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Has a self-help book ever changed your life?
Avid readers would most likely answer “yes” to this question. If you’ve just started to pick up the habit of reading, you’re going to want to keep this habit for the rest of your life.
Many books are powerful and transformational. In general, books give you access to the world’s brightest minds throughout history. They make it possible for you to learn from the timeless wisdom of great thinkers who lived hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
The best books to read are mostly in the self-help genre because they have the potential to improve your life and your way of thinking. Here are seven compelling reasons to pick one up from the bookstore or the library:
1. Self-help books offer different perspectives about life and how you ought to live.
Seeing life from different viewpoints helps you develop a broader understanding of things. You are not confined to the limits of your perceptions because you can see things through other people’s eyes. Also, reading allows you to open yourself to different ways of thinking and doing. This allows you to see problems and challenges from different angles, which enables you to be better at finding solutions.
2. A self-help book can change your attitude for the better.
The famous self-help author, Zig Ziglar once said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” Most self-help books offer you deep insights into your life experiences. These insights compel you to examine your beliefs and assumptions so you can adopt the right attitude towards life and the world around you.
3. You won’t have to learn the hard way because you’ll learn from the experience of others.
Self-help authors often share their own experiences and they often include the mistakes they made in the past. It’s good to learn from your mistakes, but it’s far better to learn from the mistakes of others. You can spare yourself the heartaches and headaches that often come with making mistakes. Also, you save time and effort when you allow others to teach you as opposed to learning all by yourself through trial and error.
4. Reading a self-help book can inspire and motivate you.
Is your confidence waning? Do you feel uninspired? Is your motivation flagging? One of the best things you can do if you find yourself in a negative state is to turn to self-help books. They’re mostly written to inspire and encourage readers. They show you what’s possible by giving examples of people who were once in your shoes, but have accomplished the same goals you hope to achieve.
5. A self-help book can push you out of your comfort zone.
No growth can happen if you’re too comfortable, that’s why self-help authors tend to challenge readers to step outside their comfort zone. They encourage you to explore your perceived limits and to stretch your abilities to the furthest extent. When you let yourself out of your comfort zone, you’ll discover things that you never thought you’re capable of.
6. A self-help book can help you develop greater awareness of yourself as well as the people and things around you.
Oftentimes, self-help books invite you to reflect and explore the realities about yourself by giving you some questions to ponder on. They help you gain clarity and help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Aside from leading you into greater awareness of yourself, self-help books also open your eyes to the world around you. You’ll see the world through the eyes of people who are wiser and more experienced than you.
7. Self-help books help you discover ways to become the best version of yourself.
As you become more aware of who you truly are, you begin to see your strengths and weaknesses more clearly. You improve yourself when you either overcome a weakness or reinforce a strength. Self-help books teach you ways on how to improve the different aspects of your life so you can become the best that you can be.
As you can see, self-help books offer priceless benefits anyone would be crazy to ignore. The best part is, most books are affordable. You can even download digital copies of self-help classics in different formats for free. Websites like Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive list public domain books and their download links.
Also, nowadays, books don’t have to clutter your space. A big library can fit into a gadget, thanks to digitization. With the right apps, you can even read books from your phone while you’re commuting to work or waiting in line at a store.
Developing a Habit of Reading Self-Help Books
There’s no reason for you not to pick up the habit of reading. It’s all up to you. But if you really want to develop a reading habit that sticks, here are a few helpful tips:
1. Set a goal and track your progress. This is one of surest ways to get motivated to read. Start with a small goal–say a few pages a day–and track your progress using a tool like Bookly. Don’t forget to celebrate your small wins!
2. Find a good time and place to read. Author Michael Hyatt once wrote, “What gets scheduled gets done.” Carve out time in your daily schedule for reading. You can find pockets of time for reading here and there, but it’s always best to have a definite schedule. Also, you need to focus when you read, so make sure you find a place without any distractions.
3. Bring a self-help book with you wherever you go. Reading lets you make the best use of the time you’d otherwise waste on waiting. It doesn’t have to be a physical book. You can have a reader installed in your gadget so you can have access to digital books anytime, anywhere.
One last thing…
You’ve just read how self-help books can change your life. However, keep in mind that reading alone will not make your life any better. You must translate knowledge into action. So when you read self-help books, be sure to find actionable insights and put them into practice as soon as possible. When you develop the habit of putting the lessons you’ve learned into action, you’ll be amazed at how your life improves.
