Reading is one of my favourite things to do. I hear this time and again: we end up becoming like the five people we spend the most time with, so reading is one of the ways I flood my mind with successful thoughts. I thought I’d share with you my 5 best books so far 2016.
My 5 Best Books So Far 2016
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Gay says we have a thermostat for the amount of success we allow ourselves to experience based on subconscious beliefs — that stem from childhood — of what we’re allowed to achieve. Gay identified four self-sabotaging barriers, what he calls upper-limit problems, that cause us to sabotage our success. Upper-limit problems manifest as behaviours we do to stop us from expanding our ability to receive more love, success and abundance. After reading this book, I recognised an upper-limit problem of mine; when I achieve success, I immediately start procrastinating. Awareness of this has helped me overcome it, and enjoy more success.
Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance
Elon’s rise from South Africa to America is a gripping story. His mission, his ultimate goal is to colonise Mars, which is why he’s pursuing these game changing innovations. They built rocket ships a fraction of the price of NASA’s rockets. They’ve made cars that run on battery – the first prototypes were made by blanketing the bottom of the car with laptop batteries! It’s a book that challenges you to dream bigger, it makes you think, well, why not? If you aim for the moon, you’ll certainly reach the stars.
Also read: My 10 Favourite Books to Grow Sales
Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
It’s been on my reading list for years, and I finally read it after watching his recent interview with Oprah. Emotional intelligence includes the following domains: self-awareness, managing emotions, motivation, empathy, persistence, and handling relationships. What makes Daniel’s book so interesting in the self-help genre, is, it’s grounded in neuroscience. It’s a must-read if you’re looking to grow your influence in the world.
Rising Strong by Brene Brown
Brene’s book is about getting up after failure, turning breakdowns into breakthroughs. What I find interesting about her book is, her ideas and conclusions are similar to some of my favourite spiritual authors, like Wayne Dyer and Eckhart Tolle. For example, the idea that we all run a story in our head — Tolle calls this the ego — and how we need to disassociate from it. However Brene’s approach is grounded in the Western rational thinking approach. She’s created a simple three-step process — like the three-acts of a story — to rising from our falls, and bringing more wholeheartedness into our lives.
A Thousand Names For Joy by Byron Katie
I’ve read about enlightened sages in India who sit in monasteries, where people flock from far and wide just to be in their presence. A Thousand Names for Joy is like being a fly on the wall of an awakened mind living in the west. The book is also conversations of Byron’s response to Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching — a Chinese classic, some say it’s the wisest book ever written. The book is a window into the mind of someone living in the present moment. I would recommend A Thousand Names for Joy for any seeker wanting to elevate their frequency.
You might also like: How to choose a personal development book that’s right for you
Leave a Reply