The problem with the type of self-help described (gurus and motivational people) is twofold.

1. It's not coming from the self, but from externals
2. I get external help = this is a subconscious presupposition that I am weak on my own, otherwise why get help

So, naturally, it won't work because the presupposition is opposite from what is should be.

This leaves one with two options: Sorting their own shit out or get external help that bypasses the conscious mind and reprograms directly the subconscious.

Examples of the second case can be seen by mentalists/hypnotists like Derren Brown when

• he takes a granny who has no clue with poker and makes her a poker pro that almost wins a televised poker tournament,
• he takes a guy who thinks he has a bad memory and then memorize entire libraries (through suggestion).
• he takes people who are fearful and makes them fearless
• he takes a guy who's never shot a gun and he then hits the center of the target in the shooting range, by mere suggestion

The thing is, all these things do not really require an external party to reprogram one's subconscious. The capabilities to do these, and other far more impressive things, were always inside one's self. They only needed "permission" to be discovered.