SOLVED with Mark Manson Self-Help, Solved
A deep dive ranks 19 self-improvement trends from useful to pure nonsense. It compares microdosing, crystal healing, affirmations, visualization, cold exposure, and morning routines. The conversation also explores why old-school practices keep beating shiny modern hacks, and why the simplest tactic came out on top.
02:10:54
Mark Manson Had One Reiki Miss And One Hit
- Mark Manson once mocked a girlfriend's Reiki session that did nothing for his back, then later had a different session that left him deeply exhausted, sleeping 10 to 12 hours.
- He says the second session seemed to ease breakup pain within days, though he still cannot explain whether it was placebo, touch, or something else.
Cold Plunges Help In The Margins Not Miracles
- Cold water immersion seems to help mood and stress most for already healthy people, but the benefits are conditional and not always stronger with colder water.
- Mark Manson says sub-50-degree plunges just hurt, while Drew Burney suspects part of the benefit may come from doing something intense together socially.
Speed Reading Trades Some Retention For Modest Gains
- Speed reading can improve reading pace somewhat, but the dramatic 5x promises are unrealistic and usually trade speed for retention.
- Mark Manson says moving from 200 to 300 or 400 words per minute is plausible, especially by reducing inner narration and skipping familiar material.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app 1 chevron_right 2 chevron_right 3 chevron_right 4 chevron_right 5 chevron_right 6 chevron_right 7 chevron_right 8 chevron_right 9 chevron_right 10 chevron_right 11 chevron_right 12 chevron_right 13 chevron_right 14 chevron_right 15 chevron_right 16 chevron_right 17 chevron_right 18 chevron_right 19 chevron_right 20 chevron_right 21 chevron_right 22 chevron_right 23 chevron_right 24 chevron_right 25 chevron_right 26 chevron_right 27 chevron_right
Intro
00:00 • 7min
Suppression Backfires Hard
06:34 • 5min
Microdosing Looks Mostly Like Placebo
11:16 • 5min
Ad break
16:18 • 2min
Intuition Helps Feelings, Not Accuracy
18:00 • 7min
Catharsis Trains More Anger
24:42 • 3min
Crystal Healing Is Mostly Ritual
28:02 • 3min
Willpower Is a Bad Frame
30:48 • 5min
Power Poses Barely Move Anything
35:35 • 4min
Ad break
39:10 • 1min
Learning Styles Don’t Hold Up
40:29 • 1min
Affirmations Help Winners More
41:52 • 4min
Morning Routines Are Personal Placebos
45:32 • 8min
Visualization Needs Process and Plans
53:10 • 7min
Ad break
01:00:38 • 1min
Energy Healing May Ride Expectation
01:02:03 • 10min
Cold Exposure Gives Marginal Benefits
01:11:45 • 7min
Speed Reading Trades Depth for Pace
01:19:03 • 7min
Ad break
01:25:56 • 57sec
Gratitude Works Small but Consistent
01:26:54 • 6min
Meditation Builds Self-Knowledge
01:32:47 • 4min
Prioritizing Matters More Than Timing
01:36:33 • 5min
Good Self-Help Books Can Change Lives
01:41:43 • 9min
Ad break
01:50:34 • 2min
Behavioral Activation Wins by Action
01:52:05 • 12min
Ancient Practices Beat Modern Fads
02:03:51 • 6min
Outro
02:09:44 • 1min
#16
• Mentioned in 440 episodes
The 4 Hour Workweek
Tim Ferriss
In 'The 4-Hour Workweek', Timothy Ferriss presents a step-by-step guide to 'lifestyle design', encouraging readers to question the traditional notion of retirement and instead create a lifestyle that prioritizes freedom, adventure, and personal growth.
The book teaches how to outsource life tasks, automate income, and eliminate unnecessary work using principles like the 80/20 rule and Parkinson’s Law. Ferriss shares his personal journey from a corporate workaholic to a location-independent entrepreneur and provides practical tips and case studies to help readers achieve similar results.
The book emphasizes the importance of focusing on high-value activities, taking 'mini-retirements', and living life to the fullest in the present rather than deferring enjoyment until retirement.
#64
• Mentioned in 241 episodes
12 Rules for Life
An Antidote to Chaos
Jordan B Peterson
In this book, Jordan B. Peterson offers twelve profound and practical rules for living a meaningful life.
He argues that happiness is a fleeting and unpredictable goal, and instead, people should seek meaning as a defense against the suffering inherent in life.
The book is divided into chapters, each representing one of the twelve rules, such as 'Stand up straight with your shoulders back,' 'Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping,' and 'Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).
' Peterson draws on examples from his clinical practice, personal life, cutting-edge psychology, philosophy, and ancient myths to provide a guide for personal improvement and coping with adversity.
#59
• Mentioned in 247 episodes
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
Mark Manson
In this book, Mark Manson argues against the typical self-help advice of constant positivity, instead suggesting that life's struggles give it meaning.
He emphasizes the need to focus on what truly matters and to accept and confront painful truths.
The book is divided into nine chapters and uses blunt honesty and profanity to illustrate its ideas, encouraging readers to find meaning through values they can control and to replace uncontrollable values with more meaningful ones.
#1692
• Mentioned in 27 episodes
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
Dynamic Techniques for Turning Fear, Indecision, and Anger into Power, Action, and Love
Susan Jeffers
In this book, Susan Jeffers offers dynamic techniques to help readers overcome their fears and take action towards their goals.
The book emphasizes the importance of facing fears head-on, developing a stronger mindset, and taking small steps towards achieving goals despite fear.
Jeffers also discusses the root of all fears as the belief that one cannot handle what happens, and provides tools to build confidence and manage thoughts positively.
The book has been highly recommended by many therapists and business leaders for its practical and inspiring approach to managing fear and achieving personal growth.
#14
• Mentioned in 442 episodes
Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill
Published in 1937, 'Think and Grow Rich' is a seminal work in the self-help genre.
The book is the result of over twenty years of research by Napoleon Hill, who studied the habits and achievements of more than 500 successful individuals, including Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford.
Hill distills their wisdom into thirteen principles that, when practiced with persistence and faith, can transform dreams into reality.
These principles include the power of desire, faith, specialized knowledge, organized planning, and the role of the subconscious mind.
The book emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude, setting clear and specific goals, and taking consistent action to achieve success.
It also explores the concept of the 'Master Mind' alliance and the need to overcome fears and doubts to achieve one's objectives.
#600
• Mentioned in 57 episodes
The Road Less Traveled
M. Scott Peck
In this book, M. Scott Peck uses his experience as a psychiatrist to guide readers through the challenges of life.
He argues that life is inherently difficult and that spiritual growth and self-awareness can only be achieved by confronting and overcoming these difficulties.
The book is divided into four parts, focusing on discipline, love, spiritual growth, and the concept of grace.
Peck emphasizes the importance of discipline in delaying gratification, accepting responsibility, dedicating oneself to truth, and balancing conflicting factors.
He also discusses the myths and realities of love and how it supports spiritual evolution.
The book highlights that avoiding problems leads to decreased growth and increased suffering, while facing them can lead to greater self-knowledge and inner peace.
#542
• Mentioned in 62 episodes
Four Thousand Weeks
Time Management for Mortals
Oliver Burkeman
In 'Four Thousand Weeks', Oliver Burkeman offers a contrarian approach to time management by focusing on the finite nature of human life.
Assuming an average lifespan of 80 years, the book calculates that we have approximately 4,000 weeks to live.
Burkeman argues against the modern fixation on productivity and efficiency, instead advocating for embracing the limits of time and prioritizing what truly matters.
The book draws on insights from ancient and contemporary philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers to help readers construct a more meaningful life by accepting and working within the constraints of time.
It addresses issues such as the efficiency trap, the pitfalls of convenience culture, and the importance of living in the present while acknowledging the unpredictability of the future.
#5
• Mentioned in 605 episodes
Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman
In this book, Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of the mind, explaining how the two systems of thought shape our judgments and decisions.
System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, effortful, and logical.
Kahneman discusses the impact of cognitive biases, the difficulties of predicting future happiness, and the effects of overconfidence on corporate strategies.
He offers practical insights into how to guard against mental glitches and how to benefit from slow thinking in both personal and business life.
The book also explores the distinction between the 'experiencing self' and the 'remembering self' and their roles in our perception of happiness.
#598
• Mentioned in 57 episodes
Eat That Frog
Brian Tracy
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.
Get your free episode guide: https://solvedpodcast.com/self-help/
- Sign up for my newsletter, Your Next Breakthrough. It will help make you a less awful person: https://markmanson.net/breakthrough
- Get clarity on what actually matters. Try Purpose, Mark's AI mentor app that learns your patterns, challenges your blind spots, and helps you take action. Get 7 days free at purpose.app/solved
Vote for Solved for Best Indie Podcast in the 2026 Webby Awards: https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/features/best-indie-podcast
Check out our sponsors:
- Henson Shaving: Get 100 free blades (a two-year supply) with the purchase of a razor. Head to hensonshaving.com/solved and use code SOLVED at checkout.
- Brain FM: Neuroscience-backed music engineered to shift your brain into focus, relaxation, or sleep. Get 30 days of unlimited access for free at https://go.brain.fm/solved.
Chapters:
0:06:02 CHAPTER 1: Category 4: Bullsh*t
0:27:29 CHAPTER 2: Category 3: Probably Not Helping
0:51:37 CHAPTER 3: Category 2: Works Sometimes
1:23:50 CHAPTER 4: Category 1: Legitimately Works
1:59:19 CHAPTER 5: Conclusion
Follow Mark
Mark's IG: https://www.instagram.com/markmanson
Solved IG: https://www.instagram.com/solvedpodcast/
Twitter: https://x.com/markmanson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markmanson/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IAmMarkManson
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices