I am often asked for tips and advice from parents and peers on how to get younger generations or Next Generations if you will, started on a path to personal development. I have given this question much thought. I have had discussions about this question with colleges and family. I think it deserves the best possible answer, as the recipients of this advice (if the advice is acted upon) will undoubtedly become the leaders of future generations.
I must admit, I myself did not jump on the opportunity of personal development (pd) the first time I heard about it. Years later, I now do not go a day without doing some form of pd. So what changed? How did it become so much of who I am? Well, to be honest, it was the slight edge at work (without even knowing what the slight edge was).
I was never a big reader in school years. I rarely read what the teachers assigned, so had my parents suggested the notion of reading extra books on pd, it would have had little to no impact for me personally. I like most children occupied my time with sports, friends, video games and television. However, this did not stop my parents from finding...shall I say "creative" ways to ensure I was getting some form of pd into my life. I'm not sure I even noticed it at the time, but in our vehicles, my parents would often have pd on in the background. Voices of Earl Nightingale, Jim Rohn, Dale Carnegie or Les Brown would often be heard coming from the speakers of our mobile university.
The next source of pd that came into my life happened to be through one of my favorite devices at the time...the T.V! My parents joined a company called, The People's Network (TPN) which meant I now had a satellite dish. I was the easiest sale the company ever made. My parents made deals with me that I could watch so much T.V, so long as a certain amount was spend on some weird 900 channel and no not one of "those" channels but rather one that was entirely based around pd. Now the voices I heard in the cars had a face. Although the TPN channel is no longer available (sadly) with the advent of youtube and other sites dedicated to video's on pd this option is still available if not more so today.
I think as we talk to the NG we also have to have the right conversations with them. Ask the right questions. Paint a picture of what is available so that they may have the vision for their future so that they are willing to pay the price, to step away from the 95% and engage in the activities that will put them on a slight edge path to personal success!
Those are my top 3 ideas for inspiring the Next Generation on a path of Personal Development. But I would like to end this in a challenge to the great minds of this site to hear what other ideas you have for helping NG's get started on their path? How did you get started? What questions would you ask? What advice would you give?
