The Rise Of Self-Help: Why Motivational Gurus Are Finding A Growing Audience

If we carry out a quick survey today of the genres of books that achieve the status of best sellers in this country, we will find that self-help titles are placed right at the top. Most of the bookstore chains in the country or spaces that display any kind of literature are now adorned with motivational classics, spanning from books by Dale Carnegie and Robin Sharma to stuff by Jay Shetty, Gaur Gopal Das, and several others. In the world of books, this genre is not only burgeoning but also bringing numerous people from all walks of life, either as experts who are churning out titles or as end-users: the readers who are seeking help from such knowledge.

But this sphere is not only limited to books and literature. There are life coaches these days who conduct either one-to-one interactions or group sessions with corporate employees, motivational gurus who do podcasts and large conferences, and self-help experts who not only bring out a wide range of literature on subjects such as success, failure, attitude, etc., but they also advise and counsel people. Whether we call it an industry or a niche subculture, this field is proliferating, as more and more young people are taking up self-help materials. In the words of a Gen Z psychology student from Christ University, Bengaluru, Anumehaa Ghosh, “Self-help books can be beneficial to adopt certain behaviors and characteristics that can promote better lifestyle and well-being.”

However, the concept of self-help or motivational guru may seem vague at the beginning. That is why we need to address the core concept right at its cradle.

The regulatory framework

When we talk about this field, a distinction must be made between professional mental health experts and the industry of self-help and motivational gurus. The two are different and should not be mixed. The mental health experts are regulated within a framework of professional degrees, licenses, rules and regulations of a statutory body. The mental health experts are also divided into several categories–the psychiatrists, doctors who are qualified to prescribe and administer medication for curing any mental affliction; clinical psychologists, who can use therapies to assist people in conquering their emotional or behavioral disorders; neuropsychiatrists, doctors who can also treat mental health issues related to brain and nervous system disorders; etc. Even in the case of life coaches in some specific fields, there are certain international regulatory structures and certifications.

However, there are times when a decision rests upon an individual to determine if his or her mental health condition needs serious clinical attention and treatment or an informal and friendly motivational session with a person of choice. There are also times when a choice automatically becomes clearer. As Chetan Batra, a Ludhiana-based lawyer, author, and motivational speaker, says, “Self-help books can be a powerful source of perspective, reflection, and motivation. They can guide us through difficult moments, but when struggles become deeper, professional mental health support can make a meaningful difference.”

A short history

While getting into the heart of a matter, it is always important to look back. Therefore, it is now time to inquire about when this concept of self-help came into being. When did the motivational gurus appear for the first time in human civilization?

It is often conjectured that the basis of every religion in this world originally was to help people overcome their problems and to find succor in their hearts and minds during times of trouble. That every religion was conceived to give mental strength to people; their sacred texts mostly talk about attaining mental fortitude to overcome any adversity in life. Even the modern coaches often invoke lessons from the Gita, Bible, or Koran to prove their points. Along with this, there have been several schools of philosophy that have always guided people to find perspectives in life, from the ancient Greek greats to the Roman Stoics to ancient Indian knowledge traditions to the Chinese philosophers: ideas about humankind’s purpose and life’s meaning have always been carried forward from one era to the other by the subsequent learned men and women of that time.

In the modern era, a British author called ‘Samuel Smiles’ had published his book called ‘Self-Help’ in 1859, which many hail as a precursor to this genre. Later, authors like Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, David J. Schwartz, Stephen Covey, and many others have aided in popularizing self-help into a distinctive genre and a massive industry.

The digital age

The advent of the digital age has brought a lot of interesting trends to our society. While there is a growing noise about people abandoning the habit of reading, it has also given a platform to the authors and speakers to reach their audiences directly and to the generation that now matters most: the Gen Z crowd. As a result, self-help books are in vogue more than ever. The growing popularity of the self-help industry among the young people also has a contemporary underlying social cause.

These days, a major chunk of the population is turning urban-centric. This is, of course, a growing trend across our planet. Many families are also nuclear in nature, with parents having just one child. As the demands of a modern urban lifestyle give very little room to socialize and mingle, people are feeling increasingly isolated and lonely. A child who grows up with both parents as working professionals in a city has very little immediate guidance in the form of an uncle or aunt. Even senior people who have retired from their professions have very little company these days. In addition, the matter of privacy and individual space in a city can be both advantageous and detrimental at the same time. All these elements, in turn, have made people either seek professional counselling or resort to self-help books to give them a perspective and purpose. Those young people who have just joined a profession or job increasingly read motivational books to either develop themselves, find a goal, or stay motivated. As Siddharth Singh Chettri, a Gen Z research scholar from Darjeeling, says, “As a Gen Z, I believe self-help books turn introspection into action, helping us view our lives with greater awareness, perspective, and purpose.” As a result, motivational gurus are never short of an audience today.

The deleterious angle

While placing one’s trust on a figure of authority can bring wondrous results, this can also cause adverse outcomes. While several motivational gurus have indeed helped millions of people over the ages, there have also been many cases of fake godmen, especially in our country. These godmen are self-proclaimed spiritual healers who claim to read our minds and offer solutions to all our mental, material, and physical problems. Most of these godmen act like our next-door motivational speaker, who can often talk sweet and bring about a positive outcome to our pattern of thinking and attitude towards life. While some may have actually helped people overcome mental agonies, many of them have also been implicated in cases of physical abuse, molestation, etc. Even some popular OTT platforms and movies have taken up these cases of fake godmen and cult leaders. Santanu Chakraborty, a Kolkata-based finance professional, comments, "Some godmen turn out to be excellent motivational speakers, although the cult status they eventually attain can be uncomfortable for many." Therefore, this path should be trodden carefully.

The final word

In this age and time, anybody with a fair amount of professional success, education, and confidence can become a motivational speaker or a self-help author. We have already witnessed this over the last few decades. If one can write a book that offers meaningful lessons or addresses issues faced by many people, that book will be read. In this sense, most readers really do not bother themselves too much with the background of the author or the speaker. Of course, a fair amount of experience in this field increases the brand equity of a person. As we have discussed above, a lot of corporations today even employ motivational trainers to boost the morale of their employees. Even some personnel from a company’s human resources department today often act as speakers to help the employees find confidence and energy. We can call this a trend or an industry; it is here to stay. The Gen Z crowd too are delving deeper into this phenomenon. As they say, sometimes self-help is the best help.

Published on: Sunday, October 11, 2026, 07:30 AM IST