"Self Help" is big businessI often visit the "self help" section of my local bookstore to check out the latest publications. It is huge, having books on any imaginable topic ranging from health and finances to personal development and spirituality, to name just a few areas. According to market data, this industry – which includes books, audio materials, courses and seminars – is an 11 billion dollar business. Big numbers! What is self help? The dictionary defines the term as the practice of bettering oneself without the assistance of others. The satiric comic, George Carlin, who passed away in June of 2008, once remarked facetiously that there is “no such thing” as this. If you needed someone’s help it wouldn’t be self help. If you accomplished it by yourself, you wouldn’t need help to begin with. But there is a serious side to this phenomenon that has supported countless individuals. Let’s look briefly at both the pros and cons of the issue. What works Steve Nash, creator of of the informative site www.selfhelpcollective.com, claims he is not an expert, but he knows an awful lot about the topic. He notes that "simply speaking, I believe that you should look for 'help' that allows you to then find your own answers. So that initial help could be via other people, or reading books, or by going to seminars or visiting relevant websites. But the important thing is not to become dependent on being told what to do, but to instead learn to depend on your own wisdom." For more about the work of Steve Nash and his favourite self help books, read our lively interview with him. Dr. Fred, an expert in midlife development, views this topic as synonymous with "self-responsibility," which is a key to leading a "created life." In this light, there is "gold" to extract from books and programs that help you take matters into your own hands, such as the work of Ken Anbender, co-founder and CEO of Contegrity Program Designs Inc. It's not about blindly following a guru! What doesn't work In a 2006 article in the respected journal “Scientific American,” Michael Shermer asks whether this approach actually works. He mentions the books of such widely read authors as Canfield and Hansen, creators of the “Chicken Soup” series, and renowned guru Tony Robbins. In a nutshell Shermer answers the question with a resounding no. He bases his answer on Steve Salerno’s 2005 book entitled Sham: How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless Salerno claims that this hugely profitable industry is based on a clever marketing game presenting the individual as the victim in constant search of empowerment. The consumer is coyly enticed to return regularly to buy yet another book or program, some costing thousands of dollars. Yet according to Salerno, former book review editor at "Men’s Health" magazine, there is no scientific proof for any of the claims of the movement, including the 12-step program of AA. You could very well end up with the same results by doing something different or nothing at all. A classic personal development book One of my favourite personal development books is The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, A Toltec Wisdom Book
|
soundly criticizing the industry.
by Don Miguel Ruiz. 
