Have you read an self-help, inspirational, or motivational book?

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I've read some Sam Keene which is sort of fire-in-the-belly post Campbell myth stuff... it was pretty good.

And I read one a couple years ago called "Changing for Good" which was sort of a primer on Dr. Albert Ellis' rational emotive behavior therapy.

Both these were quite rational and coherent, but I imagine most of them are shit. Somebody gave me a Sylvia Brown book after my dad died but I left in my building's common area without reading it.

― andy --, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

Been meaning forever to read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

While I'm sure there are a few good ones, most of the ones I see are just thinly disguised advertisements for Christianity.

― naus (Robert T), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

I read 7 Effective Habits when I was a teenager, a friend's father told me he'd pay me fifty bucks if I read it. Never got the money, don't remember the 7 habits.

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

http://www.sterlingpub.com/images/Books/Medium/1578660750M.jpg

Hmmmmm....

― andy --, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:54 (twenty years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0099427869.02._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
read this once quite a long time ago based on a friend's recommendation. anything's possible, man!

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:56 (twenty years ago)

Artist's Way.

― Remy (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

My mom just gave me Artist's Way!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

She thinks I'm depressed!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 19:59 (twenty years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060520221.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0671764128.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

― Mr. Yuck, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 20:06 (twenty years ago)

Is TYG about masturbation? It should be.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

For research purposes (and partly b/c the name is so cool): http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0671700758.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif

For personal purposes:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1577314808.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I may try the Wealthy Barber again, just b/c it's on my shelf, taunting me with "possibilities." So far the best thing about it is that I got it for 50 cents.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

i read some of 'what color is your parachute' a few years ago, it was surprisingly useful. not useful enough to keep me from being miserably unemployed now, though

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 20:24 (twenty years ago)

Artist's Way is actually really useful to me in terms of pop-philosophy, and I am a pretty strong adherent of the morning pages and the artist's date. But I don't really do the weekly exercises -- I get very self-conscious, and sometimes irritated with the stuff they make me think/feel. I admit this is probably my own problem, but it's not something I want to address in my life right now. But the morning pages are aces, and highly recommended.

― Remy (x Jeremy), Tuesday, 9 August 2005 20:26 (twenty years ago)

Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet is inspiring. It makes me feel so awesome.

― Aaron A., Tuesday, 9 August 2005 21:40 (twenty years ago)

Dear Young Poet:

Please stop now.

Best,
Rilke

― andy --, Tuesday, 9 August 2005 22:27 (twenty years ago)

My SO and I found "How To Work For A Jerk" (Robert Hochheiser)and "Never Work For A Jerk!" (Patricia King) at the same yard sale.
We haven't read them. But they sure look good together!

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 00:57 (twenty years ago)

I was at the library last night looking for books to help me in my job search, and I came THIS CLOSE to borrowing "JERKS AT WORK" just for the cheap thrill of leaving it on my desk to give the night shift something to ponder.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:00 (twenty years ago)

Dud.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:00 (twenty years ago)

wow, who knew the work/jerk rhyme would be so exploited? So funny, and also it reminds me of learn-to-read books:
He works for a jerk, a jerk who works. All the jerks work. Do we all work with jerks? I do not want to work with a jerk.

― rrrobyn (rrrobyn), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

WHO THE FUCK MOVED MY CHEESE

― stopfuckingaround, Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:11 (twenty years ago)

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/076111940X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIlitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,32,-59_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Obviously, everyone hates me. I am the board troll.
I never tamed my gremlin and I don't know what to believe in these days.

I need help choosing self-help books.

― Mr. Yuck, Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:38 (twenty years ago)

http://evesgarden.com/catalog/images/CBK-2279.jpg

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:49 (twenty years ago)

I have loads of self-help and motivational books... I live by 'em. (They're all cookbooks.)

― Truckdrivin' Buddha (Rock Hardy), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:55 (twenty years ago)

xpost haha i love that that book is written by someone called 'tristan'

― gem (trisk), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

She is fucking HOTT.

www.puckerup.com

― Truckdrivin' Buddha (Rock Hardy), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 01:58 (twenty years ago)

rowr. i think of tristan as a jolly-hockey-sticks-private-grammar-school name.

― gem (trisk), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 02:00 (twenty years ago)

"Gin and Tonics for the ILX Soul".

Rilke's "Letters..." is probably the best high school graduation giftbook for a cognizant young'un. It travels, and ages, well.

― aimurchie (aimurchie), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 02:38 (twenty years ago)

http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/wiki/images/thumb/4/4e/200px-LRonHubbard-Dianetics-ISBN1403105464-cover.jpg

― Sasha (sgh), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 03:50 (twenty years ago)

Errr... does "Jane Austen's Guide To Dating" count?

My mum sent it to me as "a joke" not realising how wound up she was making me.

― Alce Tea-Skirt (kate), Wednesday, 10 August 2005 06:54 (twenty years ago)

two years pass...

i just had to read http://inspirationinc.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/06/26/simpletruthsservice.jpg for work wtf i need a new job

― jergïns, Monday, 10 March 2008 23:25 (eighteen years ago)

ban mr. yuck

― tremendoid, Tuesday, 11 March 2008 00:04 (eighteen years ago)

anarchistscookbook.jpg

― J0hn D., Tuesday, 11 March 2008 00:47 (eighteen years ago)

the only self-help book i've read since the ones i posted here was called 'practical intuition' and it was ok, mostly b/c it was like 'everyone is psychic!' but w/o using the word psychic.
oh, i read bks iyengar's 'light on life' but it is more yoga than self-help

the funny thing, and i have just realized this, is that most of the handful of self-help/self-improvement books i've read have been recommended to me by the same friend

― rrrobyn, Tuesday, 11 March 2008 01:03 (eighteen years ago)

her name is oprah

― rrrobyn, Tuesday, 11 March 2008 01:03 (eighteen years ago)

not really

― rrrobyn, Tuesday, 11 March 2008 01:03 (eighteen years ago)

nine years pass...

so uhm... anyone recommend a book on how to stop procrastinating and get things done?

― niels, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 12:43 (eight years ago)

I dunno, I've been meaning to look for one but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

― Dippin' Sauce on my Nice New Slacks (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 12:51 (eight years ago)

http://i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/facebook/000/019/601/smilelaugh.jpg

― The Adventures Of Whiteman (Bananaman Begins), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 14:42 (eight years ago)

Lol

― niels, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 17:42 (eight years ago)

This is actually pretty helpful

https://www.amazon.com/Self-Discipline-10-days-Thinking-Doing/dp/1880115107

― Treeship, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 17:44 (eight years ago)

Also thich nhat hanh's books on mindfulness. Procrastination is a sort of escape so it is good to gain insight into what you're escaping from and how to pull yourself back to the present moment. The more clinical/western/secular books on mindfulness are ime not nearly as good at articulating the concept.

― Treeship, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 17:48 (eight years ago)

Tombots post on why you should floss is srsly about as close as I've gotten

― jk rowling obituary thread (darraghmac), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 18:50 (eight years ago)

Or maybe it was about how you shouldn't go for more than X hours without brushing but either way it changed my life

― jk rowling obituary thread (darraghmac), Tuesday, 18 July 2017 18:51 (eight years ago)

permalink?

― niels, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 19:26 (eight years ago)

and thanks a lot treesh, I'll look into those and report back!

― niels, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 19:29 (eight years ago)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e1/Getting_Things_Done.jpg

― Eazy, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 19:55 (eight years ago)

damn one look at that cover and i'm already stressed out

― brimstead, Tuesday, 18 July 2017 19:57 (eight years ago)

oh, i read bks iyengar's 'light on life' but it is more yoga than self-help

LOL yes, its a weird one - and totally belongs on the thread. They seem to be far better written than the odd self-development book I've picked up (more out of curiosity) - only read Light on Yoga and although most of it is Asana focused (and how you get into those impossible postures for the most part*) the 40 page intro is like this hodge-podge of v well put together remarks coming from his practice, then remarks on how beneficial it is (a mix of Renaissance-era science in there) with weirdly fascistic overtones. I need to re-read this and pick up some of his other books. I know he changed his views on a few things over the years for one, and then talked a lot more about Pranayama. Having a book almost all about Asana was the main criticism of Iyengar and Light on Yoga from the yoga community)

* not impossible though he had been practicing for hours every day for about 30+ years up to that point.

― xyzzzz__, Thursday, 20 July 2017 20:04 (eight years ago)

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