Probably like a lot of readers of this genre, I go into self-help books thinking I’ll find some wisdom or insights that will make my life better. But I DNF every single one.
Go look at any of the recent best sellers. It’s monotonous just reading the titles. These books tend to promise a lot, but then end up being formulaic, repetitive, obvious, and just uninspiring.
Are there any genuinely good self-help books out there that you’ve enjoyed and found value in from cover to cover? Or is this just a limitation baked into the very premise of this category?
by fptnrb
5 Comments
I found books by Robert Greene and Dale Carnegie helpful.
I’m not sure if books by Greene are exactly self help.
Carnegie may be cliched but considering the time and fact that there are quite few good ideas, I wouldn’t call those books garbage for sure.
the man who quit money
Dummies Guide to meditation is a great book because of how informative and insightful it is. Japanese Zen Buddhists I have found offer a great perspective on life, Doaism as well. Allowing us to see the beyond what we see thru a filter and realize yeah that’s just bullshiit, part of our indoctrination. Me angry in traffic? Stupid. Upset to wait in a line? Or I’m not the winner? That’s fuucking life dumbassss. Winter is cold , I prayed to God, but my crops died? Yeah it’s winter, what the hell did you think was gonna happen?
There are two that I absolutely love and wholeheartedly recommend.
One is *Atomic Habits.* It was the first mainstream book on productivity that I read that was ADHD-friendly, because it doesn’t assume you can just suddenly be motivated or decide to be disciplined, etc. So the strategies it presents don’t rely on that. Which means they’re a lot more practical for a lot of people, even neurotypical ones (because, really, “just deciding” is hard for everyone).
The other is *Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle.* Burnout recovery & avoidance strategies rooted in science but also realistic re: barriers to access actually exist, and sometimes (due to finances, societal oppression, and other factors) you can’t just remove the stress. You have to deal with it and keep going. And then it gives a way to do that that isn’t rooted in pretending problems don’t exist or ignoring responsibilities to others.
Autobiographies of people you admire or find interesting. Much more entertaining and while not trying to give advice, peoples philosophy on how they approach things tend to seep in