Self-Help, Solved

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/ Vote for Solved for Best Indie Podcast in the 2026 Webby Awards: ⁠https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2026/podcasts/features/best-indie-podcast 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 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