Yo RPers! I have put a lot of time in picking some of the world’s most excellent personal development books. I hope you enjoy the list.
Blog Version
Why Personal Development?
Nothing can beat the constant flow knowledge and new perspectives on life that personal development books give you.
Personal development books allow you to improve your life so that you can live in greater abundance, fulfillment, and prosperity.
There’s a beauty in holding command of the direction of your life.
Choosing the lane you wish to direct yourself using the knowledge gathered through personal development books gives one the ability to withstand adversity and pursue their dreams despite any setbacks.
Here are 15 personal development books that may very well change your life.
1 The Slight Edge
Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness
The Slight Edge is not only a book title, it is a way of thinking, a complete philosophy. The Slight Edge gives a unique perspective on your actions. This perspective enables you to make certain choices, choices to either push towards progression, success and happiness or failure. Through the book Jeff Olson explains the ins and outs of why some people actualize their dreams and some have their whole lives experienced to actualize the dreams of others. These tools that you use to achieve this success are already in you, according to Olson. All you need is the ability to recognize them.
2 Mastery
Robert Greene is well known for his personal development books. I especially hold his best seller Mastery in high regard. Greene has a solid belief that every single human being has the innate potential to be a master of a specific field. Through lessons in apprenticeship, you will understand how to surpass others in brilliance, understand your own behavioral patterns, learn from yourself. Greene’s writing will give you this knowledge through studying the behaviors of some of the most well renowned masters of human history, including: Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Leonardo da Vinci and many more.
3 The 4-Hour Workweek
Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich
Timothy Ferriss has made a huge name for himself and for good reason. A New York Times bestselling author, Ferriss’s incredible book on how to escape the normal mundane 9-5 life of today and live on your own terms to achieve financial freedom is a must read. Just on a personal note, this book is amazing. The Four Hour Work Week will give you everything you need to know from how to create businesses, manage them and how to eliminate 50% of your work load. A must read for any upcoming entrepreneur.
4 The Art of Power
Power is something everyone wants. But what exactly is power? Thich Nhat Hanh goes into depth on what true power is. He is a world-renowned zen/spiritual leader and a best selling author. In a very simple summary the The Art of Power goes into detail on the fact that what we seek, we already have. A new perspective on what power truly is, a must read for anybody who appreciates the spiritual side of life. Turning our conventional understanding of power on its head, The Art of Power reveals how true power comes from within.
5 Thinking, Fast, and Slow
Thinking, Fast and slow is an international best seller. Daniel Kaheman is a well respected psychologist and Nobel Prize winner of economics. The book is basically broken down into describing the two planes of thought processes humans have. One is fast based on emotional reactions and the second is one based on logic and factual deliberation. Why read this book? To better understand our thought processes means your strategies for decisions you make in life can be understood better allowing you to make your decisions for the right reasons. To understand Kahneman’s principle’s is beneficial and enlightening for our personal and business lives.
6 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective people has been around for 25 years and nothing has come close to surpassing its status. It is one of the world’s greatest personal development books. The book is incredible not only because of the 7 habits, which are thought provoking, introspective and genius. What really makes the book great is that these habits can be applied to any person on earth. Changing lives of leaders, teachers, parents, educators, of all age and all backgrounds.
7 The Power of Now
A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
The Power of Now has sold well over 2 million copies in over 30 languages. This book is inspiring, simple as that. Eckhart Tolle is an incredible author who takes you on a journey of self discovery to understand your true and deepest self. The Power of Now will transform you into a spiritually aware person. Through understanding the natural enemy; the mind and the importance of being present and grounded throughout life you will come closer to spiritual enlightenment.
8 The Power of Habit
Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
The Power of Habit is one for the curious mind. Charles Duhigg helps us understand, through science based research, why we do what we do. Why do we all have certain habits? By reading The Power Habit, you will gain a greater understanding of true human nature at its core. Understand these fundamentals allows you to understand why you act in certain ways and have certain habits. This knowledge crosses over to businesses, personal success or wherever your intentions lie in.
9 Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck?
Seth Godin is the author of the famous book The Dip, which is further down in this list and is actually one of my favourite books. Watcha Gonna Do With That Duck is a great book, besides the odd but thought provoking name. “Getting your ducks in a row is a fine thing to do, but deciding what you are going to do with that duck is a far more important issue”. Simply, this book is all about understanding what to do with what you have, rather than aiming to obtain what you don’t have. A similar concept to The Simple Edge, I’d suggest to read these two books back to back for a deep introspection on the small decisions you make in life.
10 The 48 Laws of Power
The New York Times Bestseller
The 48 Laws of Power is not for the soft heart. Robert Greene’s The 48 Laws of Power is a manual for people to gain control, defend and observe. To fully understand this book is to understand certain ‘powers’ which can be used to your advantage either for good or bad, this is why it is a very powerful and of course, popular book. It has been described as amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive. Every law in this book has one underlying intention and that is to dominate whatever you choose to pursue. This is one of the personal development books that is perfect if your goal is one of total conquest.
11 Your True Home
The Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh
Present energy is the key to living to the fullest. As simple as it is being present has the ability to manifest enormous change in our lives. This book does, especially with regards to today’s heavily attention deficit lifestyle may seem a bit woo woo. If you focus and really listen to Thich Nhat Hanh and his 365 daily wisdom from one of our lifetime’s greatest Buddhist influences. In finishing this piece of literature you may come to understand how present energy is a power tool to provoke change in every area of your life, if patience and practice is worked at.
12 Ego Is the Enemy
The general consensus on the hindrance of a successful life is on the outside world. Our ego is the cause of any shortcomings. Talent is not cultivated early enough because of our ego and with that our faults and aptitudes are hidden from us, leading to future problems. Each time the ego manifests itself the issues become bigger.
Today we are sucked into social media, every single day. Holiday writes “you will be less invested in the story you tell about your own importance and as a result, you will be liberated to accomplish the world-changing work you’ve set out to achieve.” Leaving the ego aside will allow you to add value and this you will have an easier time going out to set the mission you have for yourself; ego deflated.
13 The 4 Hour Body
An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman
This is not just another diet and fitness book.
First of all, what I like about The 4-Hour Body is that it’s based on a quest to figure out how we can hack our own bodies and master all things physical in an effective and efficient manner. Through the collaboration of dozens of MDs, personal experimentation, this information comes together in one book. The 4-Hour Body is a fundamental tool to understand how both men and women can master their bodies. In the gym, in the bedroom and most importantly for the long term. All by utilizing the smallest increments of change for the largest results.
14 The UltraMind Solution
The Simple Way to Defeat Depression, Overcome Anxiety, and Sharpen Your Mind
If you find it difficult to concentrate and focus and have a lack of general drive or motivation, you may have a ‘broken brain’. Don’t lose hope, Ultramind Solution written by Mark Hyman shows us that the fix is in food. Dr Hyman gives you a simple easy to follow 6 week plan that is scientifically backed and proven to restore health to the function of your brain and body. I highly recommend this book if you are seeking confidence, a peaceful state of mind and general vitality. Hence if you lack vibrancy in your energy, chance are it’s down to your diet.
15 The Dip
A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)
The Dip is iconic. Seth Godin is a popular blogger and author who shows us that those who succeed quit and quit often. The difference is that they stop quitting once the right dip is found.
All new projects are fun and exciting. The success which can potentially evolve from these projects comes from breaking through the hard part. In whichever endevour you are in you may possibly be in a dip. The successful people in this world can distinguish between a dip and failure. The dip by Seth Godin will allow you to determine whether a chosen path is worth your time.
As a result — “winners do quit, and quitters do win.”
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