Have you ever read a book that you consider to have changed your life in some way? Be it fiction, motivational, or a self-help book, there are many texts that have the ability to change a person’s perspective, attitude, or spark creativity with the power of words. Here are a few books that are considered by some to be “life-changing.”
59 Seconds: Change Your Life in Under a Minute – Richard Wiseman takes psychology research and tells you how to improve your life in a straightforward and entertaining way.
Creativity – Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi did interviews with 91 groundbreaking individuals across a number of disciplines, including 14 Nobel Prize winners. It looks at what they have in common and what does it take to be a successful creative professional. Csikszentmihalyi studies creativity, happiness, and flow.
Mindless Eating: Why we Eat more than We Think – Brian Wansink studies our behavior around food and he explains in this book why you eat. Some notes from this book that may interest you: dessert tastes better on fine china than a paper place, and big plates make you eat more.
Power: Why some People Have it and Others Don’t – Want to understand how office politics work? This is the book. It combines research with examples. It is a must read because the factors are fundamental to human nature.
Influence – This is considered the single best book on the psychology of persuasion. There are universal principles that make something influential: scarcity, authority, social proof, liking, reciprocity and consistency.
Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us – The best most accessible research on what motivates us. For jobs that require creativity and problem solving, research shows we are motivated by a desire for autonomy, mastery and purpose. Money is really only a motivate for work that does not inspire passion or deep thought. The single best motivator is progress and the best predictor of success is “grit.”
What life-changing books have you read?