Current Events > Have you ever read a self-help book?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I haven't.

Do you think they can be valuable? Has any self-help book made a change in your life?


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"How to win friends and influence people" was a lifechanger, for me. Read it shortly after starting my first job out of college.

It's pretty much what it says on the tin, lol. May be redundant advice for some, but my introverted ass needed to get with the program.
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I've read quite a few. I think most have some nuggets of wisdom.

One in particular that struck a cord with me is the concept of an emotional bank account from the Seven Habits of Effective People. It's basically describes how relationships with people are built and maintained. You have to spend quality time with people to build rapport or even keep it at all. The lack of this is why so many people drift apart, or why somethings never start. It's why even occasional small talk is so important.

I'm sure it's common sense to most people, but it was big for me because it was so different from how my parents raised me.

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I like "The Happiness Advantage". I always worry that these type of books are overly optimistic, but it's practical for the most part.

It has only been a few months since I have read it, so it's hard to say what impact it has had. I really like some of the concepts, such as "Spiralling Upwards" instead of Spiralling Downwards, re-training your brain to look for opportunities, and so on.

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nope, i cant help myself

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I have read a few. Mainly for the journey of self discovery. Made me aware of how my presence influences others but most importantly, myself.

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Thanks for the responses. I will probably read "How to Win Friends and Influence People" if for nothing else that it is such a classic. Seven Habits looks decent.

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No. They're creepy and culty nonsense.

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I've read a bunch of them. Law of Success, How to Win Friends and Influence People, my personal favorite is called Shut Up, Stop Whining & Get a Life by Larry Winget.

I find them to be helpful, but their value can be overrated, as they only serve as a motivation tool and ultimately your own skills and pursuit of your own passions and desires will create success.

The danger in them is that we all know at least one person who is basically a professional self-help reader. They read every book, listen to every audio, attend every seminar, but they do absolutely nothing to actually improve their life or even help others. Do not be this person.

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Man's Search for Meaning, if that counts. As problematic as it and the author are, I was able to get a lot of out of it.

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