Most people who are in the business of self development or success training or whatever they call it, also happen to be people who haven't been successful in life. Either they themselves don't consider themselves successful, or by societal norms they haven't achieved anything much given where they started, or they are financially struggling.

Very strange indeed. Its like being treated by a pulmonologist who is himself coughing badly all the time. Sure, the empathy to your situation is there, but clearly the cure has already eluded this doctor.

[Edit: Prime example of how I shoot my mouth sometimes. I was ranting about group "success" coaching - an activity that targets lower middle class office workers and rural unemployed youth. I wasn't talking about professional counsellors or coaches, who usually do an excellent job of helping people define their own parameters of "success". In group coaching, they sell the idea that monetary wealth and job title are the only measures of success. They also teach you that you are not successful because you at not motivated, you are not working hard enough. The reality is that in a capitalist, casteist society like India, it is social structures, your lack of command over English, and you not being a part of gated professional networks, that is holding you back.]