This is the first of a new series of interviews to personal development experts. This week I’m featuring Alex from unleashreality.com. I’ve been following Alex’s blog for a while now and I’ve found his posts to be a source of profound inspiration.
Oscar: Who are you?
Alex: My name is Alex. Nice to meetcha :)
“Who are you?” Funny you use that wording because my friends and I joke about how common yet deep it actually is. It’s a super deep question when you think about it. Nothing I can say about me is who I really am.
HaHa, that said, in this context I write about personal development and how to unleash your limitless reality for my website Unleash Reality.
Oscar: How did you become interested in personal development?
Alex: I was failing school. I was fat. Insecure. Unhappy. Useless at sport. No girlfriend. No friends. No money… just hopeless :)
I was under pressure to turn my grades. I started working despite how hopeless it felt and asked the “clever” kids what they were doing. Fast forward about a year and I had turned my grades around from 40 percent averages to ultimately graduating with straight As…
Total reality meltdown because I used to think I could never do well academically. I questioned the other stuff I thought I couldn’t do well in and started improving in all areas of my life.
Oscar: What areas are you most interested in (productivity, health, spirituality, etc)?
Alex: All of it. I’m interested in life. That deep electric yum feeling of light when you completely immerse yourself in life and unleash reality.
I went to India around a year ago and since then I’ve been more focused on the spiritual aspect of things because a lot of the specifics don’t lead to any lasting change.
To me it’s all the same stuff really. It’s like a high definition full technicolour 3D mashup. You can’t just focus on one area, it’s all interlinked.
Oscar: What areas of your life have more improved since you started this journey?
Alex: All areas.
Initially I improved my academics. Then using those gains as evidence that change was possible, I improved my health and social life as well as the money and success side of things. Then I went on a spiritual trip, you know, sitting cross legged in caves listening to the words of an Indian guru whilst meditating on the awesomeness of life. Lately it’s been about linking it all together and removing all the rubbish that I’ve collected over the years that covers my true perfect being.
Oscar: Do you have a coach, mentor or speaking group in real life?
Alex: I’m very big on learning from others.
I have a couple of friends and mentors who I learn greatly from and spend as much time with as possible.
I also try to see the lesson in all situations. No matter what happens, good or bad, I always take note of what I’ve gained and learned. “lesson learned” is my mentality whenever something bad happens… and I’m always writing down ideas and sayings and things like that whenever they come up, irrespective of who says them as long as they interest me and spark that little bit of excitement.
Oscar: What Motivates You?
Alex: My biggest motivation is the feeling you get when you’re completely doing something. It’s almost indescribable. It’s a feeling of deep connectedness to life. It feels like every atom of your being is ignited. That feeling of completely living, that feeling of immersing yourself in life – that’s what motivates me.
My motivation is becoming the best at whatever I do. Not to be better than anybody else but to fully do something. To live immersed and unleashed and connect to the deep and limitless amazingness of life.
Oscar: What are your favourite books or resources on the topic?
Alex: I think personal development is about life, not just about “personal development”.
So my favourite resources, in no order, are a mix of things, some about personal development and some about life.
Shantaram (book). The Power of Now (book). Into The Wild (movie). The Sedona Method (book and audio). Think and Grow Rich (book). Autobiography of a Yogi (book).
Oscar: What is the most important advice you can give to someone who is new to personal development?
Alex: You don’t need anything to be you.
When you first start learning something, especially something as vast and self-gratifying as personal development, it’s easy to get addicted to reading and studying everything you can. Don’t do this. Not only do you wind up just reading and not doing anything to improve your life, but you take on the mentality that you need something, that a little more personal development stuff will fix you.
Nothing will fix you. You’re not broken.
It’s all there – everything you’re looking for – it’s within you, right now.
That which you are needs nothing.
It’s all within you.
Right now.
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Many thanks to Alex for his time. If you want to know more about him, visit his website at unleashreality.com.
Posted on July 06 2009
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Sharing is sexy!
Great interview. I’m also big on learning from others. I have been into personal development for a while myself and the reasons are quite similar to Alex’s, and I can fairly say I’ve improved a great deal of things in my life. I think the most important point to have in mind is that you can do and be whatever you wanna be. Don’t ever think that you can’t do this or that. I myself sometimes feel like I can’t do something, but I realize it is just a normal thought that occurs to all people, and successful people are those who trash it and not believe it.
Oscar, you have a nice blog there. I know you are a programmar and tech-savvy, but If you ever need a hand, just hit me up.
Ciao
Adam
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Hi Adam,
Thank you for stopping by. Even for me one of the firsts thing I learnt during this journey is that I can achieve everything if I want it. My parents were told me every time that I couldn’t do this and that, but I already accomplished many of those things that seemed nearly impossible.
Ciao :)
Oscar
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UR: you were fat? No girlfriend? You Gravatar just doesn’t say it was ever true. ;)
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