4 Great Places to Build a Personal Development Network

Personal Development is just like anything else in the world – in order to get the most out of it, you'll need people to help you along the way. The trick is to find the right type of people who will help you attain your goals without bogging you down in the process.

Networking with other people is a powerful process, and can be an integral part of your success. However, since everyone wants whatever it is that they want, it is important that you find people who will help you get to your goals without their own needs overshadowing the process.

Photo Credit: Blue ArimTo build a personal development network, you should first identify what end result you want your network to help you accomplish, and then choose an organization or group of people who can help you to get there. I have broken the process down into 4 categories, and listed the benefits related to a great site on the 'net where you can find those type of people.

Business Networking

If your personal development efforts include starting or growing any type of business venture, then you'll be hard pressed to find a site better than FastPitch Networking. I have been a member of FastPitch since back in my personal training days, and I have found it to be one of the single most effective websites out there for connecting with other business minded people. You can check out my present profile at FastPitch by clicking right here.

Boasting an active and growing membership, FastPitch Networking offers all of the following features:

• Publicly searched profiles that can easily be found by other members
• A "My Network" feature which allows you to easily keep track of who you have contacted and connected with
• A section solely dedicated to Press Releases that you put out about your business
• The one-click ability to import your blog posts which are then added to the easily searched FastPitch Blogs section
• The ability to add networking events to your profile that can also easily be found by other members who are in your geographic area
• A photo section where you can upload pictures of yourself, company logos, event pictures, etc.

One of the great things about FastPitch is that you get full access to the site regardless of your membership level, but then they also have some very tasty high exposure options for anyone who upgrades their membership.

From a business networking perspective, you would do well to at least give FastPitch a look. If you decide to join up, be sure to network with me on that site so we can stay in touch and possibly work together on future projects.

Education and Support

Many people who embark on a personal development quest very much want to learn what they should be doing/not doing, and they also want to get support from others who are in a similar situation to their own.

In fact, that idea was the very premise behind my own social networking website, Personal Development Partners. After spending 3 years in the aforementioned personal training industry, I saw people every day struggling to succeed, and most of them were going it alone. Many didn't even get support from their friends or family members, let alone having access to a local or online support network.

I have recently upgraded the standards over at PDP in order to make sure that only people who are seriously interested in networking with and helping other people even get to join the site. A network is only as good as the people in it, and Personal Development Partners has some high quality individuals on board. Membership is still open for people who are willing to both help and BE helped by the community.

Also, don't forget that PDP offers local networking opportunities, so finding people in your own area is a distinct possibility. 

In addition to the high-quality support network over at PDP, the Senior Thought Leaders there have put together a staggering amount of educational data on personal growth and development, and all of it is freely available to all members. 

Also, remember FastPitch Networking from above? Anyone who joins FastPitch and then networks with me on that site will receive a discounted Premium membership at Personal Development Partners, in addition to any potential joint ventures or other work that we may do together in the future.

Tried and True Methods

Despite the power of business networking and local support & education that were mentioned above, some people still want to "learn from the masters". They want to crack open the classic books, listen to the wisdom of industry professionals, and they want a format to follow for their personal development efforts.

For that crowd, be sure to check out the Real Life Legends series over at Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise. Other than the fleet of other products and service that the site offers, the Real Life Legends series packs a lot of value:

• More than 80 hours of recorded interviews with the likes of T. Harv Eker, Jay Abrahams, Neale Donald Walsche, and many, many others.
• A multi-media version of the wildly popular Passion Test based on the book by Janet Attwood, The Passion Test
• A community and forum for exchanging ideas with and networking with other elite members of the Real Life Legends club
• The actual printed (as in NOT electronic) It's Your Time monthly newsletter delivered right to your door, including a monthly exercise to make sure that you are on track with your goal attainment.

The Real Life Legends program offers a $1 trial membership that gives you full access to the site so you can check it out before deciding if it is right for you. If you think it's worth a buck, then cruise on over there to check it out.

Positive Thinkers

It doesn't matter what school of thought our belief that you belong to, it is no longer possible to deny the fact that positive thinking benefits everyone, regardless of their goals.

The problems start when we lose track of our positively-charged attitudes as a result of the negative people around us, or even just because our lives get "busy" and we stop taking the time to keep an upbeat attitude.

Staying around others who also have a positive attitude is one of the surest wa
ys to keep your own state of mind in the right place, and for that, I can give no higher recommendation than Gary Evan's PositivitySpace community.

I did a full review of Gary's awesome site a few months ago, and since then I have worked closely with Gary on building up the positive thinking/personal growth community. I have found Gary to be a stand-up guy who truly cares about people's success, and some highlights of his PositivitySpace website include:

• Dozens of classic self-help and success books available for immediate download
• A very unique member-powered book and movie review section
• A forum based on positive thinking and discussions
• An online time management system
• Peer-reviewed articles on success
• 100% original training videos
• Success-mindset interviews
• Private messaging system

Check out my full review of Positivity Space if you want all the details, but before you do, be sure to make note of the following 2 very important points:

1. Gary has started offering the video training system that is part of PositivitySpace as a stand-alone product called Manifestation Mastery which I highly recommend that you check out.
2. Anyone who purchases Manifestation Mastery (it's 7 bucks!) is also eligible for a nicely discounted membership at PositivitySpace.

Regardless of which of the above resources you choose to check out, remember that the primary goal is to get involved with a community that is going to serve YOU in the best way possible.

After all, it is called PERSONAL development!