Knowledge is power. Self education is the key. These 2 soundbites are tossed around in every educational medium we encounter. Not to sound redundant, but IT’S TRUE.
From the 100 books I’ve read over the past 4 years on self development, these 6 have resonated significantly with me.
They have helped me identify and deal with my fears, build my self-awareness, taught me effective habits and how I could visualize and create a trajectory for the life I always wanted. Sounds compelling, right? So enough of this intro, let’s explore each one of them.
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
This book earns the ground-shaking title as the business bible. Napoleon Hill, a great business guru and a student to the great Dale Carnegie, composed one of the most compelling steps to acquiring riches through the notion of visualization and taking actionable steps to your desires and goals. It is truly a philosophical, psychological and immensely strategic book- I would highly recommend reading this book to any aspiring entrepreneur, business student, or wealth seeker.
Fav Quote:
When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.”
2. Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain
Have you ever wanted something in your life so badly, that you ended up getting it? You placed all your intentions, desires to that specific thing and through considerable action it finally came true?
This book taught me how to start using visualization to create the outcomes that I wanted not just in one facet of my life, but in all. Gawain explores the importance of intention, affirmations and meditation to create the life that you’ve always wanted. It’s like your meddling with your subconscious.
Fav Quote:
We always attract into our lives whatever we think about most, believe most strongly, expect on the deepest level, and imagine most vividly.
― Shakti Gawain, Creative Visualization: Use the Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life
3. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
If you want to become a master communicator, welcome aboard. This book is a classic; first published in 1936, it’s content remains evergreen. It’ll teach you how to deal with people in any given situation and how you can grow your friendships and relationships to heights you would have never dreamed of.As a individual that was terrible at communicating- this book has helped me grow my relations to thriving ones (aka helped me find mentors, build industry friends, and helped in my romantic relations.)
Fav Quote:
You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
― Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People
4. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
The international best selling author, Elizabeth Gilbert, for, “Eat, Pray, Love,” wrote a breathtaking book about creative living beyond fear. The 3 major lessons I learned frok this book were…
1.Let your fears coexist with your passions.2.Give yourself permission to create.3.Keep your day job to fuel your creative affair.
Living a creative life beyond fear, is one of the most empowering experiences. Being creative and allowing yourself to make mistakes is what ultimately fuels innovation and allows one to make something wonderful in this world- aka magic.
Gilbert’s philosophy is truly a work of art- would recommend -10 out of 10.
Fav Quote:
“The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
5. Rejection Proof: The 100 DAYS of Rejection by Jia Jiang
This book is an easy read and is highly entertaining. The author, Jia Jiang, had struggled considerably with his fear of social rejection. He decided to experiment with a psychological concept known as, “rejection therapy,” where he would purposefully embed odd behaviors around strangers to get rejected. A classic scenario would look like this, “Excuse me, could I borrow a hundred dollars?”
With time, he began to realize that the fear of rejection that we have rooted so firmly in our minds is a mere precaution given off by our ancestors; where in the past it played as a major survival mechanism. In today’s day and age, however, our fear of rejection stops us from living the most fulfilling life (especially when such a threat no longer exists).
This book ultimately inspired me to start my own practice of rejection therapy and it changed my life trajectory for the better.
Fav Quote:
Rejection is just an opinion, remember? It reflects them more than me, right?”
― Jia Jiang, Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection
6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
This book is a game changer. Stephen Covey, the New York Times best selling author, comes to discuss the power that habits have over us and how one can embed effective habits into their life to create a more productive and happier you.
If you’re in the habit of severe procrastination- your dream business may never kick-start. If you’re highly reactive, your friendships and relationships may be suffering considerably (which means your mental health, suffers too). If you struggle with any of these (and believe me everyone does) I would highly recommend to read this book; where your ultimate goal would be to apply them thoroughly.
I have an entire video series on, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens,”- due check it out if you want to start learning now.
