Self-Help Vs. Real-Help: How to Actually Improve Your Life

What does psychology say about the role of information in building wisdom and lasting change in our lives?

There is an explosion in self-help content. From gurus on Tik Tok to 85,000 self-help books being published a year. But what actually works?

This episode explores the psychology of learning and how to put information into practice:

How to identify time-wasting nonsense?

3 steps to build a healthy content diet

The best forms of content for retention and lasting changes?

Take home strategy to build deeper wisdom

You'll come away with an improved growth mindset that doesn't fall for promises of instant results and is ready to put time and effort into cultivating wisdom instead of consuming it.

Recommended Books:

Slow Productivity - Cal Newport

The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg

Pachinko - Min Jin Lee

Wild Swans - Jung Chang

Replay - Ken Grimwood

Dalai Lama's Cat - David Michie

And The Mountains Echoed - Khaled Hosseini

The Mood Of Future Joys - Alastair Humphreys

Siddartha - Herman Hesse

Science References:

Dr Robert Sternberg - What is Wisdom and How Can We Develop It

Dr Patricia Alexander - The Development of Expertise: The Journey from Acclimation to Proficiency

Dr Paul Zak - The Neuroscience of Narrative Transportation: Why Inspiring Stories Make Us React

Dr Keith Oatley - Fiction: The Narrative Simulation of Social Worlds

Dr Richard Nisbett - The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently

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Growth Mindset Psychology: Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement. 📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset) 🛜 Website - Growth Mindset

Chapters: 00:00 How to actually help yourself with self-help 01:18 The Paradox of Modern Self-Help 02:36 The Slow Wisdom of Ancient Cultures 03:06 The Harm of Fast Advice & Illusion of Instant Mastery 05:01 Cal Newport's Framework for Personal Development - Three Types of Self-Help Content 06:17 The Candy Bar of Self-Help: Social Media 07:06 The Protein Shake: Longer Form Content 07:50 The Full Meal: Books 10:08 The Power of Narrative Transportation 19:27 The Value of Diverse Perspectives 20:56 Building a House of Personal Growth 22:08 A Balanced Approach to Content Consumption 24:13 The Danger of Overwhelming Amounts Information and Instructions 27:07 Conclusion: Cultivating Wisdom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices