Beyond Growth

Repeating an affirmation left low-self-esteem participants in a worse mood than saying nothing.

Manifestation promises that picturing an outcome brings it closer.

Growth mindset became a billion-dollar idea in schools and workplaces.

The Landmark Forum walks every participant to the same scripted realisation on day three: life is empty and meaningless.

Pavlok sells a wristband that shocks you out of bad habits, on the strength of 'proven' aversion-therapy science.

In October 2009, three people died at James Arthur Ray's 'Spiritual Warrior' sweat lodge near Sedona.

Tony Robbins built a roughly $600m empire on state, belief and the firewalk.

A deadpan, satirical field guide to the lifestyle-design genre — the 4 a.m. alarm, the beach laptop, the manufactured origin story, and the course about selling courses.

Self-help's favourite parable says belief broke the four-minute mile.

Grounding claims that skin contact with the earth floods your body with healing electrons that cure inflammation and fix your sleep.