Personal development courses are everywhere you turn. They are a hot product on the market, and it seems that everyone is jumping on the bandwagon for self improvement.
For all of the courses and advice you can pay for, is it really worth the money? Does taking a class really evoke change in people?
My take on this is: it depends.
I have taken my share of personal development classes in an effort to discover who I am and where I am going. Of the many courses I have taken, I am going to put them in two different categories: Lectures and Workshops and Tactile Learning.
Lectures and Workshops
I enjoy these types of classes. They are usually shorter in duration and a speaker shares experiences and ideals around the topic you have signed up to learn about. Often, these classes come with a workbook, and you may be doing some group work, or filling out the booklet when directed. They are great classes for people that just want to sit back, take everything in and decide what their next step is. You are given guidance and action steps and it is your choice whether to exercise it or not. I believe these courses have value, because they do provide ideas and they provoke thought that may spur you into action. However, in my opinion, they rarely evoke long term change. If your goal is to learn some new concepts, and to be left to your own devices, then you will get great value. However, if your goal is to get a swift kick in the backside and to get a running head start to get these moving in your life, these classes rarely hold a lot of value for that purpose. I would suggest that a lecture or workshop is as effective as reading a great book on the subject you went to see, except someone credible read the book to you instead. Sometimes when I read, I put things into practice, but usually, I don't.
Tactile Learning
These are the classes I really like! They are more expensive, but they are less about the workbook, and more about getting on your feet and doing what really needs to be done during class time. You are not left to your own devices to put change into practice. You are on your feet, and making it happen, and going through the excitement, adrenaline rush, and sometimes fear and discomfort that comes with trying something new. You are not forced to participate, but they make it hard to sit in the sidelines. These courses are more uncomfortable, but you walk out knowing that you can do, how it makes you feel, and you know what needs to be done. More importantly, you actually have the experience and credential of having done what was asked of you by the facilitator. Great examples of this are Dale Carnegie Training, Toastmasters Public Speaking Groups and Personal Best Seminars. Even though these classes were more expensive, I walked out achieving what I went there to do.
In my opinion, personal development classes in both forms have value for me. I am more satisfied with the results from tactile learning, but sometimes I don't want to work that hard and would rather go to a workshop that leaves me with some tips and tricks, and simply feeling good when I leave. Based on how you wish to learn and what you can afford, I would choose your method of delivery accordingly.
