This is my book, which has been officially published by Amazon. Please check it out. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DT4RGQ9H

To GOD be the GLORY!

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FOREWORD

Aside from the values of faith and self-belief that my mother effectively inculcated in me, one key element of personal growth and development embedded into my system even long before I joined the self-improvement bandwagon was lifelong learning. My parents kept telling my siblings and me the value of education,  the need to learn new things and skills, and the importance of always striving to be the best and strongest we could be to fulfill our dreams and ambitions.

I believed them to the point that when I had already acquired the degrees I wanted, I looked for a new jar of knowledge where I could dip my fingers. I pushed it further when I realized I had been doing much related to improving my health and acquiring new skills. I decided to focus on personal growth and development.

At first, my affair with self-improvement was just a fling. I thought it was enough that I read self-help books. However, I was not satisfied. I thought adding positive thinking to my faith, self-belief, and lifelong learning was enough. I was wrong. I wanted more.

Then, the unexpected happened. My romance with self-improvement took a serious turn after I watched a film entitled “The Secret.”   I saw the DVD of the movie only by accident. The store owner mixed it with other genres of film. When I bought it, I had no idea what it was. There was no synopsis or a brief note explaining anything about it. That was it… everything was what the title suggests—SECRET.

I wondered if it was a mystery thriller or a sci-fi movie. When I played it, I discovered it was a “self-help” film—technically a documentary. I must admit that I first considered the ideas presented preposterous. From the beginning of the film, what I saw and heard appeared as if lifted straight from the pages of a science fiction book, but they also tickled my curiosity, perhaps because I love science fiction.

I continued watching, tried to be open-minded, and thought of the information in the film as tips for personality development. I have always considered anything that advocates positive change worth my time and effort. I watched it a second time, and some exciting segments were a few more. After that, I started using valuable tips I learned from the movie. I even shared the ideas I discovered with my students whenever I saw a connection to the contents of our topic.

Then I decided to do an Internet search for one of the speakers, the one who spoke first in the movie  – Bob Proctor. That Internet search led me to his motivational videos on YouTube and links to information and videos of other motivational speakers such as Jim Rohn, Wayne Dyer, Les Brown,  Joe Dispenza, John Assaraf, Brendon Burchard, Brian Tracy, Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Simon Sinek, Tom Bilyeu, John Maxwell, and  Mel Robbins. I heard them mention Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, and Earl Shoaff, which led me to find them online.

They were all my professors at VU (Virtual University). I religiously watched the videos they posted on their social media platforms, and they taught me well. I consider them my mentors in the field of personal growth and development. Through them, I learned much about constructs related to self-improvement and Positive Psychology—goal-setting, planning, decision-making, time management, well-being, mindset, personal accountability, lifelong learning, good thinking, positive thinking, self-discipline, and more.

I consider them my mentors. They taught me valuable lessons I never learned in school. Thanks to them, I realized that in striving to be the best I can be, as my parents instructed, there are attitudes and beliefs I must pursue and possess, skills and abilities I must learn and acquire, and practices and activities I must carry out and perform. I realized how essential they are for achieving one’s full potential and becoming the best.

Seeing how personal growth and development have benefited me personally and professionally and recognizing that as a teacher, I can help my students and influence my loved ones and dear friends to experience the same, I have embraced self-improvement as an advocacy. I am committed to promoting it. There may be those my mentors from VU could not reach but whom I may be able to. I strive to do so in my humble ways.

To the best of my ability, I aim to plant seeds of motivation and inspiration in others, encouraging them to recognize their potential and embrace the transformative power of self-improvement. I believe that each interaction, no matter how small, has the potential to spark a profound change in someone’s life. Whether through teaching, writing, or engaging in meaningful conversations, I see every opportunity as a chance to leave a positive imprint on those I encounter.

In doing so, I am trying to carry forward the legacy of my mentors, whose wisdom and guidance have shaped my journey. Their influence reminds me that advocacy is not confined to grand gestures but is often reflected in our quiet, consistent efforts to uplift those around us.

My mission is to reach individuals who may feel unseen or undervalued, empowering them to believe in their capacity to grow and succeed.

In my classes, I actively seek opportunities to instill the value of striving to improve. I do the same in informal discussions with friends, loved ones, and sometimes strangers. Whenever I have the chance to discuss something related to self-improvement, I seize it without hesitation.

My approach is grounded in the belief that the desire to grow and evolve is universal,  and all  it  often  takes is a spark—a meaningful word, a shared experience, or a heartfelt conversation—to ignite that desire in someone.

It reminds me of how those simple compliments from a couple of teachers in high school inspired me to study harder.

I also write essays on personal growth and development, which I post on my websites and social media accounts. When I realized how much I had already written on the subject, the idea of writing a book on self-improvement emerged. I decided to compile and interconnect everything I had written about personal growth and development into a book.

My motivation for writing this book is clear: I want to offer a guide that could help readers like you achieve their full potential, be the best and strongest version of themselves, and attain fulfillment by achieving what they desire. When I began working on this book, I also had my students in mind. I hope they and other young people like them will read this book like you.

You have dreams and ambitions, but uncertainty can sometimes keep you stuck. You doubt your ability to achieve them. Sometimes, your challenges feel larger than life, your dreams out of reach, and self-doubt gets the best of you. However, I still believe that you have the power to become the highest version of yourself, manifest your dreams, and flourish into becoming the best you.

It is not luck or chance that gets you to the fulfillment of dreams and desires—it is learning the right strategies and applying the focus, determination, and passion you need to pursue your personal and professional endeavors. The future is yours to take.

This book is divided into three parts, each focusing on different aspects of self-improvement. In Part I, we will discuss beliefs and attitudes; in Part II, skills and abilities; and in Part III, practices and activities.

Henceforth, I will collectively refer to beliefs and attitudes as a value system, skills and abilities as a competence framework, and practices and activities as a habit scheme.

The world needs people willing to rise to their full potential, lead purposefully, and contribute to something greater. I believe you are one of those people.

As you read through the following pages, I hope you will find the encouragement, insight, and tools you need to take the next step in your journey. My goal is to inspire you to look at your personal and professional goals not as impossible dreams but as inevitable outcomes that await your dogged determination to succeed.

This book is both a reflection of my journey and an invitation to join me on the path to unlocking the greatness within you. I do not feel like I am already the best version of myself. Thus, my journey towards unlocking my full potential has not ended yet. If you have not started with yours, now is the time to begin.