The self-help industry has always been plagued by a bad reputation of being filled with hucksters who only care about making a fast buck and who aren't really concerned with actually helping other people. The products and services offered by self-styled gurus are often thought of as the next generation of the snake oil salesman, who'll be off to the next town with your money before you realize you've been taken with a lot of false promises.
It's easy for unscrupulous people to prey on those who feel hopeless and out of control. A snazzy sales page suggesting that a product is the solution to a reader's problems will draw people in, and the writer may not care if their book or product really helps people, as long as they get the sale.
Behavior like this can give the whole industry a bad name, but the truth is there are a lot of people out there who really are dedicated to helping people and to changing the world one person at a time.
If you do a little digging, which is easier and easier to do online, you can find out all about the "gurus" and find plenty of blog posts, web pages and reports about the success or lack thereof that people have had from different products. Of course you'll probably find mixed reports on everyone who's ever put out a product, but if an overwhelming number of people seem to have a negative opinion of a person or product, that's one you'll want to shy away from.
If, on the other hand, you're finding a lot of people singing the praises of a particular writer or method, that might be something worth checking out. For instance many people have reported very positive results from reading and watching "The Secret" and following the methods outlined there to change their lives.
Not only can you read and study "The Secret," but you can also check out the works of people featured in the movie and the book such as Abraham and Esther Hicks and Joe Vitale. You can infer from liking the tone and message of "The Secret" that you will like their products and their message as well.
Likewise if you find some other book or website that you like, look at the people who have written blurbs for the book or offer testimonials for the product. They might have other products or ideas that you would find attractive.
The main thing you need to do when seeking self-help advice is not to just give a bunch of money to the first person you come to online with a snazzy sales page and a lot of big promises. Do your homework, ask people you know if they've used a product or read a particular book, and learn all you can about the guru in question before handing over any money.
In the end, choosing self-help materials does involve a bit of a gut feeling, but it should be a gut feeling backed up by a reasonable amount of research.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Marisa Singhnarinaath
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