Recommended self-development books

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  • Cover of Jamie Kern Lima's book: Believe it: How to Go from Underestimated to Unstoppable.

    'Believe it' by Jamie Kern Lima

    Jamie Kern Lima is resilience personified! Be inspired by her persistence and courage in the face of overwhelming rejection.

    This book is Jamie's rags to riches story of starting a cosmetics company in her living room, which went on to be sold to L'Oreal for over a billion dollars. Yes - billion, with a 'B'.

    Favourite quote: "We aren't who other people say we are, we're who we believe we are."

  • Cover of David Goggins' book: Can't Hurt me: Master your Mind and Defy the Odds

    'Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds' by David Goggins

    From impoverish and abused child; to overweight pest control worker; to Navy SEAL; to extreme endurance athlete and "The Fittest (Real) Man in America”.

    Read about David Goggins' mind over body, self-discipline techniques to push past fear and pain to achieve what you want.

    Favourite quote: "I don't stop when I'm tired, I stop when I'm done."

  • Cover of Ichiro Kisimi and Fumitake Koga's Book: The Courage to be Disliked: The Japanese phenomenon that shows you how to free yourself, change your life and achieve real happiness

    'The Courage to be Disliked' by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

    Conversations between a Japanese philosopher and a young (and skeptical) student about the theories of Alfred Adler, founder of Individual Psychology.

    This book teaches why it's "not your task" to be liked or live your life according to other people's expectations.

    Favourite quote: “A healthy feeling of inferiority is not something that comes from comparing oneself to others, but from one’s comparison with one’s ideal self.”

  • Cover of Roger Seip's book: Train Your Brain for Success: Read smarter, remember more and break your own records.

    'Train Your Brain for Success' by Roger Seip

    The main promise of this book is learning how to read faster, study better and remember with ease, BUT it's also jam packed with excellent self-development strategies.

    Roger Seip offers tips on goal setting, advice for staying in the moment and an assessment of your current desire to learn, willingness to change and teach-ability scores.

    Favourite quote: "The more clearly you can picture the results you want, the more likely you are to deliver the performance that produces those results.”

  • Cover of Oprah Winfrey and Dr Bruce Perry's Book: What Happened to you?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing

    'What Happened to you?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing' by Oprah Winfrey and Dr Bruce Perry

    Powerful stories from Oprah Winfrey's life and Dr Bruce Perry's 30 years of experience as a clinical psychiatrist.

    These conversations emphasise the importance of shifting trauma recovery approach from 'what's wrong with you?' to 'what happened to you?'.

    Favourite quote: "We elicit from the world what we project into the world; but what you project is based on what happened to you as a child."

  • Cover of Sonya Renee Taylor's Book: The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-love.

    'The Body is Not an Apology' by Sonya Renee Taylor

    A guide to unapologetically accepting and loving yourself and your body. 'The Body is Not an Apology' calls readers to practice "radical self-love" of their own and other people's bodies, regardless of any differences.

    Favourite quote: “We practice self-acceptance when we have grown tired of self-hatred but can’t conceive of anything beyond a paltry tolerance of ourselves.”

  • 'Judgement Detox' by Gabrielle Bernstein

    With the tagline of "Release the beliefs that hold you back from living a better life", Judgement Detox is an ideal companion for your Emotion Code healing journey.

    Gabby honestly assesses her own struggles with judging herself and others. This book invites readers to follow a process of mindfully acknowledging our own judgement, without judgement.

    Favourite quote: "I forgive my past, I release the future and I honour how I feel in the present.”

  • Cover of Glennon Doyle's book: Untamed.

    'Untamed' by Glennon Doyle

    Lessons from Glennon Doyle's battle to free herself from people pleasing, and learning to trust her inner knowing of what is best for herself.

    A booked filled with advice and inspiration to begin living a brave, confident and 'untamed' life.

    Favourite quote: "Brave does not mean feeling afraid and doing it anyway. Brave means living from the inside out."

  • Cover of Price Pritchett's book: You 2: A High Velocity Formula for Multiplying Your Personal Effectiveness in Quantum Leaps

    'You2 (squared)' by Price Pritchett

    An excellent (and short) read. You2 offers mindset tips for rapid improvements and life success - an alternative to making slow, incremental progress.

    The ultimate guide to working smarter, not harder.

    Favourite quote: “If you must doubt something, doubt your limits”

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