One of the most accessible and affordable paths to personal improvement is the self-help video. Self-help videos first gained popularity in the 1980s, and were largely made possible by the introduction of home videocassette recorders (VCRs) to the marketplace. At times accompanied by audio cassettes or CDs for the car, self-help videos are often promoted on infomercials as a convenient means of improving any number of areas in one’s own life. There are self-help videos available to help people quit smoking and overcome other addictions, earn more money, achieve career success, lose weight, improve relationships, and more. With so many different types to choose from, selecting the best self-help video involves matching the area of your life that you’d most like to improve upon with a self-help video that specializes in that area.
For people who wish to focus on achieving career success and earning more money, motivational speaker Anthony Robbins offers seminars and a series of DVDs aimed at helping people in the areas of leadership, time management, and setting goals. Although Robbins’ motivational products and services have been marketed as the go-to tools for some of the most successful people in sports, politics, and entertainment, they are also broad enough that they can be applied to other life areas. Some of Robbins’ self-help videos include: Get the Edge, Inner Strength, and Personal Power.
Although many instructional aerobics, pilates and other fitness videos technically qualify as self-help, the ones which offer a combination of motivation and advice along with a fitness regime are most commonly considered to be in the self-help category. For example, fitness trainer and motivational speaker Susan Powter offers a series known as the Lifestyle Exchange Program, aimed at helping people lose weight and get fit. Powter is known for her no-nonsense approach and unvarnished advice: “Eat. Breathe. Move. Think.” For those who prefer more fun in their fitness and weight loss self-help video, Richard Simmons’ series, Sweatin’ to The Oldies and SuperSweatin': Party Off the Pounds feature Simmons leading and motivating an aerobics lesson set to music from the 1950s and 60s.
In the area of relationships and dating, author John Gray offers a companion self-help video to his book Men are From Mars, Women are from Venus, titled: Mars, Venus and Beyond- The 9 Day Relationship Makeover. Gray also has a combination weight loss and relationship video, The Mars and Venus Diet & Exercise Solution -DVD, which aims to help couples lose weight and improve their relationship.
Although there are many motivational speakers and gurus featured in self-help videos who claim the title of “Doctor”, people should not take mental or physical health advice from a self-help video without first consulting their doctor. A doctor might be able to recommend a certain self-help video as part of a program; however, relying on the advice of a self-help video alone for serious mental or physical health issues is not recommended.
