Every Monday, we revisit one of the listener questions we answered in a previous episode. This episode has been edited for clarity and brevity, but if you want the full version, links to the full episode are below the text.

Patrick: Here’s a question in our Think category:

What's your opinion on self-help? Would you consider yourself a self-help author, or is it something else?

Ben: The self-help industry definitely has an image problem, with all the junk and charlatans out there. Nowadays, anyone can brand themselves as a self-help "expert" thanks to open access to the internet – no real credentials or trust-building required. That's given self-help a bad rap.

But we have to look past the noise because, at its core, what could be better than self-help?

Self-help is really about taking responsibility for your own growth and improvement. It means committing to filling your own cup so you can help others and be a force for positive change in the world.

That's ultimately what I'm trying to do, whether through this podcast, here at the gym, or with CompTrain. I want to help give people the tools and knowledge to achieve true fulfillment, joy, and happiness in their lives.

My goal is for people to internalize those lessons, exemplify them through their actions, and inspire others to do the same.

So, in that sense, yes, I see myself operating in the self-help space. I just wish there wasn't so much questionable material diminishing the credibility of the good material out there.

But self-help?

There’s nothing better, or more important.

Original Episode:

Chasing Excellence

Embracing “Self-Help”