“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can, there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.” Sarah Albert
Are you someone who likes to grow? Do you constantly seek to improve yourself and become better? If you do, then we have something in common. I’m very passionate about personal growth. It was just 3
years ago when I discovered that my career was not going where I wanted it to go. I felt that the nature of the work I was doing was not work I was passionate about. I embarked on a crash course on personal and professional development in order to determine my next step!
As a relentless advocate of growth, I believe everyone should have a personal growth and renewal plan. A major component of this plan is reading! Reading is a simple step which you can engage in immediately. If listening is more your learning style, most, if not all, of these books are available in an audio format. The more books you read, the greater your fund of knowledge. You get exposure to experts and thought leaders on a regular basis. How cool is that! What are some books you can start reading to enrich and renew yourself? These are a few of my many favorites!
“Soloing: Realizing Your Life\’s Ambition” by Harriet Rubin
Soloing has two meanings: \”going it alone\” and being \”complete in yourself\”. This book is full of inspiring advice for professionals dreaming of crossing over from a corporate world of prescribed boundaries to the limitless opportunities of soloing. She describes how people can do great things-things they would never be able to accomplish inside the corporate
structure.
“The Pursuit of Wow! Every Persons Guide to Topsy-Turvey Times” by Tom Peters
If you want to get going, this book is a motivation booster! Tom Peters is all about simplicity and excitement, both in his language and in his message. One of the originators of the personal brand concept, his message is: The workplace is becoming ever more competitive, so you need to make yourself stand out. Do this by viewing your work as a series of critical projects and injecting limitless enthusiasm into each one. In delivering this consistent message, Mr. Peters tosses out scores of common-sense lines that are so insightful that you just have to jot them down.
“Linchpin- Are You Indispensible?” by Seth Godin
This book is about
you-your choices, your future, and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose. There used to be two teams
in every workplace:
management and labor. Now there\’s a third team, the linchpins.These people figure out what to do when there\’s no rule book.
They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art. Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organizations. They may not be famous but they\’re indispensable. And in today\’s world, they
get the best jobs and the most freedom.
As Godin writes, \”Every day I meet people who have so much to give but have been bullied enough or frightened enough to hold it back. It\’s time to stop complying with the system and draw your own map. You have brilliance in you, your contribution is essential,and the art you create is precious. Only you can do it, and you must.\”
“Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else” by Geoffrey Colvin
What does it take to excel? Hard work? Natural talent? According to Geoff Colvin, both the “hard work” and “natural talent” camps are wrong. What really makes the difference is a highly specific kind of effort-\”deliberate practice\”- that few of us pursue whether we\’re practicing golf or piano or anything we are trying to master. Based on scientific research, this book shares the secrets of extraordinary performance and shows how to apply these principles.
Commit to your personal growth. We are responsible for it. Make the decision to commit to a personal growth and renewal plan. Become a lifelong learner. Kick start your plan by picking a title above and get inspired. The results may not be immediate, but as long as you keep to it, you’ll start seeing positive changes in yourself and your life.