Self help Books Really help ???

There are some self-help books I absolutely love because they've provided that bridge I've needed from not understanding something fully toward a complete understanding. For example, I wanted a self-help about how to manage my career while raising my children. I had some hands-on experiences that taught me almost everything I needed to know, but I just couldn't figure out the rest. I found several books that provided me with that missing information. Now, would I look toa self-help book as the end all-be all solution to a problem - nope. I agree that life has to teach us in that regard, but I don't think there's anything wrong with looking for resources (such as books) to suppliment and guide that.

When my life is totally out of my control I sometimes turn to self-help books in order to gain some insight or knowledge. I got this habit from my father who lived by the book of Dale Carnegie. Cheers!!

The only self help books that should be bought are by those who (like you mentioned) have already been through and are willing to share their experience so that others can learn before bad things happen and books that were written by therapist professionals who didn't lose their jobs to help others but you'd have to research the professionals first before purchasing their book (there are some real whackoos out there writing self help).

I think some of the books (the good ones) will help provided that you practice what is taught or instructed in the books. An experience is considered the best teacher. Yes it is. But It doesn't need that it is only our own experience(s). We can learn from other experiences by reading books. That is the shorter and the smarter way to learn. We know that Edison experienced 10,000 failures before found the right way to create a light-bulb. We don't need to experience ourselves by doing the failures. We can learn from Edison's valuable experiences and just follow the right way to produce a light-bulb. That's the function of books.

I somewhat agree an disagree with you here. You do make a point when you say that nothing can teach you something in life unless you find a way to experience it on your own. On the other hand, I do think that self help books can be helpful for people that sometimes need to find their way in life. It is better than not even trying at all.