5 Self-Help Books That Don’t Really Help

Whether the self-help industry is actually helpful or not is a question many people have asked time and again. Some argue that it’s just another way for the capitalist world to get our money, some others say it’s actually an inspirational industry that we need to understand better. Well, that debate will go on for sometime. But in the meanwhile, let’s take a look at some self-help books that don’t really help instead, they end up confusing the reader.

1. The Secret – Rhonda Byrne:

Secret, based on an earlier film of the same name, is a 2006 self help book. It is based on the concept of the law of attraction, which claims that thoughts can directly change the life of a person. If you think about it, the law of attraction is pretty easy. Nobody’s going to hang out with you if you behave like a fool or be manipulative. Nobody will offer you a job or invest in your company. Being a fool is briefly described as badmouthing everyone you know, and complaining all the time for things that you don’t have.

2. The Power of Positive Thinking – Norman Vincent Peale:

The book is about the same basic ideas, but with a little bit of religion. By telling poor people to cheer up during the great depression, Norman Vincent Peale created the ideas behind his best selling novel. It turns out that Peale expressed all his insight to Donald Trump in a special layer of irony, who attended his church growing up, which may explain why he feels he can defeat a lethal virus by inhaling bleach fumes, prematurely consuming illegal drugs, and refusing to wear a mask wherever he goes.

3. Girl wash your face – Rachel Hollis:

This book is alright in the sense of not making too many false promises. In terms of actual support it can provide, it is pretty lightweight. It’s got tones of fluffy stories accompanied by recommendations that worked for her personally. This book clearly follows the best seller recipe: mixing a bunch of small stories with advice that sounds easy to follow. Using a goofy lit voice that everyone writes with. Fabricate millions. It’s not exactly self-help for those who want to be helped, just for those who’re looking for some fairytale advice.

4. You’re a badass – Jen Sincero:

In this novel the author attempts to cover everything, but just doesn’t pull it off in a proper manner. Everything seems disconnected and out of flow, and it leaves readers more confused than satisfied.

5. Your best life now, Joel Osteen:

Here you go if you’re searching for a book that sums up narcissistic optimism. Osteen will have you believe that God is involved directly in making you prosperous. All you have to do is want it and also pretend that you are wealthy and prosperous already. After that, he discussed several other generic concepts, taken from a dozen other books. Here is a straight talk version: it is performative to get your rubbish together. The drive to do something before we do it is not figured out for most of us. We just go do it and the inspiration or excitement or whatever comes later. That is not a talent that is exceptional. Nearly everyone has this ability in their brain somewhere. You’ve just got to work at it.

This was our pick of self-help books that don’t help at all.