Boost your self-development this holiday with these 4 books

By Adedolapo Fasan

Exams are finally over after a long semester. Now, it’s time to lay your head back, put up your feet and relax. However, just because many more days of relaxation are ahead doesn’t mean to slack off with education, specifically individual growth. So, here are four books that you can use to develop yourself and learn a little bit or two about yourself while you’re at it.

Change is inevitable. As humans, we need to adapt and grow to avoid being left behind. Growth doesn’t happen overnight; it comes through learning. When I got my first book on self-improvement a few years back, I couldn’t get past the first two chapters. I found the book extremely boring. It is only now, 4 years later, that I realize that the books I read would set out steps for me to overcome challenges that I may face.

All self-improvement books have a story to tell. It is up to the reader to decipher and incorporate the lessons into our lives.

The 48 laws of power by Robert Greene:

When I first read this book, the word that flashed through my head was “cunning.” The 48 laws of power center around 48 ways to manipulate people drawing from the teachings of notable figures like Caesar, Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, and many more. Power is a very real thing. The hierarchy of power shapes us, and instead of being at the bottom of the pyramid, this book gives instructions on how to rise to the top. This book is at the top of my recommendation list because I believe that we should all know how people wield the power that they have and how to protect ourselves from abuse of such power.

Seven habits of highly effective people by Stephen. R. Covey:

It’s 25 years after and this book continues to be a best seller. Consider this book a guide, highlighting seven habits that can help us align ourselves with what Covey calls the “true north” principles, to become much more effective in achieving goals.

Covey believes that the way we see the world is entirely based on our perceptions and experiences. And if that is so, then we ought to change our perceptions to change the world and ourselves. We must change ourselves at the inner level—personality, beliefs, attitudes— and not just at the surface level. Changing our current situation through trial and error would be less effective than uprooting all our ingrained blockages and allowing ourselves to change and grow. We need to go through a paradigm shift.

Social skills guidebook Chris MacLeod:

We all need connections. Humans are social animals. Why then do we sometimes find it hard to start conversations and maintain friendships? In his book, Chris has penned down steps to help you step out of your comfort zone, navigate through different parts of a conversation, learn to be a good listener and respond accordingly, and effectively break down the mental barriers and restrictions that are preventing you from advancing in your people skills.

The question book by Mikael Krogerus & Roman Tschäppeler:

Do you know who you are? Written like a guidebook for self-knowledge, this book will make you question who you are at the core. The question book is all about knowing yourself and knowing what makes you tick. What makes you the way you are? Knowing yourself is beneficial to know what you can and cannot do, your skillsets, and what you need to improve upon on yourself. Self-knowledge is the greatest form of self-development.