Books - Building Yourself
This is a section about books to read for self-help. Some passing thoughts when it comes to self-help books…
Be aware that reading self-helps are viewed as generally helpful, but don’t let the illusion of reading them make you feel better…they are only helpful if you actually go out and change! Focus more on applying the knowledge instead of only consuming.
There is a growing view in the self-help movement that seems to try and say that “self-help is the key to success and that you can achieve what ever you want through shear will. If your not getting what you want you are just not working hard enough” - and that is a very dangerous way of thinking. It focuses too much on the external values that you don’t have control over. Having too many expectations for things that you don’t have control over is a recipe for unmet expectations. What you need to pay attention is how you feel about yourself (intrinsic values) and what you do have control over - your values, habits, skills.
Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
This was my first entry into the self-help category and has shaped my worldview. The best way I can sum up this book is that there is a ton of crap going on in the world, and Manson is trying to give you a framework for deciding what to care about. The most interesting point of the book is to value things that are intrinsic instead of extrinsic. For example software engineers should value the ability to create software that runs much of the world, compared to valuing position and salary, of which we have little control for. Super easy read, I bet most of you can finish it in a week.
7 Habits of High Effective People
This is one of those books that I wish I had read back in college. This book is packed with wisdom that you will carry through for the rest of your life. The reason I mention this book in the college preparation section is because how much you can apply these character traits towards school, where you have arguably the most freedom to explore yourself and build habits that you can take with you.