How A Cycle Of Online Self-Improvement Content Kept Me Trapped

If there’s one thing that’s really taken off during the digital age, it’s the self-improvement industry. Don’t get me wrong, it has always been around, with self-help gurus like Tony Robbins providing guidance through his books and seminars for decades. Over the past decade, YouTube, in particular, has opened up a whole new world for those looking to improve themselves and their circumstances. Whatever you need help with, from finances to fitness to dating, and everything in between, it’s all there.

The Problem With Too Much Self-Help Content

My personal favourite medium for consuming self-improvement content online was the podcast, a couple of which included Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO and Chris Williamson’s Modern Wisdom. I would sit for hours watching these pods as expert guests from various sectors would share their esteemed knowledge. I sometimes even found myself taking notes if there was a particular quote I liked or some advice that I thought might come in handy.

The problem was that despite the substantial time I invested in self-improvement content, I didn’t improve that much at all. Now, this isn’t an attack on the industry’s biggest names, far from it; I actually found the episodes were well-structured and the content insightful. It took me a while, but I began to notice the reasons I wasn’t really getting very far on my own self-improvement journey, and I’ve shared them with you below:  

It Gave Me Cheap Dopamine

When you consume self-improvement content, you gain a short-term motivation rush through a quick dopamine hit. In short, it makes you feel like you’ve achieved something when in reality, you haven’t. All you’ve done is consumed information about something you’re interested in, which is fine, but that alone is not going to have any impact on your life whatsoever. Opposed to dopamine earned through actually doing something hard, this was a cheap dopamine hit from simply consuming content. This sense of achievement I gained through a constant cycle of online self-improvement led to procrastination, followed by feelings of guilt.

I Already Knew What To Do Anyway

Deep down, I already knew what I had to do, and if anything, the self-improvement content just delayed me from taking any action. I thought once I watched just one more podcast episode or inspirational clip of David Goggins running up a mountain, I’d be ready to go out there and take on the world. The truth is, I was frightened, and I was wrapping myself up in a comfort blanket of self-help content that seemed to keep me further away from my goals. The reality is, I didn’t need to sit through another two-hour podcast or read more inspirational quotes on Facebook; I just needed to make a start.

I Realised I Was Enough Even When I Was Not Improving

The pressure I was placing on myself to constantly improve and become a “high-performer” became exhausting. It was only when I stepped away from a cycle of self-improvement content that I began to accept who I really was. I realised that being me was enough. I didn’t need the perfect morning routine or the most optimal workout regimen to be somebody worthy of living a fulfilling life. There is a toxic culture associated with self-improvement, and a suggestion that you need to be “doing” all of the time, but often simply “being” is perfectly fine.

The Solution

I deleted all self-improvement channels from my YouTube account. If I consume content on there now, it’s purely for entertainment purposes; tied to my interests like football, music and fishing. Instead of constantly consuming, I started to create more, like this blog, for instance. I also stopped tracking and optimising everything. I realised it was possible to go for a walk and not worry about the step count, and if I felt like a breakfast bao bun during a fasting window, then so be it!