Why You Should Be Reading More Self-Help Books

Reading is a favorite pastime for many people and has been for centuries. It opens our minds to new ideas, possibilities, and worlds.

But in these ever-changing times when things are getting more and more fast-paced and finding spare time seems an impossible task, it’s hard to justify sitting down to read. There’s just so much else to do and so little time to do it.

What would you think if we told you that reading could be one of the most beneficial and valuable ways to spend your time?

What if reading could actually help improve your life and even solve some of your biggest problems?

There are countless reasons for reading and endless genres from which to choose.

Some people read tales of dragons or wizards to relax, momentarily trading their world for one with more adventure and excitement. Some read books that promise to help heal their relationships. And some read children’s books aloud to fill little minds with tales before bed.

The benefits of reading are endless.

Now, imagine what could happen if you focused more on the intention behind your reading and what each book had to offer you.

When you read with intention, magic unfolds, and the benefits of reading multiply.

Success Related to Reading

Many successful people claim that reading plays a significant role in their life.

Mark Zuckerberg says he reads one book every other week.

Oprah Winfrey runs a book club that she started up in 1996, with a list of over 90 books she recommends to the public.

Tony Robbins, one of the world’s most renowned motivational speakers, once took a speed-reading course that kickstarted him into his career. He read 700 books in seven years, most of those on topics of psychology and personal development.

Self-help vs. Fiction

With so many different genres and subgenres to choose from, it’s easy to write page after page about genres alone. (Don’t worry, friends, we would never do that to you!)

We’ll be focusing mainly on self-help books in this post. But first, let’s compare the self-help genre with a popular alternative – fiction.

How do you choose which genre to invest your time into?

Fiction has been a long-time favorite, teasing our imaginations and taking us out of our daily lives into entirely different settings, situations, lifestyles, or dimensions – all within mere seconds.

Self-help texts can be traced back to an Ancient Egyptian genre called “Sebayt,” but didn’t become the modern-day “how-to” self-help texts until the mid-19th century in Britain.

Recently, the self-help category has seen some significant growth, more than doubling its size since 2013.

Fiction is often symbolic in its lessons, using its characters, situations, and storyline to paint a picture with a problem and its solution. Self-help is much more direct by pointing out a particular issue and how to solve it. It’s more advice-focused and straightforward about solving the problem.

Although many academics and literary critics lambaste the self-help genre for its promises to “fix” problems, both fiction and self-help genres have their advantages. Both can provide a delightful read, and there are lessons to be found within each.

So, when it comes to expanding our minds and enriching our lives, self-help books are as good as fiction, sometimes better.

As we mentioned earlier, there are so many different reasons for reading and takeaways to be found in every book; it’s all about the intention behind your reading – why you’re doing it, and what you’re hoping to achieve from it.

If you want a little quiet time to escape into another world and forget you’re you for a bit, then maybe fiction is your best bet. But if you’re hoping to solve a problem in your life, better yourself in some way, add to your personal development practices, and really turn the focus onto you – then self-help books would be the first place we suggest you look.

What are self-help books?

Self-help books guide their readers. They help the reader solve a problem or achieve a goal or desire through advice and actionable tips.

Simply put – they help you improve your life in some way.

Here are a few self-help titles we enjoyed:

• Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

• You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

• 7L: The Seven Levels of Communication by Michael Maher

• The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

• We Should All Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers

When you’re looking for a solution, want more focus on your goals and desires, or want to know what action you can take on your dreams now, self-help books will be that best friend who brings your favorite Ben & Jerry’s, gets straight to the point, and knows exactly what to say to make you feel better.

So why are self-help books so popular?

Lately, self-help books have gained some serious momentum, which makes sense when so many of us are looking for solutions, guidance, and certainty during uncertain and confusing times.

In 2016 the self-help market was at $9.9 billion and is expected to reach $13.2 billion by 2022.

It’s completely natural and normal for us to look for real-life solutions to real-life problems.

This is where the self-help genre shines.

Self-help books provide an upfront solution to a specific problem, whether it’s wanting more money, better relationships, or reducing anxiety – whatever you’re looking for, there’s more than likely a self-help book that has the answer.

Reading self-help books over time can increase your focus and mindfulness. You become more aware of what your goals are and how to achieve them. You get inspired to act on these goals, and your focus turns to what you want in life rather than what you don’t want.

Reading, in general, sparks the creative mind and acts as the perfect relaxation and wind-down activity. However, self-help books do a fantastic job at directly asking you to take an honest look at yourself and where you’re at in life. They’re a form of personal development, which we all know has its benefits.

Self-help books inspire you to generate ideas and provide you with an overall experience of growth and expansion. When you fill your mind with inspirational and positive words regularly, it has the power to change your entire outlook on life.

So, can reading self-help books change your life then? We see a lot of potential here.

Let’s look at how you can tap into it.

How to get the most out of your self-help books

Remember, reading is all about the intention you put behind it. And often, with self-help books, your intention will mainly be about improving yourself in some way.

Before diving into the self-help world, there are a few key things to keep in mind and tips to help keep your intention on track.

1. Choose a book that is best for you
   
   You must choose a book that will answer your questions and help solve your problem in the most efficient and best way for you. Start by selecting an issue you would like to focus on improving. This could be anything from healing your relationship with money to manifesting your dream job. Search for books that claim to have the answers to your problem. Read the reviews and check the author’s credentials. Go as deep with your research as you feel necessary. Ultimately, choose the book that resonates the most with you.
   

2. Read with intention
   
   Take notes and highlight parts of the book that feel important to you. Go back and look over these notes and highlights often. Focus when you’re reading. Choose a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed, a place you can get cozy and give yourself some “you time” without any distractions. Be curious and ask yourself questions throughout the book. How does what you’re reading relate to you? Don’t be afraid to reread! We often pick up on many important parts that we missed on our first read-through.
   

3. Stay open-minded
   
   You don’t have to agree with everything you read but be ready to ask yourself why you do or don’t agree with something. Be honest with yourself in the process. Many times, we uncover things about ourselves we weren’t aware of before. This is where real, positive change resides. Go into your books with a neutral stance and listen to what is being shared. Sometimes we don’t have all the information. The whole reason you’re reading your book is to become aware of something you were unaware of previously.
   

4. Be honest with yourself
   
   And spinning off the previous tip, be honest with yourself. You’re doing this work for you. There isn’t anyone you need to impress in this process, not even yourself. Go in without judgment and let yourself act as the observer. You may see some of your worst sides, but what is brought to light and out of hiding can finally be healed and released.
   

5. Follow the actionable advice – TAKE ACTION
   
   Self-help books don’t solve your problems; they tell you what to do so that you can solve them. Any forward momentum requires some form of action to get the ball rolling and keep it rolling. Self-help books aren’t magic pills that instantaneously resolve everything once you finish reading the last word on the last page. They often provide prompts you can follow and actionable advice you can take to begin the process of solving the problem yourself. It all comes down to you.
   

6. Believe in the process and enjoy the journey

   We’ve preached this before, and we’ll preach it a thousand times over – there is nothing more important than your mindset. You must trust that the books you have chosen are in your awareness to serve you, they all have essential takeaways, and they will each help you grow in some way, shape, or form. Truly believe this, and your mind will be far less resistant to the growth and change you’re tossing its way. Don’t be too hard on yourself in this process. Reading is meant to be enjoyable! No one expects you to be a completely changed and perfect version of yourself on the other side of a book, so don’t put that expectation on yourself either.

There’s no doubt reading self-help books can play an essential role in your progress and growth in life when used to their full potential. With Amazon holding over 80,000 results for the self-help genre alone, it’s easy to say the options and opportunities are practically endless.

To help you get started, we put together a list of some of our favorite self-help titles. Check them out here!

Happy growing!

Written by Lara Carney