Contents
To live more interestingly, to work more consciously and efficiently, to memorize information better, to reconsider your life and find other meanings in it – we have selected books for you that will contain practical advice and inspiring examples that are relevant for you.
1. Focus
“Maximum Concentration” by Lucy Jo Palladino
Why read. Psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino is a leading American specialist in the problem of attention disorder. She knows a lot about the attention deficit, distraction, procrastination, and perfectionism that keep us from being effective. At the heart of her book are eight strategies for working on yourself: they will help change thinking, become more focused and attentive not only for adults, but also for children.
Quote: “Because of the plasticity of the adult brain, you need to be smart about what you do and what you learn. Human skills are constantly recorded by the brain. We used to think that the brain determines behavior, but in fact, behavior also affects the human brain.”
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2015, 336 pp.
2. Choose the main thing
“Essentialism. The Path to Simplicity by Greg McKeon
Why read. Until the XNUMXth century, the word “priority” (from Latin prior – first) was always used in the singular, which is logical: the first can be one thing. Today we are trying to balance between five to ten priorities. But it’s impossible and unnecessary to deal with all this, says British-American business coach Greg McKeon, a blogger at the Harvard Business Review. And he tells how we could “edit” our own life, that is, remove everything distracting, unnecessary and unpleasant from it.
Quote: “There are three deep-rooted postulates: “I must”, “all this is important”, “I can do both”. To accept the essence of essentialism, one must replace this false logic with three truths: “I choose,” “only a few things matter,” and “I can do anything, but not everything.” These simple truths … will allow you to invest in life to the maximum.
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2015, 256 pp.
3. Show courage
“Be the best version of yourself” by Dan Waldschmidt
Why read. The author of the book survived business success at 22 and a suicide attempt at 25. Now he runs a company that solves the complex problems of organizations around the world. He also runs ultramarathons and prefers non-standard solutions in everything. Dan Waldschmidt shares in this book his personal experience of losses and achievements, analyzes the stories of dozens of famous people – politicians, athletes, businessmen and notes: it is not outstanding intelligence that makes us successful, but strength of mind, determination and firmness of character.
Quote: “I have found that all successful people share the same four qualities: 1. They are not afraid to take risks. 2. They are disciplined. 3. They are generous. 4. They know how to get along with people. In other words, they are purposeful and human.”
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2015, 208 pp.
4. Understand yourself
“What is stopping you?” Sue Hadfield
Why read. Another reason to analyze your successes and mistakes, dreams and reality, goals and meanings and understand what is going wrong, and most importantly – why? Englishwoman Sue Hadfield tells stories – her own, those of her friends and acquaintances – and explains what slows us down and where to draw inspiration.
Quote: “An honest assessment of your ideals and principles will help you accurately answer the question why you have a feeling of dissatisfaction with life … What values uXNUMXbuXNUMXbare most significant to you? Are these the values that guide you in life? The most accurate way to answer this question is to remember what other people’s behavior you approve (or condemn).”
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2015, 240 pp.
5.Learn a profession
“Take it and do it! 77 Most Useful Marketing Tools by David Newman
Why read. The ability to promote goods and services is in high demand today. Experienced American marketer and business coach David Newman knows how to teach this. He delivers his ideas in 77 chapters of tips and how-to, explaining where to find new customers, how to work in social networks and how to build trust in the brand. And offers a specific step-by-step plan for launching a marketing program. This clear, well-structured book will be useful for self-employed and small business owners.
Quote: “Your promotion strategies are doing their job if:
- you do what no one else in your industry does;
- your customers can’t help but recommend you to their friends;
- others (including competitors) think you are “crazy”;
- others (including competitors) are AFRAID of repeating it”;
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2015, 368 pp.
6. Train your memory
Why read. A cute collection of 95 fun picture exercises to train your memory at any age. In addition to practical tasks, the Spanish psychologist and psychotherapist Angels Navarro included a short story about the types of memory and a selection of useful strategies for memorizing and inventing his own mnemonic techniques with the book.
Quote: “There is no good or bad, short or long memory, there is memory well or badly trained.”
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2015, 160 pp.
7. Deal with motivation
The Psychology of Motivation by Heidi Halvorson and Tori Higgins
Why read. Why do two talented people striving for the same goal (for example, to become scientists) achieve completely different results? Because one is more focused on winning, achieving success, and the other is more focused on avoiding failure. Which of these two motivations – achievement or avoidance – dominates you? How does it affect our life choices? And how to become successful by combining both types of motivation? Social psychologists Heidi Halvorson and Tori Higgins draw on a wealth of scientific research to explain how to do this.
Quote: “Motivational fit is not a dirty trick played on an inexperienced customer. Whether you’re talking mugs, computers, electric grills, study after study shows that when consumers feel it’s the right thing to do when choosing a product, the choice is much more satisfying.”
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2014, 272 pp.
8. Laugh
“For all the good! Toasts with drawings by Alexei Merinov»
Why read. To look with a smile – sly or sad – at your life, at relationships with friends, family, work and employers. A new project by the cartoonist of the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper, winner of the Golden Ostap festival, awards from the magazines Smena and Ogonyok Alexei Merinov.
Quote “Our best friends are our parents. Only they criticize you in the eyes, and praise you behind the eyes, and not vice versa. For parents!
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2015, 180 pp.
9. Understand the principle
“The Way Things Work” by David Macauley
Why read. While you are enthusiastically working on yourself, show this book to your growing child. One of the most popular encyclopedias in the world will help a 10-12-year-old student to understand the principles of operation of hundreds of mechanisms and devices – from a spring to an aircraft. Not necessarily he will become a physicist or a programmer after that. But understanding that the most complex subjects are essentially simple and explainable will certainly add to his confidence in his abilities.
Quote “The devices that will be discussed in the book are grouped not by scope, but by the similarity of their principle of operation. The result is quite funny: the plow is next to the zipper, and the hydroelectric power plant is next to the dental bur.”
Mann, Ivanov and Ferber, 2014, 400 pp.