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One Powerful Lesson from Reading Over 30 Self-Help Books
Reading and writing have never come naturally to me. But there’s a mantra I heard once — “Fake it until you make it” — and it stayed with me. I took it quite literally, letting it guide me through moments when I felt completely out of my depth.
When I began my first job in 2017, I was an introvert with poor communication skills. My head was always buzzing with ideas, but I lacked the confidence to express them in meetings. One of my seniors noticed my potential and took me under his wing as his passion project.
Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful to have had someone like him in my life. In fact, I owe much of who I am today to the people who believed in me — my first interviewer, my college placement officer, my mentor, my colleagues, my friends. Their support shaped my journey and gave me the courage to grow.
My Struggle with Reading
For the longest time, I couldn’t read a book without feeling sleepy or distracted. I struggled to connect with the author’s words or make sense of what they were trying to say. Fictional books? Forget it. But I didn’t want to disappoint the people rooting for me. I decided to push through, for their sake.
