Reading Personal Development Books

Reading a Personal Development book and doing it in a way that will contribute to our life is not an easy task. It requires time, effort and dedication. We don't read such a book to see what's in it. We read it in an effort to change who we are, change the distinctions that we make and eventually change the course of our life.
Reading a PD book, and doing it well, requires as much time and effort as it does to write one. It is not something that can be done in a week or a month, it takes years.
The reason that it is so complex is that the important points in the book must be assimilated into our brain and nervous system in such a way that they become automatic reflexes that will spring into action of their own volition when these points need to be applied.
Reading a PD book is somewhat like reading a book on techniques for a particular sport. Knowing how to do it is useless unless the technique is applied automatically when the time comes. Take a book on the techniques of golf for example. Knowing the perfect way to swing the clubs is useless unless it is so well impregnated into the nervous system that it will be executed perfectly when the time comes.
Reading a PD book is also like prospecting for gold. Every bit of material must be carefully examined to find those small nuggets that will enrich our lives. It is not a process that can be rushed or done absentmindedly. Pearls of wisdom, like nuggets of gold, come in small packets so they can easily be overlooked.
Once found, these pearls of wisdom must be thoroughly assimilated. Assimilated information is more than knowledge. It becomes part of our unconscious thinking process and will automatically surface at the appropriate time.
The assimilation process is done through experiencing the particular content in various ways. As an example, let us say that you want to assimilate the win-win theory that say that when affecting a transaction, the ideal end result would be that both parties come out winners.
The first thing that you could do is to write down the words, "win-win" where it can be seen many times during the day. Then you could write down the places in your life that the principle could apply. You could talk to your friends about the win-win theory and maybe even write a short essay on it. First thing that you will know, that theory will be part of who you are and will spring up automatically when needed.
People have spent their entire life studying the bible. I believe that some PD books deserve the same treatment. Personally I have been working on Anthony Robbins' Awaken the Giant Within for over two decades and I have done almost the same for Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. These books were read dozens and dozens of times. I have highlighted the important passages then transcribed those passages in Word.doc to be included in my Palm for quick references. These books have become part of my daily experiences.
Studying a book that way does require time and efforts but the investment is more than well worth it. It affects the quality of our life by literally changing who we are. The saying says, "No pain, no gain." That could sum up the ideal technique to read a PD book. Put in the time and efforts and reap the rewards.