Mindset Book List

Anyone interested in hearing about what’s good in my life has heard me mention the importance I have placed on reading. I look around to people I connect well with to find that they too are readers. I remind my friends often that “leaders are always readers” and that you need to “read to succeed.”

If you’re interested in adding volumes of size to your conscious capacity for thought, as well as a large deposit in your Brain Bank, then I encourage you to consume more books. Read voraciously. Make reading a habit. Books are of particular value because of how much thought, editing, fact-checking, and overall work go into producing them. This beats the hell out of an article that a journalist had to write to meet their five-o-clock deadline. Look around to people who have what you want and more often than not you will find that they are readers.

This book list is non-fiction, which is my current reading obsession. Specifically, I’ve been interested in books that speak to strengthening one’s mindset.

1. Magic of Believing. I consider this book an excellent resource for developing the backbone of all personal success, which is belief. Arnold Schwarzenegger has cited reading this book and it becoming a contributor to his success. In his famous speech on success, the first rule is “Trust yourself” aka believe. If you haven’t heard his speech but you’re reading this sentence, then you need to.
2. Ask and It Is Given. This is easily the best book I’ve ever read on the “law of attraction”. While this talks about the law in relation to the teachings of Abraham, this is not to be mistaken for a Christian book. The messages are universal, but there is a certain degree of belief you must give to what is printed that may contradict your beliefs related to how the universe operates (such as a religious framework). If you’re mind is open, this book lays out a foundation for why things in your life manifest [or don’t]. It will tell you to feel good to get the things you want in life and then outlines method in order to make yourself feel better, which requires zero belief in any of the teachings.
3. Think and Grow Rich. This is the book I’ve gifted most in my life. The concepts in this book are timeless. Reading this book requires an open mind. Practicing the advice in this book requires discipline. The potential secret to amassing any amount of wealth is in the book. It’s important to note, however, that there are now many versions since the original edition was first published in 1937 (which you can purchase or read online for free). The exact content may be diluted to a degree that will not detract from the overall message. I have personally heard Shark Tank mogul Daymond John talk about a year in his youth when he read TAGR several times before launching his career.
4. The Magic of Thinking Big. This book will challenge your thinking. If you think you are thinking big already (like I did), then you need to read this book. @tferriss mentions this one repeatedly and there’s a reason he does.
5. Biscuits, Fleas, and Pump Handles (audio). I’m not sure if I will ever hear a better audio book than this one. It’s technically not even a book, but rather a seminar Zig Ziglar gave some years ago. If you’ve heard of Zig, but have not heard or read anything by him, then give this a listen. I’m pretty sure I’ve listened to it close to 8 times now, partly because of the sheer entertainment value Ziglar provides. You’ll know why this charming gentleman with a southern twang in his voice became known as the greatest salesman of all time. RIP Ziggy.
6. The Power of Habit. You‘re not in control of your mind until you take control of your habits. The books above all speak to changing your thinking and focusing on your goals, but it’s the fundamental principle of habit that will yield results. This book does a great job of explaining decisions vs habits and how we can work on breaking a bad habit/creating new ones.
7. The Willpower Instinct. Positive, focused thinking and an understanding of habits might have you motivated to crush life. The Willpower Instinct will help you on your journey, as it has helped me. Your willpower is not unlimited and having an understanding of it will give you an edge in creating the discipline to form a new habit or engage in new focused thinking. “Don’t count on motivation, count on discipline.”
8. The War of Art / Do The Work. Two books for this recommendation that help humanize the creative battle that occurs in anyone’s mind when trying to accomplish tasks that are viewed as work. It’s doubtful you’ll achieve success by avoiding work, so I recommend these two book by Steven Pressfield that talk about how to mentally frame work in a way that will help you beat the resistance to it. The former of the two is a more detailed version of the latter. I felt Do The Work nicely complimented The War of Art, but I believe you will get the same benefit from reading either two.

Here are books that are on my list because they have been recommended to me by people smarter than I. If you have already read or delve into one of these yourself please let me know what you think in the responses below.

1. Power of Now
2. A New Earth
3. Psycho-Cybernetics

It is my intention to offer my personal review of these books. If these book reviews manifest themselves, it will be the result of the tough decision to cut out other focuses, which is something I haven’t been able to do yet.

Updates:

[01/17/17]- Ask & It Is Given added.

Stefan Leon (@stefan_lion) | Twitter

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