Personal development is a journey. It is the result of continuous stretching and movement towards our desired life. There are many ways to take this journey, but it always starts with a desire to do, to have or to be something and it never ends.

Reading is one of the most popular and accessible ways to make this journey. There are many personal development books and many of them are very good books. I must have read hundreds of books myself.

As an author, I love books, love reading and get a lot from it. I still remember ads from childhood saying “books are your friends”, “your book will take you on a journey”. They have certainly worked miracles for me.

For many reading and writing years, I have realised that books have a certain limitation. Most people read personal development books and feel great and motivated, but the effects fade after a few days.

This understanding brought me to the conclusion that personal development stories are wonderful in encouraging the readers to take action, because they identify themselves with the characters.

Statistics regarding memory show that people can remember new information bases on the way it is presented to them:

Lecture: 5%
Reading: 10%
Audio-visual: 20%
Demonstration: 30%
Discussion group: 50%
Interactive, experiential learning: 75%

If you examine these figures, it is easy to understand why going to a seminar, where you only listen to a presenter, will provide only half of the value compared to the same information presented in a book. It is also easy to see why a book that stimulates feelings will be 7.5 times more effective than a book with just interesting information.

While non-fiction book relays information, which is no doubt valuable, a fictional story relays feelings and feelings are much more memorable. Non-fiction books give facts, ideas and opinions, which our conscious mind can understand and store as an external influence.

A story, on the other hand, may touch a soft spot, address a familiar situation, thought or feeling, which engage our subconscious mind and trigger internal motivation. When reading a story, the reader is a involved. This is when the book really take you on a wonderful journey to wherever you want to go.

I am happy to announce the official launch of my new book
In the Outback with Jasmine Banks – Journey to Freedom, the story of young women with similar fears to most people, who manages to find a new definition for what life is all about.

This story has made its way around the world with great feedback and encouragement to keep motivating people and keep the Be Happy in LIFE message out there. One of the most touching letter came from one of my clients:

Dear Ronit,

You won’t believe what happen to me, just as I started to read “In the Outback with Jasmine Banks”. The funny thing was that this morning my university class was cancelled so normally I would have gone straight to work but I got to the city and decided I didn’t want to go to work – I wanted to sit in a cafe and have a mocha and read some more of your story…

I was thinking to myself as I walked to the cafe – a year ago, before I started coaching, I would have never done this because I would have felt bad not going to work. But today, after starting to read it last night, Jasmine Banks inspired me and I felt good for deciding to do what I felt like doing. We all have Jasmine Banks in us don’t we?

It was a strange feeling, not to be afraid of doing what I wanted to do – so it was very funny indeed when I was reading up to the bit where Katherine asked Jasmine – what will happen if you don’t go to work… and what did happen? Nothing! Other than I got to sit in a cafe with a warm lovely drink and read your wonderful story!

Well, nothing happen till I got to work in the afternoon and my boss told me I got a raise…

Thank you for another inspiring story!

– Tina, Lawyer, 26 years old, Brisbane, Australia

I encourage you to get a copy of In the Outback with Jasmine Banks – Journey to freedom and enjoy this story of commitment to finding one’s true self.

I would like to send you a wish that this book will inspire you to live the life you want and trigger your internal motivation to move forward on your personal development journey.

Have a safe and happy ride!
Ronit