The Self-Help Industry and Its Demands Have you ever browsed the “Self-Help” section in the bookstore? I have. Moreover, I even bought quite a few books that would help me lose weight, think positively and become rich. Although they are very inspiring and exciting to read, as my experience has shown, it only goes so far. Dr. Jim Taylor questions the extent of reliance on self-help books for personal improvement: People are always looking for honest and good ways to change. let's be very frank here, as George Carlin also observed: “If you read it in a book, folks, that's not self-help. It's help. But help is also okay as long as it actually helps. Unfortunately, the change got a bad rap because of autonomous manufacturing; it has become a parody of itself and many of its leading proponents… (“Personal Growth: Is the Self-Improvement Industry a Freud?”). The self-help industry is in high demand because it prioritizes providing the greatest value of personal growth and learning to individuals beyond a college education. A connection between a confident worker, good at self-management, systematizing their time and willing to pursue personal growth and show business is evident, as happy and positive employees tend to generate more income. The self-help industry is in demand because it claims to provide self-improvement skills and it has grown rapidly in recent years. Melaine Linder clearly states that Americans spent $11 billion in 2008 on self-help books, CDs, seminars, coaching and stress management programs ("What are people still willing to pay for?"). Today, this market is estimated at $10.4 billion and it continues to grow. However, good employers aren't the only ones looking for ways to... middle of paper ...... perspective, especially when it comes to a lifestyle that allows you to make a difference both for yourself and for your world (“What is the true value of self-help books?”). In summary, the self-help industry is popular because it sells dreams and promises to solve all our problems. We all want to be respected employees and change our lives in a better way and the low cost of the self-help industry makes us pay attention. According to Allen Pierleoni, in our need to be better people, the self-help industry is always there to support us: The thousands of these titles on the market and the millions of copies sold each year are a testament to our mutual need to improve ourselves – or at least read about it (“Do Self-Help Books Work?”). Overall, self-help books are worth a try and who knows, maybe they will transform your life like you never imagined..