I read, and have read, numerous books on personal development, growth, self-knowledge, you name it. Nearly every day I read several blogs related to personal improvement.

There have been a great number of real treasures in all of this text, but, as my wealth of information grows (and at a seemingly increasing rate), I wonder to what extent I am truly benefiting from all of this advice, thoughts and ideas. Am I making the most of it?

I believe that in each moment there are several answers. It depends on which question(s) you are asking, which answer you will find. Each book will have numerous ideas, but, given your current state of mind, position in life and needs, you will only notice or relate to some of them.

Perhaps at the time of reading or learning, I did do the exercises (or think they would be worth doing), perhaps I did the programs for a while and, although they were of benefit, somehow I drifted away from the discipline. Perhaps I thought there were good bits of information to remember, but they became lost in all of the words I see daily.

So, what I plan to do, is to browse through several of those books I have read, some of the course material that I have accumulated and blog posts that I have bookmarked over time. I hope to re-ignite a few of my previous practices, assimilate some of the new "answers" that I will find and really gain from the time that I have previously spent obtaining all of this knowledge. Some of the works will no longer be relevant for me, but a brief reminder of their content may enable me to assist others more.

Going forward, I hope to slow down a little with my wild readings and to make time for testing the techniques and pondering over the ideas. I plan to make note of information that I really wish to incorporate into my life.

It is no use my trying to gather the low-lying fruits of each article, never seeking beyond the easy gems and then leaving that gathered fruit to rot.

Do you feel you make the most of your personal development knowledge? How do you ensure that you don't simply forget or leave it behind in your life?

You may also want to take a look at these articles...
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	J.D. Meier 1/4/2009 10:19:06 AM
	Hey Juliet Good question. Here's the key practices that help me: 1. 3 actions. For each new idea I learn, I think of 3 simple actions to take. 2. checklists. I turn the most important reminders into checklists for easy scanning and reminders. 3. tests for success. When I test something, I need to know what good looks like. I come up with tests for success to help me sense, quantify or qualify the ROI. 4. monthly improvement sprints. I do 30 day improvement sprints that let me really drill into something. 5. mentoring. I mentor a lot of people at work in tough situations. This gives me a rapid test bed, in addition to my direct teams.
	Giovanna Garcia 1/4/2009 11:34:05 AM
	I think it is great to read and learn personal development, because knowledge give you 'options' However, you can only collect or ponder on what you learn for so long. At the end of the day, 'Action is Power' And in the end of your life would you want to say, "You know a lot!" or would you want to say, "You done a lot!" Giovanna Garcia
	Karl Staib - Work Happy Now 1/4/2009 12:51:10 PM
	I have also read a lot of personal development books, after awhile the patterns are very much the same. I've actually tried to pull away from reading too much personal development and started experimenting. I completed a 30 days of no complaining challenge. It wasn't easy, but my personal growth was much faster than any book I could ever have read. Giovanna is right, it's all about taking action and implementing what you learned to see how you can make it even better.
	Ian Peatey 1/4/2009 4:33:41 PM
	Hi Juliet. Like you I read a lot. Books, blogs, websites, articles etc.. I like analogies and your analogy with fruit really speaks to me. I'm going to take the liberty of expanding it! Some of what I read is very timely and I eat it straight away, enjoy the taste and digest it - not too much or I get sick! Usually this type of fruit is an answer to some question I've been pondering or something I've been struggling with. At other times it's not relevant right now in my life so I put it to one side. If it rots and I never use it .. so be it. But sometimes it dries out and what's left later on is still tasty - just stripped of the extra stuff I didn't need. The real gems (to mix metaphors!) are those that ferment and turn into wine. They get better with age, they are ripe for eating once they've sat around a while.
	Lance 1/4/2009 9:36:24 PM
	Hi Juliet, You bring up a very good point. Is there some point where we hit an overload? I like how Ian has stated it - that some stuff won't ever apply - some applies now - and some may apply down the road. In that vein, having read/heard some information could become useful down the road. This is all making me think, though, am I retaining everything I read. (the answer is no). Then, am I retaining the stuff that is pertinent to me (I hope so...)
	Daphne 1/4/2009 9:50:31 PM
	Hi Juliet, Good thinking. I have the habit of speeding through books too. Occasionally I re-read a book I read a year or more back. The second time round, I get more out of it than the first time, because over time the ideas have settled and I can now look out for the details and think about how to apply them in my specific situation. I would also strongly recommend re-reading with a journal or notepad next to it, to jot down your thoughts and things to do. As you said, it's the application that counts!
	Carla 1/4/2009 10:07:43 PM
	I try to stick to one new idea, process, change, etc at a time. When I overload myself with personal development books and blogs, it starts to go through one ear and out the other. It turns into entertainment rather than a way to change the course of my life. I stick to one idea or one goal at a time.
	Jarrod - Warrior Development 1/5/2009 2:34:46 AM
	When it comes to personal development I focus on just a few exercises and work them in deeply so I can understand them. An idea that did just occur though is to take notes of exercises I discover but don't fit in with my current explorations. I do kinda feel like if there is something I need to discover it will occur to me when I need it.
	LifeMadeGreat | Juliet 1/5/2009 10:39:19 AM
	Hi JD Thank you for the great insights! I particularly like the "3 actions" idea. Hi Giovanna I love your way of putting it. You really inspire with your focus on action. Hi Karl I think you have a good point about taking the focus off the books and implementation. Hi Ian Great expansion! I'm going to keep an eye out for the wine ;) Hi Lance Very good point about reading material that is relevant. I'm going to have to think about that one too now. Hi Daphne Yes, I'm going to become more diligent in making some notes. Hi Carla Very sensible. That has been my concern... Hi Jarrod I like your "work them in deeply". That makes sense. It's not just something you are doing then, it is something that is becoming a part of you. Thanks for all of the input. Action seems to be key! Cheers Juliet
	Bruno LoGreco 1/5/2009 12:51:47 PM
	This sounds very familiar. I read and read self-development books from A to Z, after a while everything started to sound the same only wrapped in different words. What really worked for me post self-development books was putting everything into practice by first articulating my theory about life and then developing practices surrounding my beliefs. I made it my own and I practice what I preach.
	LifeMadeGreat | Juliet 1/5/2009 10:19:08 PM
	Hi Bruno Great approach. I think it is very important to have a sound foundation when it comes to one's own beliefs and values. To then incorporate new knowledge into that would be very solid. Thank you for this additional insight! Juliet
	Vered - MomGrind 1/6/2009 1:13:27 PM
	I only follow a few self development blogs. I don't really read self development books. So there's isn't the information overload that you are probably experiencing.
	LifeMadeGreat | Juliet 1/6/2009 9:54:08 PM
	Hi Vered Mmm, I hadn't thought about the difference between the two i.e. blogs versus books, in terms of info overload. Thank you for the extra food for thought. Juliet
	Chris Edgar | Purpose Power Coaching 1/6/2009 10:24:22 PM
	Thanks for this post. I've also found it useful to ask myself "am I reading this book or article to feel like a conscientious person, or because I actually intend to benefit from it in my life?" That can lessen the overload factor, I think.
	Evelyn Lim 1/6/2009 11:10:06 PM
	Same here too. I have decided that this year that I am not going to learn too many new techniques but to revisit old ones that I already know. I believe that I have sufficient tools at hand and it is only a matter of practice now. All the best to you in the New Year!
	LifeMadeGreat | Juliet 1/7/2009 5:15:52 AM
	Hi Chris I'll remember that one. I think I have been guilty of reading for the "wrong" reasons. Hi Evelyn I also feel that I need to consolidate and implement. Juliet
	Tess The Bold Life 1/7/2009 7:21:30 AM
	I think we can all read the same blog, article or book and take something different from it depending on how we view life or what we need in life at that time. I keep journals and make notes of the things I want to put into practice. Some things I don't have to write down it fits so perfectly at the time I can incorporate it in my life immediately. I just read on a blog, "Just for today do not worry." I put up a sign on my office wall. So it just depends. I gave away 3/4 of my books when I moved last year. It was difficult. I don't many anymore unless they really call to me. That's about it.
	Arswino 1/7/2009 7:34:12 PM
	Hi Juliet, I don't read tons of personal development books in a year. Reading several of them and articles from personal development blogs is enough for me. The point of the articles or the books are relatively similar : dream, take action, persistence, determination, positive thinking, dare to make mistakes, focus and so on. Giovanna is right, the most important after we have read a book or an article is action and also like Evelyn said, sometimes we revisit old ones that I already know.
	LifeMadeGreat | Juliet 1/8/2009 3:01:07 AM
	Hi Tess I like your methodology. Seems casual but effective. Hi Arswino Great capturing of how you implement new personal development knowledge! Juliet