Books about motivation: read between the lines
The release of books on motivation is one of the largest and most profitable industries not only in America, but throughout the world. More and more books are capable of changing the course of human lives, but they make us skeptical about certain statements. Here are a few topics covered in motivational books that will make you think about whether to buy such books.
This is one of the most incorrect arguments I hear from many speakers with motivational programs. Of course, things can be much worse. Worse can be in many cases, such as natural disasters, poverty or armed conflict. At the same time, these problems do not affect and have nothing to do with your current problems. To say that you have to take life as it is, is equivalent to the fact that you will never change.
Although not all motivational books sin with this, many of them preach the idea that everyone is focused on “success,” which means money and status, and all problems are only small obstacles to the goal. As stated in the famous novel “The Case of the Tailor” by Philip Roth:
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“ American society is [...] not only sanctions, rude and unfair relations between men, but it encourages them. Could it be prohibited? No. Rivalry, competition, envy, jealousy are all malignant fed by the system. The sense of possession , money, property - how can people measure happiness and success with such distorted standards? "
This is a blatant lie, and when motivational books promise you that you will have it all, based on a number of stereotypes, know that everything is a hoax. Life is cruel, and we must sacrifice one in order to fulfill or acquire something else. The trick is to know when to go to the end, when to retreat, and when to compromise.
This statement runs like a red thread through many books about motivation. And I am sure that this is a direct result of the American heritage of the Puritan work ethic, which prescribed that you yourself can achieve everything if you try hard. I categorically disagree with similar topics, because as John Donn said: “No man is an island” (idiom, meaning roughly “A person cannot develop when he is isolated from the others” - Approx. Translator). Therefore, when it becomes tight, keep close to the closest and dearest people, and learn to ask for help when you need it.
While we criticize many topics from these books, they fill the gaps of our lives. But the main thing to remember is to always be healthy, open and radiate optimism.
“It could be worse, accept your fate”
This is one of the most incorrect arguments I hear from many speakers with motivational programs. Of course, things can be much worse. Worse can be in many cases, such as natural disasters, poverty or armed conflict. At the same time, these problems do not affect and have nothing to do with your current problems. To say that you have to take life as it is, is equivalent to the fact that you will never change.
“Money and / or status are the most important things in life”
Although not all motivational books sin with this, many of them preach the idea that everyone is focused on “success,” which means money and status, and all problems are only small obstacles to the goal. As stated in the famous novel “The Case of the Tailor” by Philip Roth:
')
“ American society is [...] not only sanctions, rude and unfair relations between men, but it encourages them. Could it be prohibited? No. Rivalry, competition, envy, jealousy are all malignant fed by the system. The sense of possession , money, property - how can people measure happiness and success with such distorted standards? "
"You should not sacrifice anything"
This is a blatant lie, and when motivational books promise you that you will have it all, based on a number of stereotypes, know that everything is a hoax. Life is cruel, and we must sacrifice one in order to fulfill or acquire something else. The trick is to know when to go to the end, when to retreat, and when to compromise.
“You can handle your problems on your own”
This statement runs like a red thread through many books about motivation. And I am sure that this is a direct result of the American heritage of the Puritan work ethic, which prescribed that you yourself can achieve everything if you try hard. I categorically disagree with similar topics, because as John Donn said: “No man is an island” (idiom, meaning roughly “A person cannot develop when he is isolated from the others” - Approx. Translator). Therefore, when it becomes tight, keep close to the closest and dearest people, and learn to ask for help when you need it.
While we criticize many topics from these books, they fill the gaps of our lives. But the main thing to remember is to always be healthy, open and radiate optimism.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/126552/
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