Why I hate self-help books
I recently read Deep Work by Cal Newport. If you know me, you would ask why did I go back to reading self-help books in the first place. Well, I thought the book would change my outlook on these books. Moreover, the book was gifted to me by a stranger. So, I felt a sense of obligation to read it.
Don't get me wrong, the book had a few fascinating insights - how the ability to do deep work is becoming increasingly rare, we have a finite amount of willpower, and that depletes as we use it etc. However, I felt that the book was unnecessarily bulky, like every other self-help book.
I am exaggerating a little, but I think every self-help book can be a 10-page pamphlet, and the readers will still retain the same amount of knowledge and benefits. So, why don't the authors do it? Well, it is understandable. They need to publish a book, and a 10-page document won't sell much.
Will I stop reading self-help books? That depends. It depends on a few factors - my feelings at that moment, if I admire the author, etc.
Enough about books. I got my hair coloured recently, and I'm happy about it. The people at the salon said I looked nice even. I think they were doing their job. I love colouring my hair. It is almost therapeutic in a sense. So, yeah, I look forward to colouring it again soon.
I spend most of my days attending classes and writing surprise quizzes. Other than the occasional downs, life here has been exciting for me. I love the freedom (in every sense) that being of legal age and being at IIM Ahmedabad provides.
Please email me for a meetup when you're in Ahmedabad. Until then, keep reading the newsletters and keep sharing. Thank you! I hope that you have a great week.
- Debashish Reang