The Solution

Over the years, there have been a number of self-help books published. How to live, how to eat, how to think, how to invest. You name it, there's probably a book that tells you the best way to do it.
We've all read that one book that 'changed our lives' when we read it, but did we follow through?
Speaking personally, I know I'm a pretty lazy person. Yes, it's a fault but I like to think it adds to me somehow. I'm a lazy person, but I love escaping into books. I'll read anything and everything, and will even devour those self-help books. Their application on the other hand? Yeah, I'm not so good at that.

Even beyond books that are obviously intended to be self-help, there's so much we can learn from any kind of literature. Any author worth their weight in salt will be able to paint a picture of characters that we can aspire to be like. I know that many a time I've read a book, and noticed and appreciated the qualities of the main character. Here, I like to think that I've been more successful in application.
Sorry, I seem to have meandered into my love of literature. What's my point here?

Why hasn't anyone come up with a foolproof life manual? I mean, what with all the text out there, and the people who swear by some of these methods, we should have some clear tried and tested methods that should be condensed into one volume, right?

If only it were that simple. Anyone who has ever read one of these knows that depending on what one is looking for, the book that they hold at any particular moment IS the foolproof life manual. God knows I've felt that way often enough.
People aren't meant to be put in a mold; we all fit such different categories that I daresay it would be impossible to find a one-size fits all winning formula. Maybe that's the formula in itself; dare to be different! Break the mold. Make your own manual.