One of my goals this year is to read at least two books every month. I managed to read two in January but February has flown by and I did not manage to hit that goal. I am hoping to get back on track this month though. Why am I telling you this? One, for accountability – the fact that I have put it out there that I want to read 2 books a month gives me the more reason to do it. Check with me sometime and see if I’m on track.
The second reason, which is also the main reason for this post is that a reading culture is one of the things that has transformed my life the most. I can’t measure the amount of knowledge and wisdom that I have gathered over the years from books. Any worthwhile venture I have taken can almost always be traced back to the inspiration I got from a book- that includes the conception of this blog.
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So today I am sharing with you some of the best books that I read last year and they literally rocked my boat. There are lots of books I like and which I could talk about all day, but for today I will dedicate this post to the top 5 personal development books that left a significant impact in my life. Well, let’s get to it, shall we?
My Top 5 Personal Development Books
1. Who Moved My Cheese? – Spencer Johnson
Who Moved My Cheese had to be my first one, I have read this book a couple of times. It is really short, enjoyable, and very practical.
The first time I read it, it was given to me by my mentor in University. I loved the book so much, I have listened to the audio version, watched a short movie based on the book and I have purposed to be reading it at least once every year.
Related: Who Moved My Cheese Summary and Book Review
The book is all about how to deal with change in your work and in your life and the consequences of staying the same in the face of change. It is a short captivating story and really, you won’t get bored reading this book.
It is simple and very easy to relate to, you will end up picturing yourself in the story and applying it to your own life. Even if you are not a big fan of reading, this is a book you can actually enjoy.
My favorite quote from Who Moved My Cheese: “The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese.”
2. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin Sharma
I remember after reading this book, I was so inspired and transformed that I was gifting it to anyone that I could.
Reading The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari helped me to redefine what success means to me and move towards a more positive and peaceful life.
By the time I finished reading it, I was burning with passion and more set than ever to focus on the things that really matter to me. I cannot say enough good things about this book.
My favorite quote from The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: “A burning sense of passion is the most potent fuel for your dreams.”
3. The One Minute Manager – Ken Blanchard
This one sat in my locker at work for weeks before I finally got around to reading it. I had no idea what a gem I had been sitting on. If I could recommend one book to anyone in a managerial or supervisory role, it would be this one.
If you are in a very demanding role and hardly have time for the things that matter to you, like your relationships, this is the book for you.
This book will teach you how to stop doing everything and focus on your key areas of responsibility; after all, 80% of your important results will come from 20% of your goals- the 80/20 rule.
For you in a leadership role, this one will empower you to manage people and help you to start seeing better results and leading a more fulfilled life. I am not kidding you.
The One Minute Manager is one of those books I finished reading, took a deep breath and asked myself why don’t they have this as a recommended reading at workplaces? It could save people a lot of unnecessary stress. Don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself.
My favorite quote from The One Minute Manager: “We are not just our behavior. We are the person managing our behavior”
4. The Richest Man in Babylon – George S. Clason
This book is a classic on financial advice. It covers all things from savings to investments, insurance, lending to people. It is a really insightful read for anyone who needs financial advice. You will find seven practical and easy to understand principles to become rich as taught by the richest man in Babylon.
If like me, you want to attain financial freedom and give more yet still have in abundance, this is the book for you. It will not only teach you how to make more money but how to protect what you have.
My favorite quote from The Richest Man in Babylon:Opportunity is a haughty goddess who wastes no time with those who are unprepared.
5. The Business of the 21st Century – Robert Kiyosaki
The reason I have included this book in this list is that reading it really provided me with inspiration to develop my first ever website. Written by Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, I did not like that it has a very promotional feel to it with a heavy focus on network marketing.
However, if you can manage to get past that, there is a lot you can learn from it about building a business. I found it easier to view the teachings as applicable to building any business rather than a network marketing business.
Though this book did not convince me to hop on the network marketing train, it challenged me to take action and start my digital entrepreneurship journey.
This book will teach you the basics of building a business that offers value to people from the ground up. By the time I finished reading the book I was charged more than ever to get out and work it.
My favorite quote from The Business of the 21st Century: “If you are considering building your own business, you need to be acutely aware of who you’re spending your time with and who your teachers are. It’s a crucial consideration.”
There you have it. My top 5 personal development books from my 2017 reading list. Find one that you like from this list and let it add value to your life.
Related: The Top 20 Personal Development Books You Should Read This Year.
This one is a must-read list, believe me.
Have you read any of these books? Let me know your views in the comments below. If there is a book that you can recommend for me, I would love to hear that, too. Leave a comment below, and I will definitely check it out.
These will be added to my 2018 list. Currently doing the richest man in Babylon
The Richest Man in Babylon is a powerful book. Let me know how you find it. Thanks for letting me know.
Great books. I’ve read most of them. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome, Sharon. I am glad you have read them, I hope you enjoyed the read.
The Richest Man In Babylon is the only one I have read on this list. I will read the rest of these books this year.
That’s great, Tracy. I hope you get to enjoy them as much as I did.
Great books.. I’ve read most on the list. It’s interesting how we both have the same 2018 goal of reading atleast two books a month. All the best dear.
Have you read the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho? It’s a great read too.
Wow, let’s push those goals along, I hope to actually have read 24 books by the end of the year. I haven’t read Alchemist yet, you are the second person recommending it so I really should check it out. Thank you for the recommendation.