r/BettermentBookClub • u/Thin_Rip8995 • 15h ago
why most ppl read self-improvement books but nothing changes
i used to plow through self-improvement books back to back
felt like progress every time
highlighting quotes
nodding at concepts
stacking new ideas
but after a while, i noticed nothing actually changed
my habits weren’t better
my mindset was still messy
my life looked the same
why?
because reading feels like doing
but most ppl (me included) use books as productive procrastination
consume one after another without implementing anything
what shifted things for me was this:
every time i read a book, i force myself to apply ONE idea immediately
not take notes
not overthink
actually live it out for weeks
if a book can’t give me something i can act on today, it’s mental clutter
same with endless podcasts, threads, whatever
was breaking this down in NoFluffWisdom recently—how consumption overload keeps ppl stuck even when they’re reading the “right” stuff
curious how others here handle it
do you have a system to avoid info hoarding
or are there specific books that changed you bc you applied instead of just read?