One of the problems I’ve always had with self-help gurus is that they fall victims to their own hype. They lose any sense of reality because of the “brand” they need to keep up. They think that in order to be a self-help author worth listening to, they need to always keep up appearances. No room for weakness. No chance of appearing as if they didn’t have it all figured out – not even for a split second. Maybe they show their true selves to their friends and family, but to the world? Nope. Victims of self-hype. The truth is, I don’t think people need to believe in me. I’m not the answer to your problems. I’m not your hero. Even if I do manage to be amazing, I’d be doing you a disservice if I wasn’t still honest about my shortcomings. Do you really need to believe in an infallible hero? That someone out there has achieved perfection? If you’re a frequent reader then you possess some level of intelligence, and I wouldn’t ever insult you by pretending I’m the greatest thing since the Linux Desktop.
I can’t read most of the self-help blogs that people maintain because I think that the majority of them aren’t very good. The worst thing about them, besides the unoriginal and uninspired content, is that they don’t seem authentic. I say “seem” because I can’t be entirely sure whether they are or not as I don’t know these people personally. But my BS meter goes off when I read the 10th self-hype post in a row. No one is that amazing, and if there did happen to be someone who could inspire others that way, you can be sure they’re not online writing shitty content articles. No, I think they’d be famous already and have more important things to do with their time. They’re victims of their own branding, of their own self-hype that they created for themselves. They think they need to keep up appearances, and that nothing negative can ever appear on their blog. These authors aren’t people anymore – they’re corporations. They’re businesses who need to maintain their image through PR. Think you’ll ever find a post on these people’s websites or twitter accounts that contains anything other than a motivational message? Think again. These people can’t be real with you anymore. You’ll never see any weakness out of them – they’re victims of their own self-hype.
Nevermind that self-hype doesn’t even work, because self-hype is basically a lifehack. I don’t blame these people though. They just have a different mindset than I do. Me, I have to be authentic, 100% of the time. I have an inability to bullshit. I’m the world’s worst liar. Is that a weakness? Probably. But it’s also my strength and what adds authenticity to my voice. I can’t stop telling it like it is any more than these people can stop their self-hype. Whom will people listen to? Honestly, I think most will fall victim to the seductive allure of the self-hype movement. How could they not? They’re promising riches, success, women, and all sorts of wonderful things. Meanwhile I’m here, telling people that the road to success is difficult, arduous, and paved with sacrifice and tears. If we were at a trade show fair together, my booth would be in a corner somewhere, forgotten and abandoned while the crowd partied in the self-hype section. That’s just how it is, and I’m not bitter. But I do know that after these people wake up from their self-hype hangover, they’re going to come to my corner for a fresh drink, warm towel, and sobering dose of reality.