The 3 books that changed how I look at life
And the heaviest book I’ve ever read
When I started reading, I was a bit older than most people. You may have started when you were 12 with Harry Potter. I started when I was 18 and the books I chose weren’t always the best, but I took something from all of them.
These are the 3 books that changed how I look at life. oh and I’ll recommend some similar books if you are interested.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
I have no idea whether or not you are at the point of your life that you need to read this book, but nevertheless, you must read it. Mark Manson explains in this book the art of saying “whatever” and moving on. This art isn’t easy and does have some nuances. The author never says to be indifferent to life. He says to be selective and to chose what your fucks should be given to. Your crush stood you up on a date? 0 fucks given. Does your mom need money for her medicine? That’s what you should give a fuck about. Give a fuck about important stuff. Who gives a fuck about what other people might think about the car you drive? Who gives a fuck about what your aunt thinks about your hair? Don’t be numb. Give a fuck. Just don’t give a fuck about meaningless stuff like a 30-cent coupon at the groceries store.
When we give too many fucks, when we choose to give a fuck about everything, then we feel as though we are perpetually entitled to feel comfortable and happy at all times, that’s when life fucks us.
— Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money
This book is probably the most popular book on personal finance and that’s because it’s a damn good book. It’s small, compact and dense. This little thing will teach you the fundamentals of assets VS liabilities, passive income, minimizing expenses and why the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Rober Kiyosaki tells us about how his dad, Poor Dad, a very intelligent man with a PhD, remarkable grades in school and a very high-paying job is and will always be poor and how the other man, Rich Dad, a man without any college education, became one of the most wealthy men in Hawaii. Rich Dad Poor Dad will open your eyes to how money really works and it will probably get you hooked on personal finance so beware… Once you read this book, you might never be able to think about money the same way your peers do.
“Workers work hard enough to not be fired, and owners pay just enough so that workers won’t quit.”
― Robert T. Kiyosaki, Rich Dad, Poor Dad
The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When To Quit (And When To Stick)
Seth Godin has been a “top of the ladder” kind of writer in recent years and this book is no exception. In “The Dip”, Seth Godin talks about how winners quit strategically while losers quit reactively. Set understand how people feel about quitting. He knows that almost everyone looks at “quitting” as admitting defeat or as a blow to the ego. This understanding that Seth carries is what makes you really connect with the book. I believe everyone should read this book at any point in their lives because it teaches us that no matter the situation we are in, we can always quit if some metrics are checked. Don’t read this book and think that it will always be okay to quit because it won’t. Seth Godin not only teaches us when to quit but he also tells us to stick with it as long as it makes sense to stick with.
“Never quit something with great long-term potential just because you can’t deal with the stress of the moment.”
― Seth Godin, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit
Mein Kampf
I’ll be honest, I haven't completed this book yet. I haven’t read it entirely for a simple reason: it’s a heavy book. It’s not that it is a very big book or that it contains a lot of information. It’s just that for the book to be sold, it needs an introduction and the introduction has to talk about the horrible things Hitler and the NSDAP (Nazi party) did. Reading this little introduction will change anyone’s perspective, even if they know nothing about Hitler. The things the book describes come with so much weight that I needed to stop reading for some time because I didn’t feel okay. It will change your perspective on history if you know nothing about it and although it isn’t for everyone, you should give this book a chance.
Recommendations
- Everything is fucked — Mark Manson
- The 48 Laws of Power — Robert Greene
- The Intelligent Investor — Benjamin Graham
- What Every BODY is Saying — Joe Navarro
