I was impressed by the book ‘How to make an investment by Sung-Rak Choi’ and bought this book ‘I read self-help books and bought a Benz.’ Just reading, I can buy a Benz!

Desire!
All people are the same. They all want to buy and ride expensive cars like Benz, but at the same time, they make fun of people who say it is their dream to buy one of those cars. That they are a snob. Then, they start their lecture by saying, “What will you do with all that money? You need to learn to be satisfied with what you have in your life now!” However, most of them who said this either owned a Benz or a luxury car. Of course, they are partly right. But what if Benz is just one of the many benefits of the attitude of setting the goal and diligently achieving it? I believe this is the life where I can love and care for myself the most. Therefore, we can say that setting the goal of buying a Benz and pursuing to achieve it can be very meaningful in life.
It is a ‘desire’ that makes us want to buy expensive cars. The author introduces two ways to fulfill this desire. First, it is the higher psychological method to eliminate the existence of desire. The second is to fulfill the desire. In my opinion, the second would be a higher dimensional approach. Because it removes the origin of its desire and, furthermore, the sense of inferiority that can arise from not having one.
Let’s think about spaghetti. Let’s say that we have the desire to eat spaghetti. To have a higher level of mindset to eliminate desire is difficult. It is way easier to just eat spaghetti and remove the sense of inferiority, which can be considered a better way.
Then, how can we buy Benz?
Here, Benz is around a 70million won, an E-class. Can we buy one if we go to a prestigious university? The author says that the two are not related. Moreover, it has nothing to do with becoming a high-ranking official, large company employee, professor, lawyer, and doctor. The author argues that one must read self-help books. If you read it continuously and take action on it, you will finally buy Benz!
Then, what do self-help books say?
What are their main ideas? The writer has arranged them as below.
1. Set a goal.
2. Be confident that you can do it.
3. Don’t give up, just try.
4. Set a clear and quantified goal or dream and have it in an image.
5. Always keep a piece of writing or image on your dream and goal.
These ideas came from the research studies made by the Business administration and Psychology departments. As the author is a professor in Business administration, this is a reliable fact. The business study presented that companies who set a fixed goal and make a continuous effort with a positive attitude always brought out a good outcome. Also, a psychological research study presented that a person with a positive attitude and pursues their goal in the image without giving up brought out a good outcome. With all these studies to back up the author’s claim, I believe we can trust his messages.
The worst strategy can be without a goal! Achievement is possible when there is a goal. To climb a 5000m mountain, we need to prepare thoroughly. In the same sense, one must set a clear and quantified goal in the image. To establish a concrete goal and take action accordingly, we will find a way to achieve our goal. It can be a foundation to realize our goal. The self-help books write down these strategies, so the author is asking us to read to act upon them.
Are self-help books trash?
Of course, some would not agree with such a claim. They would say that self-help books are useless and created by marketing. It is like an instant drug, not a masterpiece. However, the author opposes such perspectives one by one.
I also have seen quite a lot of people avoiding self-help books for the same reason. And maybe because of their influence, I had a moment of hesitation buying one. A thought that a great book contains complex and profound ideas. That is why I was really into buying books focusing on social science, humanities, and natural science, which I gave up reading as they were difficult to understand. The author of the book claims once again to read self-help books and achieve our goal and buy Benz!
How can a self-help book be effective?
Then, until when should we read them? The author says that reading such books is like putting the wood in the furnace until the water boils. In other words, until our thoughts and actions change and what we have read becomes us.
Most self-help books are easy and fun to read. But, it doesn’t mean it is useless. They bring out the joy and touch our hearts to create a change in our lives to make us buy Benz. I guess this is more meaningful than anything.
Then, what kind of life should we live?
I decided to read self-help books from now on. So, as a start, I bought 10 books and read them. Honestly, I felt that my life’s goal has disappeared. I just want to live a life not worrying about the money. The dreams I had when I was young are now long gone. What do I really want? I need to think about it, write it on paper, and diligently walk with it. And after 1 or 2 years, I might own a Benz or something better!
– Solomon trans