Three factors are essential for successful actualization of a genius:

• Innate talent (genetical, governed by the threshold principle)
• Legacy (the cultural and family heritage passed on from ancestors)
• Opportunity (being in the right place, at the right time, – largely a matter of “luck”)

Also, (and this is key) the process of actualization is unstable. In the sense that two individuals starting with very similar innate talent & legacy, will diverge due to the “best get better opportunities” rule and to the “10,000 hours to expert” rule.

Ok. So where does this leave us, adults, who want to continue actualizatio of our own genius? It seems that all three factors are beyond our control and influence…

And this is where I take a non-traditional view. All three factors can be brought under our influence at any stage in life. The how will take a whole book to map out, so here are just a few brush strokes to start the map:

• Innate talent consists of genetical (or early childhood, – which for our purposes is the same thing) potential and the fulfillment of that potential through life experience. What I have noticed is that a lot (if not most) adults’ potential has been barely fulfilled. Most types of intelligence (mental, social, emotional, physical) can be substantially improved through training.
• Legacy is fixed only for kids. As adults we are free to enter the environments that carry different and necessary for us legacy. The institution of mentor/apprentice does exactly that.
• “Opportunity is random” belief is based on Newtonian model of distinct object/observer Universe. A more accurate quantum model says that our intent can influence what opportunities are offered to us throughout life. Or in the words of Oogway from Kung Fu Panda: “There are no accidents.”

I invested a couple of days this weekend into attending Chris Howard’s Breakthrough to Success (3 day no-cost training). My review:

Chris positions himself as the fifth generation of personal growth. As the one who will give you the skills that others can only talk about (his examples of “others” were Napoleon Hill, Norman Peale, NLP, Anthony Robbins). I wish he delivered on that promise.

Alas, he doesn’t. His material is basically a version of Tad James’ NLP & Timeline trainings. It is neither revolutionary, nor evolutionary. I would call much of it outdated. Not even in the same league as the work of innovators such as Robert Dilts, Richard Bandler or Joseph Riggio.

Chris is a fabulous speaker, with high energy and passion for his work. The training is fun, filled with games, dancing, video, music. Definitely a crowd pleaser.

But as a trainer !?! The fifteen hours that I invested there could’ve been condensed into three. A process he did (future imprinting) was missing an important step. Skills are difficult to learn because most of the time (thirteen hours) Chris is speaking at the audience, instead of the attendees practicing the skills.

A good chunk of the time, Chris is selling his products, overtly and covertly. I found his manipulation of the audience distasteful. He’s consistently anchoring himself as the messiah who will lead us to the salvation (guess where he’s anchoring all the negative emotions…). He’s using embedded commands, such as “when you pass b[u]y the CDs on your way out”.

But the biggest sore spot is this: I can understand a trainer who is using outdated models – maybe he isn’t aware of the cutting edge work. I can understand a trainer who is manipulating the audience to sell his products at a free 42 hour seminar – he’s got to keep his business afloat. But I cannot forgive a trainer who is violating his prime directive by teaching people helplessness (by anchoring their path to happiness through himself).

To summarize, IMHO, I would without a hesitation go to Chris to learn platform and presentation skills. But I would find a different trainer for personal growth.

P.S. I want to emphasize that the review above is based on Chris’ free training. I have no idea how different are his for-cost trainings.