This is why we read:
“what we call following our gut is really that we are unconsciously guided by every piece of information we have consumed, shaping our instincts and ideas and shaping ourselves”.
You are reading: Best personal development books of all time
– joan westenberg
In addition to reading to feel, most of us read to learn. we want to know what we need to know when we need it, so we keep adding to the number of books. higher. one more. just one more.
We read books recommended by billionaires, books validated by best-seller status, and books our idols tell us to read.
I didn’t read 365 books last year. but I learned from 365 different ones. after around 250, one thing became very clear:
“I don’t need more information. I need to do more things.”
is an all too familiar face on our end-of-the-year list of regrets: “I wish I’d read more books.” but it is never the first on that list. does not come before “I wish I had founded that company” or “I wish I had written that book” or “I wish I had told her he loved her.”
Our biggest regret always comes in different shapes, but in the same size:
“I wish I had done more.”
a lot of smart people tell us to read more. they may be right about the what, but we may be wrong about the how.
reading is not just learning. reading is also running. sometimes that’s running away from doing things.
What if, instead of reading to know, we read more to do? to do big things, little things, more things, all things.
you know who is never demotivated to do things?
children.
Kids don’t read articles like this. kids can’t spell regrets. they don’t need to. they are too busy being the hero of their own story. That’s why we love making them the heroes of our stories.
- Harry Potter receives his letter at age 10.
- Spider-Man was bitten at 15.
- Peter Pan never grows up.
tom sawyer, the little prince, ali baba, oliver twist and, of course, alice in wonderland.
children, children, children. but they are also all heroes. because they make us feel because they force us to do it.
here are 7 inspiring books to rekindle your inner child.
top 7 inspiring books
1 — the alchemist by paulo coelho
“When you want something, the whole universe conspires to help you achieve it.”
I read The Alchemist in 2012, while I was studying in the United States.
this is a book about destiny.
It inspired me to think. think until you can think no more.
I woke up at 5 am every day, I saw every sunrise and every sunset. I wandered through the forest for hours. thinking, thinking, always thinking.
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what kind of college student does that? a boy who, in the end, knew who he wanted to be.
2 — harry potter and the goblet of fire by j.k. paddle
“Soon we all must face the choice between what is right and what is easy.”
nothing highlights the pivotal role of this book better than the fact that j.k. rowling changed her mind about the title — twice.
Until 12 days before printing, the already published title was “Harry Potter and the Doomspell Tournament”.
changing the title was not easy. but it was the right choice.
Harry used to trip over things, and by taking care of himself, he somehow ended up saving the day. In Goblet of Fire, he stops trying to be normal and takes responsibility.
This is a book about integrity.
Harry must fight. for love, for friendship, for what she believes. even for the life of her.
When you’re 14, this book can change who you are. When you’re over 14, you’ll see that even 14-year-olds have to decide between what’s right and what’s easy. and you too.
3 — pippi longstocking by astrid lindgren
“I’ve never tried it before, so I think I should definitely be able to.”
Pippi Longstocking is 9 years old, has superhuman strength, and lives in a rainbow-colored house with her monkey, Mr. nilsson, and her old horse.
this is a book about possibility.
pippi is living proof that you can make your own rules and thrive. she always wins. Not despite her total intolerance for what adults consider normal, but because of it.
pippi makes you question many of the ideas we grew up with. Astrid Lindgren published this book in 1945. Imagine how much the world needed it at that time. and we still need it today.
4 — artemis fowl by eoin colfer
“trust is ignorance. if you feel arrogant, it’s because there’s something you don’t know.”
artemis fowl is the opposite of pippi, but very similar. he is a genius, a millionaire, a criminal mastermind and… 12.
this is a book about humility.
artemisa taught me that all humans make mistakes. even child prodigies. Suddenly being a goofy nerd who rushed through school but was teased a lot was bearable.
One day, we will all learn to be humble. Some of us learn it the hard way. others choose to be. the sooner the better. especially when you’re trying to make your crazy dream come true.
5 — holes by louis sachar
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“When you spend your whole life living in a hole, the only way to get up is up.”
In seventh grade, we had to choose a book we liked and present it to the class. my friend toby made holes. It’s a strange story about Stanley’s eternal struggle against his family history.
this is a book about courage.
despite never getting anywhere, stanley still gets things done. Even in the worst of times, she has the courage to believe in karma and the stamina to act when she’s not around.
In Latin, our teacher wrote a quote on each quiz:
“fortes fortune adiuvat”. — Fortune favors the bold.
This book helps you be bold.
6 — the hunger games: catching fire by suzanne collins
“I wish I could freeze this moment, here and now, and live it forever.”
Catching Fire plays a pivotal role in the Hunger Games trilogy, transforming Katniss’s struggle from survival to self-realization.
this is a book about perseverance.
After finding a sense of purpose in the alchemist, I launched through this series and the second part taught me that life really can be short. It gave me a sense of urgency, because death is always present.
Sometimes fate throws more than one terrible blow, but Katniss and Peeta will teach you that even when there seems to be no possible way forward, you can still continue.
7 — inkheart by cornelia funke
“books have to be heavy because the whole world is inside them.”
the bookbinder mo and his daughter meggie’s journey into the fantasy worlds of their favorite books sent me spiraling into my own.
this is a book about hope.
Both of them believe beyond belief, so inkheart captures the underlying hope of all the books: that after we finish reading, we’ll be better human beings.
This is why we actually read:
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — maya angelou
When I point to these inspiring books, I’m not pointing to resources. I’m aiming for memories. for each of them, I can tell you a time and a place. More importantly, I can tell you about a feeling that left me.
what you are reading right now, my work, is based on those feelings. and I can retrieve them when I need to, just by thinking about the books. that’s worth more than even the best practical advice.
Of course you don’t have to read books to feel inspired. there are heroes around you. continue your journey. venture down the rabbit hole. fall into your story. fall in love.
once you feel inspired, stop. turn the page, close the book, close the tab and then…
get up and do things.
other book lists
Looking for more of the best books on various topics? here are all the book lists we’ve made for you so far:
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