Summary

The author is transitioning from self-help books to philosophy, seeking deeper wisdom and practicality.

Abstract

The author has extensively read self-help books and found them repetitive, lacking depth, practicality, and freedom of interpretation. Criticizing the one-size-fits-all approach and the discrepancy between the teachings and the authors' lives, the author acknowledges the value of exceptional leaders in the field but points out the prevalence of "snake oil salesmen." Seeking timeless principles and a more profound understanding, the author has been profoundly impacted by reading Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" and plans to focus on philosophy, starting with "Tao Te Ching." The author invites readers to join in exploring philosophy for its wisdom and to share their favorite philosophy books.

Opinions

Self-help books often repeat the same concepts without depth or practical application.
These books tend to impose the author's beliefs and worldview, limiting the reader's own interpretation.
Many self-help gurus do not practice what they preach, which undermines their credibility.
The personal development industry has too many individuals selling superficial or unoriginal content for profit.
Philosophical texts, such as Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations," offer a more challenging and rewarding intellectual engagement.
Philosophy provides timeless principles and allows for personal interpretation, which is lacking in self-help literature.
The author values the growth and insights gained from exceptional self-help leaders but advocates for a more selective and critical approach to personal development content.
The author encourages readers to explore philosophy as a source of wisdom and to engage in a dialogue about their preferred philosophy books over self-help books.

I Won’t Read Self-Help Books Anymore

Philosophy is my next prey

I read hundreds of self-help books and noticed they constantly repeat the same concepts.

They lack depth
Lack practicality
Lack freedom of interpretation
Lack wisdom

They’re basically just the author’s interpretation of success.

They don’t allow you to think through the concepts yourself
They want you to have the same beliefs as them
They want you to have the same virtues and worldview

I’m not saying that they are useless.

I want to emphasize that they lack practicality. They lack timeless principles. They lack freedom of interpretation.

They are limited.

And what makes things even worse is that self-help gurus often don’t practice their teaching.

They teach how to heal depression, but can’t sleep themselves
They heal diseases but have diabetes
They want to be a life coach at 20 and teach about life
They want to give you relationship advice while being single themselves

I know that firsthand after meeting some of them in person.

Certainly, there are many exceptional leaders.

Tony Robbins
Vishen Lakhiani
Robin Sharma
Dr. Joe Dispenza

To name just a few of them.

They helped me to change my life for the better.

Placebo: Mind over Matter
5 Am Club
The Code Of The Extraordinary Mind
Awaken The Giant Within

Were life-changing books for me.

They taught me to:

Meditate
Develop a growth mindset
Develop incredible habits

But unfortunately, there are way too many “snake oil salesmen’” in the personal growth industry.

They grab your attention and sell you their product,

which is way too often:

“Stolen” or misinterpreted
One-size-fits-all solution that doesn’t work
Just their subjective opinion based on little to no research

And yet they make tons of money doing that.

Okay, enough of the frustrations!

My intention wasn’t to talk badly about personal development space.

I wanted to convey that philosophy impressed me.

My brain is working much faster after reading my first hardcore philosophical book (Marcus Aurelius Meditations).

I literally destroyed the book with my pen and highlighters and took pages of notes.

That’s why I’m planning to switch my focus from studying personal development to studying philosophy.

That doesn’t mean I will abandon personal growth entirely. I just won’t binge-read it anymore. I’ll be more selective.

My next read?

Tao Te Ching is my next read.

I invite you to try reading philosophy

I assume that you read countless self-help books.

So why not give philosophy a shot?

Marcus Aurelius Meditation
Tao Te Ching
Epictetus: Discourses
Dhammapada
Seneka: The Letter From a Stoic

Are on my reading list.

Join me on my journey of uncovering the world’s greatest wisdom!

Share your insights in the comments:

Which is your favorite philosophy book?

Do you prefer philosophy or personal development?

Check out: About Me: Overcoming 60+ Fractures To Becoming An Athlete

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P.S. I plan to visit a temple in China to deepen my qigong and meditation practice. You can support me here: https://ko-fi.com/jakajuvan/goal?g=0