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I Spent Over $2000 On Self-Help Books — Here’s What I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Reading Books.
Before getting into the habit of reading, I didn’t know if it would be worth it. The only books I had read were the textbooks from my schools and colleges.
Then, people on the internet said many nice things about reading books. So, I wanted to build this new habit. I bought my first self-help book (Think and Grow Rich) at 23. I fell in love with reading, and there was no stopping after that.
I used to think that reading the next book would change my life. Every time I finished one, I searched for another, convinced that reading more would somehow make me smarter, more successful, or magically solve all my problems.
But after years of consuming book after book, I realized something: I wasn’t actually applying what I was learning.
Reading is powerful. Books contain wisdom, strategies, and insights that can shape our thinking. But here’s the problem — reading alone doesn’t create change. Action does.
The Illusion of Progress
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that reading more means we’re improving. It feels productive. You highlight passages, nod along to brilliant ideas, and feel excited about all the possibilities. But if…