I’ve read a lot of self-help books, but I’m starting to grow tired of the genre. Over and over again, many of these books have a message that could be summed up in a paragraph but is stretched out into 300 pages.
It’s good marketing. A catchy title, a fancy cover, and the continuing promise that the next chapter has all the secrets. The first book I read this year, The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck, is a perfect example. I found it to be one of the most predictable reads I’ve come across. It’s like the author decided that swearing and sounding ridiculous at times was enough of an original idea to wrap boring content around and keep me interested.
Don’t get me wrong – some books in this category are truly helpful and have been great reads. How to Win Friends and Influence People is a classic example of a self-help book that holds up, but it seems to me that every week a new self-help book that falls into the garbage category intrigues me. So, I’m making a switch.
I’m going to focus on reading more books by authors who have major accomplishments. Self-made people. Some of my favorite books over the past few years have been memoirs and biographies. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nelson Mandela, Michael Jordan, and Steve Martin all were the subjects of some of my favorite reads.
Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog has been on my to-read list for a while. I think that will be my next purchase. I’m also going to be reading a lot of Psychology books this year, as the field is becoming more and more interesting to me.
What are you reading this year? Tweet me.