The Toxic World of Self Help: Hustle Culture, Toxic Positivity, Addiction, and Fake Gurus.

IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION/CORRECTIONS:
I want to preface this by saying that I don’t think the entirety of the self-help industry is bad – and as some of you have rightly pointed out, not all the fault should be given to the industry itself, consumers of the industry need to take accountability for their actions as well.

Self-help has benefited me greatly, but only when I approached it from a place of not using self-help as a “quick fix” for motivation and happiness –this video was intended to look at various traps that people can fall into if they use this industry in the wrong way, which I had been doing previously.

I realise now that there must be a BALANCE – both your consumption and action must have a symbiotic relationship, and a combination of both can make self-help something that could prove to be genuinely useful.

So with that in mind, see this video as a look into the aspects of self-help that have been taken and misused by both the producers and the consumers of the industry, but not a hit piece on the self-help industry as a whole.
Hope this clarifies things! 🙏

Edit #1: Also, when I say “my first year in college” in this video I am referring to sixth form (US equivalent of grades 11/12) - we sometimes call this “college” in the UK.

Edit #2: I was harsh when including clips of Gary Vaynerchuk in this video! - Although I didn't mention him by name specifically, I did imply that he was somehow a negative influence of the "self-help" community. Gary V is actually very outspoken against certain aspects of the self-help industry that I've referenced to in this video, and he is a legitimate entrepreneur who profits mostly from his media company, not from self-help. By no stretch of the imagination should he be pegged in the same category as "guru's" like Grant Cardone - this was definitely a mistake on my part.

Edit #3: I recommended Echarte Tolle's "The Power of Now" book at the end of this video. I want to emphasise that whilst I enjoy this book for its philosophy on mindfulness, and bringing awareness to your thoughts, I do belive that are many elements of the book that are "woo-woo" and pseudoscience. Bare that in mind if you ever purchase his book.

Watched this peacefully
Till I realized this was posted 5 YEARS AGO. 💀

Very interesting video. Great efforts made to make it so dramatic. :) Just two thoughts: 1: Self-help, as its name suggests, is worth as much as you help yourself to get out of your unfavourable situation. No book or seminar will do it for you. If you rely on books, seminars or gurus to make your life better, then your expactations are unrealistic. It is YOU, who can make the difference. 2: Self-help insustry is still better than the self-destruction industry. Unfortunately this latter is much bigger. Think about it, which one is better: If you buy books and attend seminars to get out of your negative emotional, financail, or any other unfavourable state, or to buy alcohol, drogs, junk food, etc. to cope with it? People get easily addicted to anything. It is still better to get addicted to something to can have a positive effect on you (like obtaining knowledge), than destroying yourself with sh*t. The nr. 1 thing to remember is that, the only person whose interest is your wellbeing is YOU, and the only responsible person for it is also YOU.

"Self improvement is masturbation, now self destruction..."

"I felt sorry for guys who packed into gyms, trying to look like how Calvin Klein or Tommy Hilfiger said they should."

Imo self improvement is best when achieved as a bi product when pursuing a greater goal.

I would love to see you do a video on Orthodoxy vs other religiions.

Self help books aren’t cure alls. If you’re looking for more than a few nuggets of good information or a nudge in the direction, you’re asking far too much.

I actually had a friend addicted to all of it. Every time I asked how he was doing he always answered with a "I'm rippin' and grippin' it!" He always had a tape playing with some kind of motivational speaker. He killed himself one day at 40.

Thank you for saving me from self helping myself to death

Okay good. I didn't want to work hard anyway. I won't seek understanding nor work hard. Perfect.

I love you man. Somebody talked abput this. Take care :)

Be a man says the idiots. I glare at them saying how men does a man have to kill before hes even a man?!

With all the sigma sigma going around and men especially getting all sorts of wrong advices from these so call chad career guru, i think your opinion is a breath of fresh air. Thank you ❤.

It’s all true what you’re saying James. Yet here you are, still unironically asking for likes, comments, follows and shares after all. Not a real criticism, just an observation on the bizarreness of it all.

The worst personal development I ever listened to was Anthony Robbins, it was ridiculous, I never bought the CDs, and so glad I never wasted my money. Even Marshall Silver I got for free, and he was much better.

These gurus only got rich from their books and courses and seminars. Most time I've never ever heard of any products or services they created or were part of prior to selling the self-help garbage.

I was today years old when I realized I needed this content in my life. 😂👌 Keep ‘em coming!

Where can i buy your course

Found this 4 years late after my self help journey and the gurus lol.

Ok the solution.... drop out ... there are too many books involved in gaining knowledge. Sit on the couch, dopamine can come from exercise. Watch no think tv 24/7 to avoid any positive input of any kind. Make sure you criticize others who achieve there goals. Feel better now ?

I Knew This Few Years Ago & Since Then I've Been Working On Myself To Stop Reading Too Much Books & Watching Motivational Speakers Cos They Help Me Lose My Investment At A Young Age.

Enough Of The Stupid Work Hard..

Sometimes This Guys Who Write The Books Are Not Even Successful Themselves Outside Of The Books They Wrote .. How Can You Keep Consuming Materials From People Who's Success Only Depend On The Sells Of That Materials Alone.

If They Know That Much. Why Are They Selling Again???

For a human, all roads lead to the same place; the graveyard

For self-help books, all roads lead to the secondhand shop

You look pretty young. This Scam has been around and people getting conned for decades. I was in this trap in the 80s. It ALL starts with the breakdown of the "family, community". WHY don't we get fulfillment there? Because it's been polluted over time while most people are busy chasing fake Debt $. Their Health, mentally, physically and spiritually have been getting Vampired out! JUST SO, you have to go and BUY what was Meant to be FREE. Like bottled water.
POLLUTE EVERYTHING for Man Made Debt $! It's Better than the stuff nature gives us. People LOVE $ MORE than they Love health, Solutions and "Cures".

Your content is worth it, stay real, you just helped. I was already feeling lost at 15, and it was because of personal development and also my fault for not realizing the trap I was falling into. Thanks.

I left the hustle culture all the actions can cause more harm in the long run.

I have read many self help books and he is right. Every one of them is simple common sense and can be summed up in a sentence.

Although you did pretty much correct this already in your pinned comment, it really does sound like a lot of your own mistakes and "growing pains" were to blame for struggles moreso than problems in the industry itself (which do indeed exist.) Almost kind of scapegoating the industry here.

After going through that phase , the bottom line is, be a human being . This self improvement crap felt like I was a robot running away from myself .

This spoke to a lot of us. I was exactly in your position except with a different passion that I thought I couldn’t leave behind. I finally did and I’m so much happier

In this situation with a family member, just wondering how you wake them up??????????

This is the kind of content that actually teaches something!

Yes indeed, it can be a form of procrastination- so learn , change your thinking and then ACT! remember that this is not a quick process, your old patterns of thinking and behaviour are deeply ingrained.

Self help video about avoiding the trappings of self help. Interesting irony?

Just absolutely blown away! I guess I would say I’m one of those self help consumer… good insight! I really appreciate this

It would be great if you make a complementary video about "what does work" and what characteristics usually found in positive self help (and positive positiveness?). You did the "conclusion" part but if you could tell us more about it would be great😊

One of best ❤

You are good enough if you live every day doing your best. Follow your goals and have fun. Your best won't be perfect but it's good enough because you faught. Step by step every day

The book, "The Power of Now" is a New Age book.

Has the analysis of concept eluded ao many of us?

Everything is going to be alright in the end of times

I went through all you said . I feel sad watching people I know trying all these ΄΄methods΄΄ but it seems they have to go through it ,like I did, in order to demystify it and become wiser.

How peculiar you mentioned this, I'm writing a song about this subject

Thank you.

Love the mr robot eidts, very appropriate. That show is criminally underrated.

nice

I could tell - even when I was 12 - that this was just another scam; but with a smile. Tony Robbins is the biggest con job of all. Check out what his seminars will cost you. It’s just variations on cult behavior.

People become more miserable when they always focus on themselves. Thinking and authentically caring for others is the key. I am convinced of it.

Life is simple. Keep it simple.

Just reading the book aint enough y’all 😂😂😂… books are about knowledge ONLYYYY. The action itself is up to us.

Ommgg tTHIS IS EXACTLY WHATs Happening with me right now, i feel on top of the world