Meaningful Books

The ones I've gleaned life lessons from

In previous posts, I’ve referenced several of the books I’ve read, however, I’ve yet to do a deep dive on my all-time favorites – the ones that have had a major impact on me and my trajectory.

When you sit back and actually think about it, the fact that words on a page can have such a profound effect on us is incredible.

I was an avid reader of fiction throughout my elementary/high school days with series such as The Hunger Games and Divergent captivating me.

Then, I followed the path of many young men and delved into the self-help realm during my early college days. If that’s not a term you’ve heard before, it essentially means self-improvement – discovering ways to better yourself through mindset modifications, health behavior changes, workplace or school tactics, etc.

The so-called self-help genre catches quite the flak nowadays and I agree… it’s for good reason.

First, these books aren’t meant to be read for the plot twist, resolution, or character development. Because those are typically nonexistent in them.

Instead, they’re workbooks.

One must be willing to apply the newly learned information rather quickly to establish a behavior change.

And as you know, we are creatures of habit. Any changes to our normal routine are tough to implement and require a lot of effort – oftentimes what many struggle with.

In my experience, I find it beneficial to jot down the actions I’m going to take with each chapter I read… even if it’s just a single point.

Another reason for the banter is the so-called “self-help loop”.