Self-Help books are often bloated, pseudo-spiritual nonsense; but not these three. They aren’t very brave choices, but they have been fundamental texts in my quest for self-improvement. All three are available in audio format.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R. Covey
“…to learn and not to do is really not to learn. To know and not to do is really not to know.”
Two lessons of this book struck me deeply; one immediate, and one took a year or so for me to fully understand. (In truth, I still struggle.) The first is that there is a moment between stimulus and response; a moment between something happening to me and my reacting to it. In this moment I can decide to do or say anything. I can choose my response to a situation; the situation does not dictate my behavior. This was a revolutionary idea to me, and is free will summed up in perfect simplicity.
The second lesson was even more important: To have an abundance mindset. The abundance mindset wants everyone to succeed. Win-win situations are ideal; the rising tide lifts all ships. The abundance mindset celebrates the successes of others, instead of feeling threatened by them.
I’ve tried to adopt this abundance mindset in all things. When I succeed, it’s a much happier life than when I felt myself in competition with others for limited resources.
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
“In fact, researchers have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours.”
Outliers convinced me that greatness requires time and effort; the ‘10,000 Hour Rule’ entered my lexicon. It was the first time that I considered mastery; which is now a driving force in my life. Besides that, Malcolm Gladwell books are fascinating, delicious reads.
The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield
“Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”
Stephen Pressfield identifies the enemy within, dubs it Resistance, and provides strategies to win this daily battle with fear and procrastination to achieve our unique potential.
Learning How To Live 