We tell ourselves stories all the time.

About what our goals are, what makes us successful, what makes us happy, what we should be doing with our time, etc.

A simple example is about comparing ourselves to others. 

Someone who compares herself to a peer who earns more money and is motivated by that comparison to go out and earn more money herself is telling herself a story that works for her. 

Whereas, someone who compares herself to a peer who earns more money which makes her unhappy about how much she earns and her job, even though she is objectively doing quite well for herself, is telling herself a story that doesn't work for her.

Self-help books focus on helping such people change the story they tell themselves. To change it to something that works for them.

There is no right story.

There are stories that work for you and there are stories that don't.

If a story isn't working for you, then change the story to one that does.