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The Value of Using Self
Help Books – Roy Burton
Why Do
We Need Them?
Although the title of
this article refers only to books, the guidelines given here will apply
equally to similar self-help articles and newsletters found on web sites
dedicated to the subject. Whatever form it takes, the intention is to
provide people with the knowledge and skills to develop their potential.
We all have within us the capacity, the ability, to step out from the
crowd and go forward to the realization of our dreams and goals.
Self-help books are a necessary part of learning and developing, of
taking each of our talents and turning them into a powerful force that
will carry us through to success. After all, you wouldn’t attempt to
repair a car, or build a house, without a good knowledge of what is
involved and what you have to do. Almost certainly you will have to turn
to a book to gather this information. So, how could you ever hope to
build your life or develop your hidden potential if you didn’t know how
to go about it. We weren’t given an owners manual when we were born, so
with the assistance of self-help books let’s start to experience the
glorious thrill of discovering our latent talents, and how we can seize
the opportunities that will be opened up for us.
What is Their Purpose?
Self-help and self-development are the disciplines that are
necessary if we are to achieve anything of substance in life. And one of
the finest ways of doing this is through reading, and using, self-help
books. Our formal education teaches us a lot about things academic. A
typical school curriculum will cover diverse areas from Mathematics to
Geography, from chemical formulae to a good command of our native
language, and these are, of course, of great value when the time comes
to go out into the real world to seek employment. However, most of us
are not taught the value of life-skills, how we interact with our fellow
beings, or about why we think and act, or react, the way we do. Nor are
we shown how, if we are able to recognize our shortcomings, we can set
about improving ourselves. This is where self-help books are so
essential to us. They are the tools which, when placed in your hands,
and acted upon, can fill your mind with thoughts of the advantages of
acquiring knowledge, and are the means by which you can mould a
successful future for yourselves. Remember though, at the end of the day
you will only get out of a book the effort you put into reading it, so
if you just flip through the pages and then toss it aside, no matter how
well written the book is, or how much you paid for it, you have wasted
your money and your time.
How Do
You Use Them?
Interest: An important
aid to any kind of studying is having from the outset an enthusiastic
interest in the material. Sometimes this may prove difficult as there
are so many distractions around us clamoring for our attention, and so
self-discipline is needed to sustain that enthusiasm, and keep our minds
focused on the task. Read the book with an interested, enquiring mind,
maintain the desire to learn, and you will achieve far more from your
endeavors.
List of Contents
When you have an exciting and promising
self-help book in your hands there will be a tendency to rush straight
to the first chapter, eager to soak up the information. But hold on a
minute, you will be helping yourself a whole lot more by giving some
attention to the table of contents. Here you will be shown chapter
titles, which will in turn be broken down into sections and
sub-sections, all acting as a valuable guide to using the book and
gaining as much knowledge as you can. They are an integral part of the
book, put there by the author for your benefit in order to guide you
through though the chapters, and giving you a clear idea of what to
expect. The table of contents is also a great help for when you wish to
refer to a certain passage again.
Seek and Ye Shall Find
A good self-help book is not something that should be read
with an indifferent manner as you might with a piece of lightweight
fiction. It is specifically a mentor, a guide, to prepare you for the
pitfalls and the hazards you will invariably encounter along the way,
and how to avoid them. When you open up your book it must be with the
attitude of – I mean business, so what has this book to say, and how
will it help me? Devote yourself to it and strive to master its
teachings. Keep it near you for constant reference. Concentrate your
mind on what it has to say, absorb it fully, and let it stir your
imagination. When you take that leap of faith and strike out into some
new experience you will be excited at how your life will be changing for
the better. Your newly found positive attitude and maturity will help
you to overcome life’s challenges, and in due course you will emerge as
a happier and more confident personality.
Reading
Skills
We cannot
depart from the subject of self-help books and their immense value to
our development without touching upon the art of reading. While it may
seem at first that reading is a natural and relatively simple thing to
do, the essential skills involved could never be covered adequately in
an article of this length, and it would be foolhardy to attempt to do
so. It is recommended that you get hold of one of the many excellent
books on the subject of reading and study it carefully, applying at the
first possible opportunity what you learn along the way. What you get
from a book depends on the depth of study you are prepared to give. One
of the basic rules is that you must be truly interested in the subject,
and give to your reading a totally focused mind. However much we
concentrate on our reading, our efforts will be to no avail unless we
make a point of committing to memory all the salient points and
principal details of the material presented to us. The rewards are many,
for reading not only instructs, it teaches you how to think, how to be a
better person, and provides you with an abundance of creativity and
fresh ideas.
Where Do
You Go From Here?
Give
yourself some quiet time to think about where your true interests lie,
and what you consider to be your weaknesses and your strengths. A good
self-help book will stimulate your determination, help to shape your
goals, and will be a constant reminder of what is at stake. But never
forget that reading self-help material is by it’s very nature an active
process, so it would be a mistake, not to mention a waste of money and
opportunity, just to skip through the book and then put away to be
forgotten. Reading, writing, good note taking, discussing and acting it
out will establish more firmly in your mind what you have learnt, and
what it is you must do to achieve those glorious dreams. Put into action
what you have read, for the most comprehensive, best written self-help
book in the world will be of no value whatsoever if action is not taken.
Intelligent and well-prepared action is the key to all forms of
self-help. Without this nothing will be achieved, and life will continue
to be one of mediocrity, frustration and bitterness. You must believe
that somehow, someday you will succeed. The spirit that refuses to
accept defeat never fails to achieve something profitable and
worthwhile. Through reading and using self-help books you will be making
your journey that much easier, as well as enriching your life, for they
are not only a rich source of ideas and information, they provide
valuable short-cuts to achieving outstanding results.
A Guide
to Self-Help Books
Self-help
books may provide an alternative to or compliment professional treatment
but have some limitations. For example, it is difficult to read and
comprehend written material if one is very depressed or confused. In
addition, many people look for a specific insight that will have a
dramatic impact on their problems. Skimming through book after book they
vainly search for instant relief. What they often fail to do is follow through on the author’s suggestions, such as writing out resentments or
practicing relaxation techniques. They need to realize that it’s the
exercises that will eventually provide them with greater control over
their symptoms. Just as losing weight requires eating less food and
engaging in physical exercise, there are few true short-cuts to peace of
mind. The following books may be available in your community library or
ordered from a bookstore.
Recommended self-help book list |
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