Reading is one of my favourite things to do. Nothing makes me happier than sitting down with a great book and immersing myself in it’s world of wisdom and wonder.
My areas of interest are psychology, spirituality, personal development, Lean, business, marketing and entrepreneurship. I have read many wonderful books that each in their own unique way have changed my life for the better.
Below is a list of books I love, maybe you’ve read some of these or maybe you’ll put them on your to read list. Either way I’m sure they will transform your life in a positive way just as they have done for me
I start this list with my Top 5 books of all time. These are books that I read over and over again and with every reading I find new wisdom, new learnings and a new view on the world.
My Top 5 Books
The Power Of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now is my favourite book of all time and has been since I first read it over 10 years ago.
The first time I read this book I didn’t really understand it, however what I did understand was that there was a very powerful message in the book. Each subsequent reading has brought a deeper understanding of the simple principle that Eckhart teaches – there is only the Now, there never was and never will be anything other than the Now.
Eckhart explains the past is gone, the future isn’t here yet and so all we have is this present moment. This is where we should focus our mind & our efforts – in this the present moment.
I listen to the audio version of The Power of Now every 3 months and it keeps me focused on the Now. Without a doubt, this is the best and most powerful book I have ever read or listened to.
If you haven’t read this book I suggest you buy it, read it, study it, give it the time it deserves and live the teachings, it will transform your life.
The 7 Spiritual Laws Of Success by Deepak Chopra
This is a most beautiful book by one of the world’s leading spiritual teachers Deepak Chopra.
If you want success in your life then buy, read and implement the teachings of this beautiful book.
This is a short book at just 118 pages. It is easy to read and understand yet the simplistic and powerful teachings will take a lifetime to implement.
These are the 7 Spiritual Laws of Success outlined in Deepak’s book,
- The Law of Pure Potentiality: Take time to be silent, to just BE – silently witness the intelligence within every living thing, practice non-judgment.
- The Law of Giving: Keep wealth circulating by giving and receiving care, affection, appreciation and love.
- The Law of Karma: Every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind. Choosing actions that bring happiness and success to others ensures the flow of happiness and success to you.
- The Law of Least Effort: Accept people, situations, and events as they occur. Take responsibility for your situation and for all events seen as problems, relinquish the need to defend your point of view.
- The Law of Intention and Desire: Inherent in every intention and desire is the mechanics for its fulfillment. Make a list of desires, trust that when things don’t seem to go your way, there is a reason.
- The Law of Detachment: Allow yourself and others the freedom to be who they are. Do not force solutions – allow solutions to spontaneously emerge, uncertainty is essential, and your path to freedom.
- The Law of Dharma/Purpose: Everyone has a purpose in life, a unique gift or special talent to give to others. When we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Man’s Search for Meaning is a classic and one of the best and most impactful books ever written.
Viktor Frankl was a holocaust survivor who lost everything in Auschwitz during World War II. As awful and inhumane as his conditions were, the message from Viktor’s book isn’t one of fear and loss.
Viktor’s message is one of hope and resilience and the ability to find meaning in life, no matter the circumstances.
Viktor, through his personal story and strength of character teaches us that no matter what the situation is, no matter how hard things get, no matter what is taken away for us in this physical world we still have, in Frankl’s own words
‘the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way’.
This book reminds us that things can always be worse and no matter what we lose, we never lose the ability to choose how we feel about and react to our circumstances.
Is there any greater meaning in life than to choose one’s own attitude and one’s own way?
This book is only 154 pages long but on every reading it will bring deeper wisdom and a more profound connection to meaning in our lives.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
To say I adore this book is a huge understatement. It is, by far, the best, most profound, most exciting, most down to earth book I have ever read on leadership. If you want to learn about the real meaning of leadership and become a better leader read this book.
Jocko starts this incredible book by explaining that this is not an individual’s glorified war story but it is indeed ‘all about the team’.
The focus on teamwork is evident from the beginning of this book, throughout every chapter right up to the last word. Jocko explains as ‘Seals they operate as a team of high calibre, multi-talented individuals who have been through perhaps the toughest military training and the most rigorous screening process anywhere. In the Seal program, it is all about the team, the sum is far greater than the parts’. Jocko goes on to say ‘we call ourselves team guys’.
We are given a glimpse into the fine characters of these great leaders Jocko Willink and Leif Babin as they explain that they wrote the book to capture and pass on the leadership lessons they had learned on the battlefield and through their work with civilian business’s so that such crucial lessons may not be forgotten or need to be relearned or rewritten.
Jocko and Leif wrote this book for leaders everywhere so they may use the principles they share to lead and win.
Even with all of their accomplishments, experience and knowledge, Jocko and Leif remain extremely humble which is hugely admirable. This humility is evident as they explain they ‘continue to learn and grow as leaders every day and that they pass on these leadership lessons not from a pedestal or a position of superiority but from a humble place where the scars of their failings still show’.
What I loved most about this book is the fact that the leadership lessons shared through their incredible experiences are so simple. With all the complications, complexities and dangers of war, the lessons shared are ones we can all learn from and apply.
The leadership basics of solid, clear and consistent communication, keeping everything simple, effective teamwork, planning, planning and more planning, prioritisation, accountability and courage are woven into all of the fascinating true-life stories that Jocko and Leif tell. All told with the one over arching principle in mind that,
The single most important factor on the battlefield or in business is leadership.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough and if you’re a fan of audiobooks it’s narrated by the authors which is always a treat!
Here is my book review on this brilliant book – Extreme Ownership.
The Shift – From Ambition to Meaning by Dr Wayne Dyer (RIP)
Dr Wayne Dyer RIP is one of my favourite authors and spiritual teachers. Wayne has written 34 books, each of them jam packed with heaps of wisdom, guidance and deep truth but this book is one of his greatest works.
The Shift is about moving from being led by your ego to being guided by your soul,
- From doing to being
- From striving to thriving
- From problems to possibilities
- From attachment to freedom
- FROM AMBITION TO MEANING
This is a short book at 149 pages but like all of Dr Wayne Dyer’s brilliant books, the wisdom on each page can last a lifetime!
If what you are doing isn’t working for you and you want more meaning in your life, I highly recommend From Ambition to Meaning.
Wayne Dyer explains his wonderful book in the following words,
‘As we contemplate leaving the morning of our life, where ego has played a commanding role, and entering the afternoon (and evening), where meaning and purpose replace ambition and struggle, we may encounter unexpected occurrences that accompany this new direction.
It’s almost a universal law that we’ll experience a fall of some kind. Yet these falls or low points provide the energy we need to move away from ego and into a life of meaning and purpose.
The Shift doesn’t mean that we lose our drive and ambition; it signifies that we become ambitious about something new. We make a commitment to living a life based on experiencing meaning and feeling purposeful, rather than never-ending demands and false promises that are the trademark of the ego’s agenda’ Dr Wayne Dyer
My Favourite Books on Finance
If you are looking for some excellent books on finance I highly recommend the following,
How To Be Good With Money by Eoin McGee
This is a super book that would financially benefit everyone if it was taught in school. Eoin is all about getting the financial basics right then building on them to work towards and achieve financial freedom. Eoin explains all elements of personal finance in an easy to understand, no jargon way which makes this book such an enjoyable read.
Eoin is a super guy to follow on Instagram and he does a Q&A every week which is really helpful. Eoin also runs his own financial consultancy Prosperous, where you can take advantage of those who know best in the financial world to improve your finances.
Money – Master the Game by Tony Robbins
This book goes into finance in great depth. Finance is not my favourite subject and so I skipped a few chapters as I didn’t enjoy or understand them. Listening to this on audible made this easy to do. As well as chapters I didn’t understand there were chapters that I loved and listened to over and over again.
Chapter 8 is one of the chapters I loved. It is all about financial freedom and it is worth buying this book for this chapter alone. Tony walks through the simple steps of financial freedom and explains really well how it’s not as difficult to achieve as you may think.
This is an excellent book for those who want to dive a bit deeper into finance and financial freedom.
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Think and Grow Rich is a literary masterpiece first published in 1937. It’s as much a book about success and manifestation as it is about money. Napoleon Hill’s storytelling is unique and captivating and his 13 step formula for success is easy to understand – implementation takes a bit more work!
This is the type of book that you can read over and over again as you go deeper and deeper into the wisdom shared by Napoleon Hill.
A must read for anyone serious about financial freedom!
I truly believe that having a growth mindset is the first step to reaching financial goals.
While this book isn’t solely about finance it does go a long way to explaining the necessity of a growth mindset in terms of financial success. This book teaches the difference and the inevitable consequences of having a growth mindset or a fixed mindset in all elements of life including business, parenting, school and relationships.
An absolute brilliant book that I highly recommend no matter what your interests are.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Rober T. Kiyosaki
I found many similarities between this book and Mindset in terms of the importance of a growth and abundance mindset when it comes to finance.
This is a very easy read as the lessons it teaches are told through a brilliant story. The financial teachings are easy to understand and jargon free which is how I like to learn about finance.
A super read no matter what your level of personal financial knowledge is.
More of my favourite books to follow…….
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Thanks for reading,
Siobhain
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