Can you recall moments that made you rethink things and gave you the nudge to make a change? Perhaps your boss’s demanding request led you to quit a job you disliked, or a chance meeting inspired you to move and start a new chapter?

We all face turning points, and for Marianne, it was a painful Sunday morning after a night of drinking. The main idea here is that a terrible hangover sparked Marianne’s quest for perfection.

Dealing with a throbbing headache and a queasy stomach, anxiety and feelings of failure overwhelmed her. Despite having a successful freelance writing career in London, the 36-year-old felt unhappy.

Marianne saw her friends progressing in life—getting married, starting families, and buying houses. However, lacking a partner, a house, or a plan for the future, Marianne felt stuck.

This wasn’t the first time. Over a decade ago, Marianne was unhappy in her job. Turning to a self-help book then surprised her; it gave her the confidence to leave her job and kickstart her journalism career. After that, Marianne was hooked on self-help, reading every book promising more money, love, and career success.

But none of those promises came true. Despite her dedication to self-help, Marianne’s finances didn’t improve, and her dream man was nowhere in sight. Although she had a successful career, it was driven by fear, not passion.

Then, on that hungover Sunday, Marianne had two lightbulb moments. First, she realized she hadn’t acted on the advice from self-help books. This, she thought, was why her life hadn’t changed. Then the second lightbulb went on: if she started doing self-help instead of just reading it, she wouldn’t be unhappy—she’d be perfect!

So, Marianne decided to read one self-help book each month for a year and put into practice everything she learned.