The road to improving one’s self is seldom very easy and sometimes we need a good book to show us the way.
We all have goals and dreams that we want to achieve. Whether it’s about work, academics, relationship, or personal, these goals require our effort and focus. Sometimes, they also demand that we become better versions of ourselves and employ better strategies as well. Below are five authors who wrote remarkable books on self-improvement.
Spencer Johnson / Who Moved My Cheese
Dr. Spencer Johnson was an American physician and author of the children’s book series Value Tales. In 1998, he published Who Move My Cheese? It is a business fable that remains a relevant motivational read. The book only contains 32 pages. The books tell the story of two mice named Sniff and Scurry, and two Littlepeople Hem and Haw. Johnson’s allegory revolves around the search for new cheese, as cheese nourishes both mice and Littlepeople. The story contains lessons that can be applied in business as well as in personal dealings. Who Move My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life is a delightfully remarkable read.
Daniel Kahneman / Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman is an Israeli-American psychologist and economist. Kahneman is known for his work on behavioral economics, and the psychology of judgment and decision-making. In 2011, he published Thinking, Fast and Slow. It summarizes the research that Kahneman, mostly in collaboration with Amos Tversky, a cognitive and mathematical psychologist. The focus of Kahneman’s books is the dichotomy between two modes of thought. The first mode is fast, instinctive, and emotion-driven. The other is slow, deliberate, and more logical. Another important highlight is the discussion on “pervasive optimistic bias”. This bias generates the illusion of control which is an important factor in achieving self-improvement.
Dr. Peter Justus / The Pursuit of Personal Renaissance Experience
Dr. Peter Justus, MD is a gastroenterology specialist by profession. He has been practicing for 41 years. He graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1974. One day, while brushing his teeth, Peter encounters an epiphany that made him re-examine his life. What followed next is a series of musings that would eventually comprise the chapters of The Pursuit of Personal Renaissance Experience. In this book, Dr. Peter Justus discussed how to find purpose and meaning in one’s life and how living in the moment helps us truly achieve a sense of fulfillment and genuine happiness. Listen to Peter Justus radio interview in America Tonight with Kate Delaney.
Michael Alan Singer / The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
Michael Alan Singer is a bestselling author. He is also the founder of the Temple of the Universe, a non-profit organization. The Temple serves as a yoga and meditation center where people of any religion or set of beliefs can come together and experience inner peace. Singer authored two books before publishing The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself. The said book is composed of lectures that discuss yogic philosophy. The concept of self, the meaning of life, and the theory of the mind. The book appeals to readers of various levels. Michael A. Singer provides simple yet profound answers on how to achieve inner peace and serenity. The book already over a million copies and remains a relevant read to this day.
Bill Burnet and Dave Evans / Design Your Life: Build A Life That Works For You
Design Your Life: Build A Life That Works For You is a unique self-improvement from unlikely authors. Dave Evans was a management consultant and lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, and a co-founder of Electronic Arts. Bill Burnett is the Executive Director of the Design Program at Stanford University. Design Your Life is composed of many key insights and exercises that they designed for a popular elective. The highlight of the books is a method called “design thinking”. It has been the subject of two Ph.D. theses and yielded significant results in helping people design the life they want to live. The book was published in 2016.