Personal development is one of my favorite genres to read, but it wasn’t always something I enjoyed. There are a lot of bad personal development books out there! After I started reading more books that were well-written and didn’t offer the same, obvious advice over and over, I became hooked! Here are my top three recommendations for personal development books:
High Performance Habits
Brendon Burchard writes that there are six habits that highly effective people have: clarity, energy, necessity, productivity, influence, and courage. This book explains each habit at length, including why you need the trait, and gives practical advice on developing each habit. I took pages and pages of notes and was able to incorporate habits into my daily routine that helped reframe my mindset.
For example, before some of my antsy classes, I have an alarm on my phone set that says “Passion, Present, Serve” to remind me to be my very best for those kids. It has truly helped me have more fun and keep in mind my mission during hard times. I also have the High Performance Habits planner, and out really helps me focus on what’s important for the day!
Girl, Stop Apologizing
Yep, I’m on the Rachel Hollis bandwagon! “Girl, Wash Your Face” was one of the first personal development books that I read that I really connected with. Her personal, intimate writing style isn’t for everyone; I know several people who have read her book and felt that she came across as trying to relate to your average woman when she had advantages in growing her brand. I get that, but I still think her message is fantastic, and, personally, I think she’s hilarious.
“Girl, Stop Apologizing” broke down some of my most common beliefs (like, yes, when you first start doing anything, it’s going to be terrible…but you should still do it!) Then, it listed some habits that you should adopt, such as focusing on one habit at a time. Finally, she ends with skills you need to acquire in order to be successful. While some of the advice seems obvious, it’s worded in a way that really motivated me to get to work!
Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want
“Living Forward,” by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy, gives a detailed plan to writing out your priorities in life. This sounds so simple, but I really enjoyed reading and stopping to think about what was really important to me. I believe that when things get hard, if you don’t have a good “why” you will give up- this book helps you keep your “why” in mind whenever you make any decision. Any time I make a big decision, I now think about how it will affect the legacy I hope to leave. It helps remind me of who I want to be- genuine, kind, happy, positive, and determined- when I would rather be grumpy or pessimistic. If you’re looking for a book to help outline your priorities and the legacy you hope to leave in great detail, this is the book for you!
I hope you give one of these personal development books a chance! I am all for learning constantly, and there are so many amazing books out there to teach us new ways to grow.
If you’ve read any of these books, what were your greatest takeaways? In the comments below, let me know some of your favorite personal development books!
