I have found that continuous learning through reading has been the main reason for success in my life. Here are some books that I have read that I recommend to you:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
A classic and a must-read title. Covey is one of the premier authors in the realm of personal development and this book is his crown jewel. This book is very readable and contains a significant amount of information that will help you to make use of your time better, control your emotions, and take control of your life.
Goals! – Brian Tracy
Brian Tracy is one of my favorite authors. He gives common-sense advice and delivers it in a very readable and actionable way. This book reads very quickly and is one of my favorite books to read before bed. Tracy provides clear methods for setting goals and making progress toward achieving them. I first bought the audio book for this title but found it much easier to follow through his book.
How to Win Friends & Influence People – Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie’s book is another classic and must-read title. Carnegie uses story-telling throughout the book to convey his ideas. It gets a little long-winded for my liking, but it’s a very good book nonetheless. One of my favorite nuggets from Carnegie in this book is: “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”
First, Break All the Rules – Buckingham and Coffman
This book changed my career. I was progressing nicely in my group from a technical individual contributor into a management position. However, my strengths and talents were not the best fit for the management role I was now in. This book helped me realize that people succeed by finding a role that maximizes their strengths and minimizes the negative effect of their weaknesses. Soon after finishing the book, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to move to a different role within the company and as a result was much happier and successful.
