Scherzando con Massimo, dopo essermi imbattuto per l’ennesima volta in un libro che suggerisce una mentalità di crescita per superare i problemi e vivere meglio, siamo arrivati alla conclusione che tutti i libri di self-help si rifanno a pochi concetti già teorizzati da classici del passato.
Come controprova, ho interrogato la funzione DeepThink* di DeepSeek per individuare quali potrebbero essere questi punti in comune.
I principali libri di self-help, nonostante le differenze di approccio e stile, condividono diversi temi fondamentali. Ecco i punti comuni più ricorrenti:
- Definizione di obiettivi chiari
Quasi tutti enfatizzano l’importanza di stabilire obiettivi specifici, misurabili e motivanti, spesso incoraggiando a suddividerli in passi concreti.- Mentalità positiva
Il potere del pensiero positivo, della fiducia in sé stessi e della visualizzazione del successo è un pilastro, presente in opere come Think and Grow Rich e The Secret.- Responsabilità personale
Incoraggiano a prendere il controllo della propria vita, evitando la mentalità della vittima. Stephen Covey, in The 7 Habits, parla di “essere proattivi”.- Formazione di abitudini efficaci
L’importanza di costruire routine positive (es. Atomic Habits) ed eliminare quelle dannose, con focus sulla coerenza delle piccole azioni quotidiane.- Superare paure e resistenze
Affrontare la paura del fallimento, uscire dalla zona di comfort e gestire la procrastinazione sono temi centrali, come in Awaken the Giant Within di Tony Robbins.- Apprendimento continuo
Promuovono l’autoeducazione, la lettura e l’acquisizione di nuove competenze come strumenti per la crescita personale.- Gratitudine e mindfulness
Anche se con sfumature diverse, molti libri (es. The Power of Now) sottolineano l’importanza di vivere nel presente e apprezzare ciò che si ha.- Persistenza e resilienza
La capacità di perseverare nonostante gli ostacoli è un tema ricorrente, esemplificato da concetti come “la persistenza” in Think and Grow Rich.- Azione deliberata
Non basta pensare o pianificare: è necessario agire. James Clear, ad esempio, insiste sul “non aspettare la motivazione”.- Visualizzazione e affermazioni
Tecniche come immaginare il successo o ripetere mantra positivi sono diffuse, soprattutto in testi classici e moderni.Eccezioni e variazioni:
- Alcuni libri si concentrano su aspetti specifici (es. relazioni interpersonali in How to Win Friends and Influence People).
- Testi più spirituali come The Power of Now enfatizzano la consapevolezza interiore, mentre altri sono pragmatici (es. Atomic Habits).
In sintesi, il cuore del self-help storico ruota attorno a autonomia, crescita personale e azione pratica, con strumenti psicologici e comportamentali per trasformare aspirazioni in realtà.
Il punto 10 è vittima della selezione delle fonti (vedi sotto in grassetto), che comprende titoli discutibili come The Secret, seppur sia stato molto popolare (quanto idiota).
Quanti ne avresti indovinati?
Io avrei detto 1-2-4-6-7-8.
*La funzione DeepThink è interessante perché rende visibile il ragionamento messo in atto dalla macchina, alla ricerca della soluzione. Lo ripropongo a seguire per chi è curioso:
Okay, so I need to find the common points among all major self-help books throughout history. Hmm, let’s start by recalling some famous self-help books. There’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, maybe “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle, and “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. Also, books like “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne or “Awaken the Giant Within” by Tony Robbins.
First, I should think about the main themes these books share. A lot of them talk about setting goals. Like, they all emphasize knowing what you want and creating a plan to achieve it. Then there’s the idea of positive thinking. Many self-help books stress the importance of maintaining a positive mindset, believing in yourself, and visualizing success.
Another common point might be taking personal responsibility. Authors often encourage readers to take charge of their lives, stop blaming external factors, and focus on what they can control. Habits also come to mind. Books like “Atomic Habits” and “The 7 Habits” discuss building good habits and breaking bad ones. So the importance of daily routines and small consistent actions is probably a recurring theme.
Overcoming fear and resistance is another topic. Maybe books talk about facing fears, stepping out of comfort zones, and dealing with procrastination. Also, the concept of continuous learning and self-improvement. Many self-help authors advocate for lifelong learning, reading, and seeking knowledge.
Mindfulness and living in the present moment might be another point, especially in more recent books like “The Power of Now.” But is that in all the main ones? Maybe not the older ones. So I should check if that’s a common thread or just in some.
Gratitude is another possible theme. Expressing gratitude as a way to improve happiness and perspective. Also, the idea of persistence and perseverance—never giving up despite obstacles.
Let me think if there’s more. Maybe the importance of relationships and networking, as in Carnegie’s book. But not all self-help books focus on that. Some are more about personal mastery. So maybe that’s a sub-theme but not universal.
Financial success is a theme in some, like “Think and Grow Rich,” but others focus on emotional well-being. So maybe not all. So the core common points would be goal setting, positive mindset, personal responsibility, habit formation, overcoming fear, continuous learning, gratitude, persistence. Maybe visualization and affirmations? Yes, those are in many books.
Also, the idea of taking action. Many books stress that just thinking isn’t enough; you have to act. So action-oriented approaches. Time management might be another, but that’s more specific. Maybe not all.
So compiling these, the main points that most self-help books agree on would include:
1. Setting clear, achievable goals.
2. Cultivating a positive mindset and attitude.
3. Taking personal responsibility for one’s life.
4. Developing and maintaining productive habits.
5. Overcoming fear and embracing change.
6. Continuous self-improvement and learning.
7. Practicing gratitude and mindfulness.
8. Persistence and resilience in the face of challenges.
9. The importance of taking consistent action.
10. Visualization and affirmation techniques.
I should check if these are indeed present across the major books. For example, “The 7 Habits” talks about being proactive (personal responsibility), beginning with the end in mind (goal setting), and sharpening the saw (continuous improvement). “Atomic Habits” is all about habit formation. Carnegie’s book emphasizes interpersonal relationships but also touches on positivity and not criticizing others. “Think and Grow Rich” has a lot about desire, faith, and persistence. “The Power of Now” focuses on mindfulness, which might not be in older books, but maybe elements of present-focused living are implied in other ways.
Gratitude might be more emphasized in newer books, but maybe the concept of appreciating what you have is a common thread. Persistence is definitely in many, like Hill’s “persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.”
Visualization is in “Think and Grow Rich” and “The Secret,” so that’s a common technique. Affirmations as well. Taking action is in Covey’s “put first things first” and Clear’s emphasis on small actions.
So yeah, these points seem to cover the main themes. Maybe I missed something, but these are the recurring ideas I can think of.
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