Do these self help books really help?

No, actually they don't. I remember reading an article in the "Cosmopolitan" by someone who did a survey. Self help books, like , "Be a smarter, better you in 30 days", Win friends and Influence all around you", "Be the best slaesman in the world" etc. have record sales figures in the publishing industry, but they do not change the life of a single person. They might give you a momentary boost for a day or at the most a week, then you're back to square one, to your lethargic, depressed, self. Motivation and persistence at getting out of lethary and gloom do not , obviously come from reading abook.