Self-Help, Solved
We pulled over 2,600 studies and ranked 19 of the most common self-improvement techniques across three dimensions: research quality, consistency of results, and actual effect size. Then we sorted them into four tiers: legitimately works, works sometimes, probably not helping, and straight up bullshit. Microdosing landed in the bullshit tier. Crystal healing outperformed several “serious” techniques. And the number one most effective strategy is something so stupidly simple it’s almost annoying.
We also get into why everything at the bottom of the list shares one thing in common, why the middle of the list is mostly a fancy placebo, and why nearly everything at the top has been around for thousands of years.
Episode Notes
Referenced in This Episode
- Ironic Process Theory (Thought Suppression) — Daniel Wegner
- Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman (2011)
- Catharsis Theory / Hydraulic Pressure Model of Emotion
- Ego Depletion Theory — Roy Baumeister
- Power Posing — Amy Cuddy TED Talk (2012)
- Learning Styles Theory (VAK Model)
- Reiki — Japanese energy healing practice
- Sham Surgery / Placebo Surgery research
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) — Jon Kabat-Zinn
- Eat That Frog! — Brian Tracy (2001)
- Atomic Habits — James Clear (2018)
- Bibliotherapy — Reading as a therapeutic intervention
- The 4-Hour Workweek — Tim Ferriss (2007)
- Think and Grow Rich — Napoleon Hill (1937)
- The Road Less Traveled — M. Scott Peck (1978)
- Four Thousand Weeks — Oliver Burkeman (2021)
- Behavioral Activation Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway — Susan Jeffers (1987)
- Nicomachean Ethics — Aristotle (virtue through action)
- Shia LaBeouf — Just Do It motivational video
- Tyler Cowen — Marginal Revolution blog
- Meta-analysis on depression interventions / exercise as top intervention (2024)
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck — Mark Manson (2016)
- Make Your Bed — Admiral William McRaven (2017)
- Cold Water Immersion / Cold Plunge — research overview
- Positive Psychology movement overview
- Replication Crisis in psychology
