Self-help books- How helpful are they???

[lotus]

I've always been curious about self-help books in particular. For me a good book will inspire me to wake up or buck up but after a while it'll be back to square on. Okay, maybe not totally without impact, possibly it is stored somewhere at the back of my mind and will resurface and shape my behaviour. I am not really sure. I've just finished reading a good one "Rich dad, poor dad". Off and on after reading them and I always wonder how effective they're. Any experience or testimonies to relate??

[Maxforce]

One book that seriously woke me up was none other than The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven R Covey

[youngyew]

I think they do work at times, but we must remember that not every book would work for everyone. For me, the one self-help book which influenced me a lot was "How to win friends and influence people".. Not that it really helped me to win a lot of friends, but it taught me a lot about human psychology.

[Maxforce]

The key here is to practise what you ve learnt.
Sow a thought, reap an action,
Sow an action, reap a habit,
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a detiny!
- Steven R Covey.

[lotus]

The key here is to practise what you ve learnt.
Sow a thought, reap an action,
Sow an action, reap a habit,
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a detiny!
- Steven R Covey.

Really a good quote and nutritious food for thought. :)

[khiahsu]

Hmmm. sometimes,it's the same old thing packaged and repackaged again.

Take the Chicken Soup series for example. People just lap it up. I'm not denying that it may help-but this may only apply to certain individuals I think.

[brucesharky]

What do you think of Robert Kiyosaki's teaching in Rich Dad Poor Dad, vs Morries's in Tuesdays With Morrie?

I've read both books and I loved them both. It's just that I do not totally agree with Morrie. See, had Mitch not wrote this book, the medical bills might be a big headache to be settled. So, is it important to be financially free?

[littlepiglet]

Mm, i read a book before, but is a chinese book, it said more on the attitude problem of the human being have. ya, it taught me a lot in human psychology things, but need to achieve until what the book said level, i think only god can do it. just my opinion, no one can be prefect and behave perfectly like what the book said.

[white2020]

I have read a book in chinese, it is about the colour and life...

It has connected the colour with life well, and i learn a lot of general knowledge there..

how about..1 interesting thing..

U can never lick ur elbows with ur tongue??


try try try


:wink: :wink: :wink: :P :P :P

[Fourthshifter]

yes and no.

read some useful book reviews and book ratings. It helps.

[littlepiglet]

:? may i know, what is book ratings?

[Fourthshifter]

:? may i know, what is book ratings?


1 to 5 stars.
The more stars the better.
rating is given by readers as vote and the average rating is shown as number of stars.

[icy_cold88]

yes and no.

read some useful book reviews and book ratings. It helps.

I second that :)

[youngyew]

U can never lick ur elbows with ur tongue??
Most of us can't, but some people can. Just go search "lick elbow" in youtube.

[white2020]

U can never lick ur elbows with ur tongue??
Most of us can't, but some people can. Just go search "lick elbow" in youtube.

O, I assume that they are elastic man?

[Fourthshifter]

That reminds me of the indian guy in street fighter who can spit fire.

[Caprio]

How helpful is the personal development book is very subjective, I would say it differs from individual to individual. After all, it depends how much you are able to assimilate the message from the author try to convey.

"You are not mentally developed by what you read, but by what you think about what you read."

Thinking is a much more important process than reading.

[Li Shan Shung]

It depends on the individual. Some people need a book from "experts" to motivate/give them a boost. But it doesn't work for me.

[chongkeat]

Okaaay....

Kiyosaki - No real content in it, so I don't know why, but I felt so...... different after reading it. I think it's great motivation, but nothing concrete.

Carnegie - Full of good stuff, some common sense that you didn't notice, others really good advice. It's more like teaching you how to be "nice". Great stuff. You can get the audio book easy. It's currently in the TPB's top 100, i think.

[Appolo]

For me in particular, the positive effect of a self-help book can be somewhat limited if you don't really try to implement what you read and learned. Sure, most of us would feel high-spirited i the course of reading a motivational anecdote or an inspiring tale of changes, but how much do we really incorporate what we know? Without the urge to change, a self-help book is just a book, nothing more.