How To Find Your One Thing

The personal development movement has been around for , well, as long as people have been around. Whether the term is self-help, self-development, personal growth, or self-enlightenment, people have historically looked for different ways and different means to greater fulfillment. And they are willing to pay for it! How fast is this industry growing today? According to one source, in just the United States alone, people have spent an estimated

* 5 BILLION dollars in the year 2000 * 9.5 BILLION dollars in the year 2005 and will invest an estimated * 13 BILLION dollars in the year 2010

Over the last ten years, the market for personal development has nearly tripled in size. It is easy to see that our collective desire for finding our one thing is growing at a spectacular rate. Why now? People have historically searched for greater meaning in their life, so why has this search mushroomed in just the last few years? Perhaps the answer lies within this clip from the 1991 movie “City Slickers”, starring Jack Palance and Billy Crystal. ( PG-13 language ahead! )

Jack Palance’s “Curly” laughs at Billy Crystal’s search for meaning in his life. He suggests that if we find that “one thing” then everything else won’t mean s*%#! Billy Crystal’s character then asks the question that we all want to ask….”what’s the one thing?” The answer: That’s what YOU have to figure out. Talk about a tough task! How does one figure out their “one thing” in this age of information overload? Consider the sheer amount of data, information, advertising and messages that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. The Nielson Company has done research indicating that 98.9 % of households in the United States have a television. A recent Pew Research study noted that nearly 67% of all adults in the U.S. have broadband access in their homes. If that isn’t enough, you can get on an airplane and fly virtually anywhere in the world to experience a different culture first-hand. A half-century ago, or even 15 years ago, we simply didn’t have nearly this much information assaulting our senses. It can seem overwhelming just to get through your day being bombarded with all of those messages. So for many folks, cutting through all of that “noise” to discover what their true purpose is has led them to explore personal development.

So back to Billy Crystal’s question. What’s the one thing…..and how DO you find it? People are like snowflakes. No two of us are alike. Though we may have similar callings, paths, or purposes in life, our “one thing” will be unique to each of us. One way to filter through all of the information and begin the process of finding your one thing is to start at the beginning. Your beginning. Here is an easy to use tool that will provide you some insight and direction around finding your one thing. If you are still reading this, you are indeed interested in finding your one thing and the most critical step is to action. Use this tool or get a recommendation from a colleague/friend or visit the personal development section of your local bookstore….but take action. If you need a little motivation to keep going, just remember Curly’s advice…..”once you find that one thing, everything else don’t mean S#&%!

Steve Sheeren has spent the last decade and a half training and coaching individuals and corporations across North America to improve their mindset and communication skills. He offers additional insight, articles and resources on finding your one thing, including an alternative to working for a corporation.

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