Three Books That Changed My Life.
Introduction
As someone who's passionate about personal and professional development, I'm always on the lookout for amazing books that help me get better. Better in life, work, relationships and with my family and friends. Over the years, I've read many amazing books, but there are three that really stand out. Drum roll please… Mindset by Carol Dweck, How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith, and Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Mindset is a fabulous book that introduced me to the concept of the growth mindset. Dweck argues that our beliefs about our abilities and intelligence can either limit or empower us. A fixed mindset assumes that our abilities are innate and unchangeable, while a growth mindset believes that they can be developed through effort and learning.
My Key Takeaways:
- If you do not step outside of your comfort zone then you will never develop
- Reframe “failures” to learning experiences
- Focus on doing something, not perfection
- If you believe you can do something, you are much more likely to succeed
How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith
This book is a must-read for any woman looking to advance her career and personal life. Helgesen and Goldsmith identify 12 habits that hold women back and offer practical advice on how to overcome them. (Plus you can listen to the audiobook while on the move here.)
My Key Takeaways:
- Recognise and challenge limiting beliefs and behaviours
- Build and leverage relationships and networks that support your growth
- Speak up and don't be afraid to claim credit where credit is due
- Do not let pleasing others get in the way of making good decisions (see my people pleasing blog here)
Atomic Habits offers a comprehensive guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones. Clear provides actionable strategies for creating lasting change in our lives.
My Key Takeaways:
- Start small and focus on incremental progress
- Create an environment that supports your habits
- Celebrate small wins
- Be consistent and persistent in your efforts
Conclusion
These three books have had a profound impact on my personal and professional life. They have played a big part in helping me do more, not let my beliefs hold me back and to fight for what I want. There is one stand out theme across all three of these books for me; doing something imperfectly is better than doing nothing. See my previous blog of “Progress over Perfection”. I highly recommend these books to anyone looking to transform their lives for the better.