So, was it all a waste? · Rishab Academy

So, was it all a waste?

I spent a lot of time reading books over the summer. Some of the books were good, and others were not. Some reappearing phrases were:

"Schedule your time."

"Focus on one thing at a time."

"Have a growth mindset."

"Remove distractions."

"Work now so you can retire later."

Yes, this advice is technically right. Yet, you could read a thousand "self-help" books and still learn no more than you did from your first one. Self-help books can be useful, but I will caution you not to read past two or three.

The authors of self-help books dangle a prize in front of you and tell you there's only one way to get to it: through implementing their instructions. However, the truth is that none of these authors have figured out life, no matter how they present themselves. There is no universal truth to life: if anything, the only thing that's definite is that life is a paradox. And don't think that I have answers, either, just because I'm writing this. I'm only writing so that I can sort through my own thoughts.

"Self-help" books are useful if you're just getting into philosophy, but don't let them stop you from moving on. Self-help books are the equivalent to picture books: you can't learn to read without them, but you also can't stay in the reading-level for years and years. You need to switch to chapter books, and then young adult, and then the classics, etc.

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