The Power of the Written Word
From my earliest days, the practice of reading and taking the time for purposeful learning has been completely ingrained in my daily routine, being something I look forward to each day and helping me immensely. This has always been a habit I love and one that has been instrumental in optimising my own journey of personal growth and self development.
There is a feeling of accomplishment when finishing a book and in the practice of reading there lies the potential for knowing within oneself that whether you’ve read 1 or 100 pages in a day that you’ve engaged in a practice that is contributing to your own growth journey, that with each page read you are gradually cultivating greater levels of knowledge.
This is part of the reason that I recommend reading for those set on the path to growth as the gradual accumulation of knowledge can translate into greater levels of wisdom and insight which is crucial to the process. Thus, for those interested, I have created a list below of books that I feel could be incredibly helpful for those on their own journey of growth.
These books I have placed in reading order, with the goal being to build a knowledge of psychology and human nature as it presents both individually within the mind as well as within the broader world we live. The first five books will lay the foundation for understanding before building towards the more complex content of the next five books.
Happy Reading
Where to Begin…
This is the one book above all others that I recommend people read and therefore a great starting point for anyone to begin their personal growth focused reading journey. The central thesis of this book speaks to the innate need for meaning in our lives and furthermore how the meaning we give to our experiences will dictate how we navigate our every day life and lifetime as a whole. This book ultimately displays the true power of our attitude, mindset and perspective in any given moment and the freedom we all have to choose how we approach and view any experience, however difficult it may be.
Beautifully written journey through the 87 emotions that define the human experience that is thorough and expansive while offering different lenses by which to understand and view the complexity of each emotional state. Being able to be aware of and name our emotions as they occur as well as how different experiences may elicit certain emotions in us is crucial to our ability to self-regulate and navigate our life effectively. Therefore, this book is a great starting point for those wanting to facilitate higher levels of emotional intelligence and self-awareness that will help along their growth journey.
A book that offers a profound insight into human wellbeing and mental health, spanning outwards to take a comprehensive examination of how society and the way we live impacts our capacity to live a meaningful life. The author travelled the world to talk to the leading experts about the actual causes of depression and anxiety, ultimately finding that there lies a mass disconnect from the pursuits that truly make us human. There is a huge amount of misinformation spread around mental health and this book helps those wanting to find the answers and connect with themselves on a deeper level.
This book is a great introduction to stoicism, an ancient school of philosophy which ascribes that the pursuit of virtues such as wisdom, courage, temperance and justice attributes to a life well lived. The author draws on this ancient philosophy and utilises examples from historical figures and fictional characters to illustrate how our own ego can become our greatest opponent in the pursuit of our goals and overall wellbeing. Through self-reflection we can help identify and guard against our ego’s potential dangers and approach our aspirations, success and failures with humility and resilience.
Following a similar format to Ego is the Enemy, this book is easy to absorb and utilises examples from famous and iconic individuals to illustrate how and why people behave the way that they do. Understanding human behaviour is incredibly important, this includes bringing awareness to and shining a light on the darker sides of our nature which the author does masterfully by highlighting both the positive and negative elements of our respective behaviours. Reading this book, one can draw parallels between the themes and the therapeutic process that assist with one’s growth journey.
“Books are mirrors: you only see in them what you already have inside you.”
Greater Understanding
Written by a hero of mine, this book had a profound impact on my own personal growth and self development journey and is the magnum opus of the father of the humanistic psychology movement and person-centred therapy. The author covers areas ranging from facilitating greater connection to ourselves and our interpersonal relationships to building empathy and compassion both individually and within our communities that could lay the foundation for a more harmonious world in the future. Reading this book leaves you with a profound belief in the innate potential that exists within each and every human being in a way that is empowering and inspirational.
Regarded as perhaps the seminal text of stoic philosophy and one of the greatest works of philosophy ever written, this book carries the personal beliefs and spiritual reflections of the great Roman Emperor and one of the most powerful men in history; Marcus Aurelius as he tries to make sense of himself, human nature and the universe. Written over 2000 years ago this book continues to stand the test of time and was never intended for publication with the content being taken from the personal journals of Marcus Aurelius, what remains is timeless wisdom that one can apply to their own life.
This is one of the most important books I’ve ever read that is masterfully written by one of the pre-eminent experts in the world today on addiction, trauma and healing. Exploring human nature, our psychological development, biology as well as the myths surrounding mental afflictions, this book oscillates between individual stories and the broader scope of how our culture impacts and shapes our stories and all of the above in a way that is comparable yet more powerful than Lost Connections. Ultimately the author enlightens the reader, moving seamlessly through the misinformation that is spread and works toward a framework for healing on an individual and societal level.
Profound exploration on self-actualisation and the realisation of our highest potential. The author reimagines Abraham Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs and unfinished theory of transcendence while remaining true to Maslow’s original theories there is an integration of the latest research and science on personal growth and self development as well as greater depth and exploration of humanistic psychology and it’s core ideas. Furthermore, this is a great accompanying book to A Way of Being and has exercises throughout that will help readers apply the concepts and ideas to their own life.
Perhaps the pre-eminent text on the enneagram; a psychological framework and system describing nine distinct personality types that through understanding can help facilitate transformative personal growth and self development. This book balances psychology and spirituality with the goal of helping readers determine their personality type and illuminates the path toward greater self-understanding as well as enhancing empathy for yourself and others. Ultimately, this book helps readers understand that their core fears, motivations, qualities and traits are shared by others in the world which in turn facilitates greater connection and an improved capacity to maximise our potential.