Growing up, reading books was not encouraged at home, so I never considered myself a "bookworm" until I'd moved to London.
Although I'd started reading later in life, it has never been too late. It might take you a little longer to get through a single page or even an entire book, but it comes with practice, and it can become a habit for life. For example, I can now read 250 to 300-pages in about a month.
The smartest people I know, like to read books. My assessment of having meaningful conversations with others reflects on whether they read.
Here is a list of the most important six books that have helped in my personal development to date;
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Easy to read, Think and Grow Rich opened a pandora box in my head and has been inspiring ever since. Believing you can do anything you set your mind into is the beginning of all transformations. The book is the collection of the 13 most common habits of wealthy and successful people, distilled from studying over 500 individuals over the course of 20 years.
If you’re lacking the motivation to follow your dreams, this book will make you believe [show you that] whatever the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve.
Sapiens by Yuval Harari
How good is a book you read not once, but twice? Sapiens was one of them! Another easy read, Sapiens takes you on a journey from the creation of money, countries to institutions, all with simplicity, and yet clarity how we got to be where we are today. It takes you on a journey through the entire history of the human race as it reviews everything our species has been through from ancient ancestors to our dominating place in the world today.
Yuval is an exceptional man, smart. All of his other books after Sapiens are also worth reading; Homo Deus, which illustrates the history of the human race from how we came to be the dominant species over what narratives are shaping our lives today all the way to which obstacles we must overcome in the future to continue to thrive] and 21 Lessons from the 21st Century, which discuses interesting ideas about current human affairs.
12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
JP is as a traditional man during modern times. One brave man and his quest against ideologies, bound to set society at the risk of chaos.
12 Rules for Life is a manual on how to become a better human to improve your life, starting with yourself first before trying to do the same for others. I can’t recommend this book enough for anyone looking to improve their lives, make better choices and become an overall better person. 12 Rules lays out simple principles, which can help us become more disciplined, behave better, act with integrity, and balance our lives while enjoying them as much as we can in a story base, entertaining way
Purple Cow by Seth Godin
Considered by many as The God of Marketing, Seth Godin is an American author and former dot.com business executive. I came across Purple Cow by accident, when looking for alternative ways to stand out as a Personal Trainer. Luckily, my first experience in learning from outside my industry was from no one less than Seth Godin. The book explains why building a great product and advertising will no longer work. Instead, it shows how you can build something that’s so remarkable people have to share it, to succeed in today’s crowded post-advertising world.
I read most of Seth Godin’s books; I have a collection of his books at home and have been lucky to attend a seminar with him in London. His ubiquitous ways of spreading his ideas across are what makes Seth an expert in Marketing. Seth writes a daily blog sent by email. It's one of my favourite things to read every morning.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Mediations is a collection of 12 books written by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who’ll introduce you the philosophy of Stoicism, the concept of logic, self-discipline and give you faith that the course the world runs is good.
Needless to say, Meditations is a book that stood the test of time. From The Great Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, Meditations is a journey into stoicism. Its simplicity in words, self-awareness and world view is life-changing. Literally.
Behave by Robert Sapolsky
We should consider this as a modern 'Bible' with every school having a moral obligation to offer it in a classroom.
Robert Sapolsky is a genius. Oddly enough, the weirdest thing for me was my preconception on how I thought he’d look like, Google him AFTER you have read the book and let me know your opinion. Sapolsky is a neuroendocrinologist and author. He is a professor of biology, and professor of neurology and neurological sciences and, by courtesy, neurosurgery, at Stanford University. Everything he says in Behave is unquestionable.
The book explains the reason behind human behaviour, good and bad, by exploring the influences of brain chemistry and our environment
Behave is a journey into the human body, from genetics to hormones, environmental consequences to your brain and in everything we do. It is a fascinating book, but long! I couldn’t read it all the way through without also having in audiobook. Again, this book is a modern bible and everyone can enjoy it.
As we're going through a Pandemic, staying home is a significant chance to read more often. So, take advantage of this time during and start reading!
P.S: This blog wouldn’t be possible without the careful ‘eagle eyes’ of Kaj Boelsen, who’s helping me improve my writing skills… way to go!