The Director's Cut: David Taylor's guide to the top 10 human development gurus

There are many human potential experts out there, and selecting a top 10 isn't easy. In doing so, I have used the following criteria:

1. They must be relevant to you and to personal development today
2. They must communicate a clear message in reality - no academic stuff here
3. They must have an exciting message that can be adopted fast - no time to spare!

The human potential world spans a wide spectrum, from the 'wake up, give yourself a kick up the backside and stop making excuses' school, spearheaded by luminaries like Anthony Robbins, through to the 'look deep within and be at one with god' spiritual level, encompassing thinkers such as Stuart Wilde. The present and increasing trend is towards the spiritual side, and this is reflected in my list.

This is of course an entirely personal list, and is offered in the spirit that there is no right or wrong. There is only what serves you and what does not serve you. That is your decision. To help you decide which type of writing to explore further, I have included the book they are most well known for and their key message.

1 Anthony Robbins
Simplifies complex messages.
Key book: Awaken The Giant Within.
Key Message: Everything we do, we do to move towards pleasure, or away from pain.

2 Stuart Wilde
Most prolific spiritual thinker/author in the US.
Key book: Whispering Winds of Change.
Key Message: You already have the skills within you - waiting to be ignited.

3 Colin Turner
Combines Eastern and Western thinking.
Key book: Shooting The Monkey.
Key Message: The future is not what it used to be, and organisations need to wake up fast.

4 Douglas Adams
Made everything so powerful through story and satire.
Key book: Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy.
Key message: Life is fun, life is truth, life is ours to live.

5 Charles Handy
Described cultural change in a management context.
Key book: The Hungry Spirit.
Key Message: People are pretty important, as well.

6 Richard Bandler
Co-founder Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).
Key book: The Age of Anybody.
Key message: Human excellence can be modeled - and repeated.

7 Neale Donald Walsch
Leader of the next generation of thinking - he has become a global phenomenon, very fast.
Key books: Conversations With God (three books).
Key message: God is ready to speak with us all, and he will do, when we start to listen.

8 James Redfield
Transformed awareness of synchronicity.
Key book: The Celestine Prophecy.
Key message: If you believe, it happens.

9 Steven Covey
Combined personal and business contexts.
Key book: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
Key message: It is not what we say, or think, it is what we do.

10 Sun-Tzu
One word: longevity!
Key book: The Art of War.
Key message: Opportunities multiply as they are seized.