This is an interview I conducted with me, hosted by me. It’s the first of many interviews I will be having with me so that you can get to know me and my views a lot better.
Before we dive in the deep end, we’ll start with a casual ice-breaker…
Enjoy!
Me: Hello there, me. I hope you’re doing well.
Me: I’m doing great, thanks for asking!
Me: I wanted your readers to get to know you, so this interview is pretty much about you as a person, and why you started the Personal Growth Map site.
Me: Sure, fire away!
Me: First things first. Your name is Haider Al-Mosawi, correct?
Me: That’s right.
Me: And has that always been your name?
Me: As far as I’m aware, yes. And in case you were wondering, I don’t believe in past lives. 😛
Me: I see. And have you always been a man?
Me: Umm, yes… Except on some weekends! Haha! Only kidding!
Me: [carefully notes down the last answer…] I’m sure OK! Magazine will find that amusing…
Me: What’s that?
Me: Never mind. How old are you?
Me: 26. I turn 27 on July 9. In case you were thinking of getting me a birthday gift, you know when to get it. 😉
Me: Great… And don’t you forget my birthday, too! 😀
Me: I won’t.
Me: Fantastic. And where are you from?
Me: Kuwait.
Me: Have you lived anywhere else?
Me: Yes. I lived in Halifax (Canada) for an academic year. That was in the 5th grade. And I lived in London (United Kingdom) from the age of 11 until I finished my university degree, when I was 22.
Me: And now you’re back in Kuwait?
Me: Yes.
Me: Are you married?
Me: Yes. I’ve been married for just under 4 years now.
Me: And do you have any children?
Me: Yes. Twins. A boy (Hussain) and a girl (Bushra). They’re now 2 years and 4 months old.
Me: Sweet. What about siblings. Any brothers and sisters?
Me: Yes. I have 3 brothers and 3 sisters. My youngest sister is from my step-mother.
Me: I see. I think I asked you too many personal questions for a single interview, so let’s move on to personal growth. What got you interested in the subject in the first place?
Me: I think everyone has a flickering interest in personal growth throughout their lives. We all think about ourselves and our capabilities every now and then, with some degree of consciousness and some dosage of determination to actually move in the direction we want. But I can honestly say that I didn’t have a conscious commitment to personal growth until I was 19, when I entered university.
That was a huge change in my life. I was surrounded by a new crowd and a new set of ideas. It gave me the opportunity to break out of the mold I was in, and to begin to examine myself and my life anew.
I come from a fairly religious/conservative background, and had the reputation of being religious myself. But I didn’t like the inconsistencies I noticed in my character and had the strong feeling that I was being a hypocrite. I’d advise people to act one way, but wasn’t following what I preached. I was selective in what moral principles I’d follow based on my own inclinations and personal preferences. The feeling of hypocrisy was so intense that I couldn’t ignore it. I had to do something.
That was the spark that triggered my interest in personal growth. I believe personal growth is ultimately about raising your consciousness and the willingness to see reality (including the truth about yourself) for what it is, rather than hide behind false impressions and assumptions. I was willing to examine my beliefs and to change them, without seeking other people’s approval.
This individuality – to take responsibility for my beliefs and my life – became the foundation for my personal growth efforts. I can’t say that I’ve always made the right decisions since then, or adopted the right beliefs. But it’s all part of the growth process.
Me: And why did you start the Personal Growth Map site? What’s your motivation? And what do you expect to achieve from it?
Me: Well, when I first developed an interest in personal growth, my enthusiasm surpassed my abilities. I wanted to learn everything, right now. I didn’t have realistic expectations or a realistic approach to life. I wanted to change the world in a matter of days rather than years or generations. That left me feeling overwhelmed and under-achieving. I wasn’t able to get things done and it felt crappy. The more I wanted to do, the less I got done.
This impacted every area of my life and my family’s life (especially my wife). I always felt that I had things to get done, but never allowed myself the chance to appreciate the moment, or to realize that life consisted of more than professional accomplishments, or changing the world. There are human needs we need to satisfy on a personal level that changing the entire world will not satisfy. We have to change the way we live.
The Personal Growth Map is about that. It’s about the life we lead on an individual level. After all, the focus of personal growth should be the person. “How can I, as an individual, change my life – and, by extension, the lives of those around me – for the better? What do I need to change in me (internally) to cause the changes I want to see (externally)?”
The Personal Growth Map adds structure to personal growth so that it is more realistic in satisfying our needs as human beings and less overwhelming. It makes life balance more achievable, because we realize the importance of every area of our lives, and not to just focus on a single area. I was too focused on maybe two areas of my life, but ignored all other areas. To my own detriment.
I would like this site to offer people a more holistic approach to personal growth that is based on a sound understanding of human nature, and what we require in order to lead happy, contented lives. Of course, with some humor thrown in for good measure. 😀
Me: Great! That sounds like a noble pursuit, and I wish me all the best.
Me: Thank you.
Me: With that we’ll wrap up our interview, with the hope that we’ll meet again for many more interviews in the future. Thank you for being with me. It’s been fun.
Me: Thank you for having me. Chat soon!
If you have any questions you would like me to ask me in future interviews, please feel free to share them in the comments section!