“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.”—Vera Nazarian
What exactly is a good book? Although, everyone might have a different perspective on that but P.J. O’Rourke proposes an interesting formula about what to read and what not to. According to him, “You should always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.” Whether you are stuck in life and things are not going your way or you just want to change yourself for better, then this article is for you. Here are 10 self-improvement books that will transform you into a better person as soon as you finish it.
1. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Do you want to be successful in life? Well, who do not? Why not learn from successful people who have already achieved success in their life. Stephen R Covey combines habits of best leaders and penned this masterpiece of a book. Before you adopt the seven habits highlighted in this book, Covey suggest that you change your mindset and approach about productivity, positive thinking and time management. After reading this book, you will surely learn some valuable lessons that will help you for rest of your life.
2. The Alchemist
The Alchemist is a best-selling novel by Brazillian author, Paulo Coelho. He blends empowering and spiritual truths with an intriguing story of a young shepherd to make this novel immortal. Although, the characterization is shallow but remember it was written as a short fable. Statements such as “The fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself… no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams” and “When you want something, all the Universe conspire in helping you to achieve it.” and many more will inspire you to achieve your dreams. If you are a fiction fan and want some motivation then, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist novel should on top of your reading list.
3. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Which is the best experience you have ever had in your life? A vacation few years back or a memorable dinner with your family might be your answer. If yes, then this book will change your perspective about experiences. According to the author, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, your optimal experiences are ones where you are giving your best shot for achieving yourself directed goals. Not only that, he went on to show how you can bring flow in your life and channel it to achieve the unthinkable.
4. Thinking Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman dives deeper into psychological to unlock the code on how we make decisions in this book. Initially he breaks down our thinking into two systems and then highlights how both of these systems influence our decision-making. The simple writing style of the author combined with the actionable steps makes this book a good read. Although, the steps he suggest are nothing extraordinary but they do work in every industry including digital marketing. Whether we are making smaller decisions or big ones, this book will surely help.
5. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business
“Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, and your values become your destiny.”—Mahatma Gandhi
I do not know if you have noticed it or not but this is the second book related to habits that made to our list. Charles Dubigg provides a detailed account of habits to readers by analyzing how habits are formed and important elements involved in it through this book. He also discusses how these habits can affect every aspect of your life and create a domino effect. If you are struggling to overcome a bad habit, then you must read this book as it will help you replace those bad habits with good habits.
6. Awaken the Giant Within
Are you struggling to keep up with life and career? If yes then, you need to awaken the giant within to overcome all the obstacles in your personal and professional lives. This book shows you how to do it. Tony Robbins offers some actionable strategies to regain control of your emotional self. When you are on the driving seat of your inner self, the outer self also acts as the wheels and moves in the same direction as your steer it through steering, It’s not only a fascinating read but it will also transform your life. Best of all, you will feel the change and become a completely different person after reading this book.
7. Outliers: The Story of Success
Do you make many excuses? Do you blame others for your dismal performance and poor quality of life? If that is what you do then, you sill stop doing all this after reading this book. Malcolm Gladwell thinks that you can master anything you put your mind and effort to. How much time do you need? According to his research, you can become a thorough professional in any field by investing 10,000 hours on it. There are no shortcuts and you cannot achieve overnight success.
8. Think and Grow Rich
Inspired by a suggestion from a famous Scottish-American business tycoon, Andrew Carnegie, Napoleon Hill wrote this best-selling book. Published way back in 1937, the advice given in this book holds true to this day as the book was written today. The author studied the lives of successful individuals for two decades before penning down this gem of a self-improvement book. A must read for anyone who is looking for a dose of inspiration and motivation.
9. The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Malcolm X is a self-made man and his autobiography clearly shows that aspect of his life. It main theme is purpose and commitment towards that purpose. Malcolm X went through transformation twice in his life, which broke him away from his past. Despite all that, he still managed to achieve success. New York Times describe this book in three words, “brilliant, painful, important” Time magazine listed it in its list of “required reading” non-fiction books. No matter what the truth might be about Malcolm X, this autobiography is worth reading.
10. Design Your Life: Build A Life That Works For You
If your life is in disarray and you want to regain control of your life, then this book by Bill Burnet and Dave Evans will help you to back your life back on track. The practical steps in this book will assist readers in building satisfying and meaningful life that you always wanted to live. It does by putting the readers into designer shoes and takes them through the paces in designing their own life.
There are many other self help books out there but these are the ones that deliver instant results. Pick few of these books up and read, you will surely see a transformation begin. Which is your favorite self-improvement book that has changed your life? Feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.