Many people have said this to me - what exactly they're expecting it to do for them, however, is the rock that they think they're perishing on. Re-read that sentence - it's a loaded one.

Our own thoughts and expectations can present a barrier to what we do in life. We know this already from everyday experience. Our inner barriers are well documented throughout the history of psychology. We trip ourselves up with our own useless thoughts. And, all too often, we bring our useless thoughts on meditation to our meditation.

For example, many people seem to think that meditation will make the earth move for you (honey!) - or that they'll enter into a realm of sweetness and light, a land of milk and honey. Perhaps, for some, this is true - even if only momentarily. But, for most, meditation can be a pain in the ass, hard work and incredibly frustrating.

If it is any or all of those negative things, what's the point in doing it? Well, above all else, meditation provides us with a framework for mental discipline. And, from your own experience, you know as well as I do that the normal adult mind needs discipline. The mere fact that you've decided to sit down and endeavour to control your own mind (rather than the other way 'round) is a massive step in the right direction - in the direction of taking control of your behaviour, your thoughts, your self-beliefs and, utlimately, your life.

Maybe meditation won't do it for you - whatever 'it' is - but moments spent in the pursuit of personal development are precious moments. And, on the basis that life is lived in moments, the more precious moments you can have, the better your life will become.

Of course, you could be like one of my clients who told me that meditation never did 'it' for her. A little probing on my part discovered that she'd never - not once in her life - tried to meditate!!

Author's Bio: 

Willie Horton is an Irish self-help and personal development author and trainer living in the French Alps. He has been working in the field of personal development since 1996 with clients such as Pfizer, Deloitte, Allergan, KMPG, Nestle and DHL. He is creator of Gurdy.Net – the Personal Development Website and author of Normal Crazy People and To Succeed... Just Let Go.