Being Brilliant Every Day

The great myth about personal development is that it’s not about development at all. Reading books, listening to audios or going to conferences is learning, not development.   Learning is the acquisition of new skills, knowledge and experience and increases the breadth of an individual. It is horizontal. Vertical development increases the depth and sophistication of an individual. It transforms capability, capacity and consciousness. Children are an obvious example of development. At first they cannot talk. Then they develop the ability to communicate. They start to pick up new words and they expand their vocabulary. Around the age of 14, most young people have developed enough to function in society. From then on, nothing really changes - unless a situation forces us to develop or we actively pursue vertical growth. Unfortunately that means we are missing out on the stages of adult development that can bring new capabilities and a widening perspective that feels like real growth.