Self-help mentors and gurus

[TigerVols]

So I'll let you in on TV secret: I kinda dig self-help gurus.

At the moment, I'm sitting at the start of a 3-day weekend online event hosted by Jack "Chicken-Soup-For-The-Soul" Canfield, which probably costs about $5K but I got it for free thanks to a mutual client.

I'm addicted to podcasts like The Science of Success, Bulletproof, the Five-Hour-Workweek, etc. I'm not a fan for a number of reasons of Tony Robbins, but I've learned a lot from Michael Hyatt.

And don't get me started on Dave Ramsey.

So whose self-mastery journey do you follow?

 

[Vombatus]

sp

 

[The Big Ragu]

Not an obvious once. .... but Joel Olsteen. I don't donate to his wife's plastic surgery fund or anything like that, but when I am flipping and I come to him, I always get sucked in. A few minutes of his silky smoothness and his great hair, and I am ready to run through a wall to take the field of life and kick some ass.

. ... I'm only half kidding about this.

 

[playthrough]

My wife and I like to listen to Dave Ramsey on long road trips. We don't follow his advice completely to the letter but a few of his methods have stuck. It's fun to listen to him berate people who are too far in debt for stupid reasons (I could have been one of those, long ago) -- though the last few times we've listened it seems like he has more of his partners/guests on to talk about their platforms, which interests us less.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

These people and life coaches …

 

[sgreenwell]

Not an obvious once. .... but Joel Olsteen. I don't donate to his wife's plastic surgery fund or anything like that, but when I am flipping and I come to him, I always get sucked in. A few minutes of his silky smoothness and his great hair, and I am ready to run through a wall to take the field of life and kick some ass.

. ... I'm only half kidding about this.

Holy hell, I have the opposite reaction. His godawful informercials are on after the relatively inoffensive programming on ABC or NBC on Sunday mornings ("let's look at animals!" with Dylan and Sheinelle, or the morning news), and I can't get to the remote fast enough to change the channel. When you say his wife's plastic surgery fund, do you mean his as well? Because he doesn't look entirely human either.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Holy hell, I have the opposite reaction. His godawful informercials are on after the relatively inoffensive programming on ABC or NBC on Sunday mornings ("let's look at animals!" with Dylan and Sheinelle, or the morning news), and I can't get to the remote fast enough to change the channel. When you say his wife's plastic surgery fund, do you mean his as well? Because he doesn't look entirely human either.

Yeah, for sure him, too. He hasn't blinked in more than a decade. It's part of his charm, though, if you approach the sermons the right way.

My relationship with him is always like a road runner cartoon. He sucks me into the chase, and I am all in. ... The funny anectdote, the motivational story, the wink and the nod. ... I am ready to go out and be a success, dammit! ... But then he wraps up, and asks me to get born again with him. ... and I realize I am standing just over the cliff with nothing below.

But it doesn't stop me from watching the next time.

 

[sgreenwell]

Also, a more vaguely on-topic response - It's ancient history now, but before Adam Carolla went nutty right-wing and Dr. Drew basically agreed to be on any television show that would write him a check, the "Loveline" radio show was pretty interesting. I oddly think it helped me develop my interviewing skills, because it was interesting how they would just pick and pick and pick at some callers to get the actual details out of them. It was also fantastic when callers "no sold" when they would get something. (Clip here, with the call starting at about 2:00.)

Of all people, Ryen Russillo does a "Life Advice" segment on his podcast now. It kind of fills the same niche - it's mostly 20-something dudes in or just out of college with problems. But, there is something oddly entertaining about hearing him go through them with practical advice.

 

[qtlaw]

Also, a more vaguely on-topic response - It's ancient history now, but before Adam Carolla went nutty right-wing and Dr. Drew basically agreed to be on any television show that would write him a check, the "Loveline" radio show was pretty interesting. I oddly think it helped me develop my interviewing skills, because it was interesting how they would just pick and pick and pick at some callers to get the actual details out of them. It was also fantastic when callers "no sold" when they would get something. (Clip here, with the call starting at about 2:00.)

Of all people, Ryen Russillo does a "Life Advice" segment on his podcast now. It kind of fills the same niche - it's mostly 20-something dudes in or just out of college with problems. But, there is something oddly entertaining about hearing him go through them with practical advice.

I dig that portion of Russillo's podcast as well (even though I'm well past that demographic.)

 

[wicked]

I adored Loveline and loved it when Carolla made his cracks against the kids who went to "junior college" (this from a guy who went that route). He's gone all Dennis Miller-like? That's a shame.

 

[sgreenwell]

I adored Loveline and loved it when Carolla made his cracks against the kids who went to "junior college" (this from a guy who went that route). He's gone all Dennis Miller-like? That's a shame.

Like, way past Miller I think. I tapped out like 5 or 6 years ago, and even by that point, I was mostly interested when he would have a decent guest on.

 

[Songbird]

Joel Olsteen

Greatest snake oil salesman of all time but yeah, he's smooth, the best of the best when it comes to that kind of thing.

 

[exmediahack]

I've been a Tony Robbins guy since I was 15 or so. When I'm in a rough patch, I'll dig through and listen to a few of his "old cassettes" (now online).

 

[Vombatus]

Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has a lot of great advice.

 

[TigerVols]

Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has a lot of great advice.

Yep. I sharpen my saw by re-listening to it every 6 months or so.