe it lol 

[heisenburger]

It's important to probably not share any crazy stuff like enlightenment  with the people around you. I read somewhere that your parents or friends drag you down not because they don't want you to succeed but BECAUSE they care about you and don't want to be left behind. When I bought my first personal development book my parents were interested didn't really care when I had around ten they started saying 'this is bullshit' 'it's brainwashing, waste of money' at one point my dad threatened to ban me from access to computers for doing it.

[Actualized Disciple]

I appreciate all your guy's insights. @Saarah Ive noticed myself "lightening the blow" when people ask about my hobbies i usually tell them that i like to independently study Psychology and Philosophy because I know that if i tell them im really into Personal Development then I will have to try and explain what i mean to them which sometimes... people dont find too enthralling.

@see_on_see Ive also noticed what you are talking about with meditation.  I have to schedule my meditation time when my roommates are gone, and i avoid trying to explain why/how im doing it.  Its a shame that many people miss the opportunities and insghts that are in front of them @Christian Many times have a rewatched and rewatched and then took notes and then evaluated the notes myself on leos videos and other scources. When people ask me about some of the benefits i have incured from personal development and i tell them- they dont take it very seriosly, and it does come off as arrogant.

I am grateful to have a community where people value the same things I do, Thank you guys for putting in responses that you hear. @heisenburger@Passionate Some people are more supportive than others, i suppose now i need to align myself closer to those most likely to relate to me. You are certainly right about the jouney being a journey you follow alone. Nobody else "can" join you on the journey, and even if they could, it wouldn't be necessary.@eskwire@Steph1988.

[alyra]

I was trying to spread the ideas of personal growth actively, and after getting a lot of people not even noticing or even being kind of insulted by my saying that they can do something, idek how that makes sense. I realised. we're like that one girl in high school who's found jesus and tells everyone and NO ONE CARES OMG GO AWAY lol. kind of embarrassing. 

 

it takes the right perspective for someone to be interested in personal growth, and it takes the right perspective for someone to understand the language of personal growth. so sharing the wisdom is challenging. you gotta figure out how to lead someone in the right direction, by using language and concepts that they would understand. and you gotta hope that somewhere down the line, they'll find that eureka moment where the world changes for them. but chances are they'll forget your words of wisdom by then. 

Edited February 6, 2017 by aryberry

[Nahm]

Who ever called it Self Help, New Age, Metaphysical or Personal Development to begin with did a lot of damage for the popularity of the category. It should be called something that when someone who needs it most hears it, it sounds like something they would enjoy.