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The Benefits of Reading Self-Help Books by Ty Howard, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of MOTIVATION magazine


The Benefits of Reading Self-Help Books

Copyright © 2012 by Ty Howard.  All rights reserved.

“Write to be understood, speak to be heard, and read to grow.”
~ Lawrence Clark Powell

Reading books is considered to be one of the most intellectually beneficial activities. People who indulge in the habit of reading books are usually considered to be among the literate and learned class of society. Different people like to read different books which suit their personalities, preferences and aspirations. Some like to read about spirituality, some about politics, some about business, some about romance, some about parenting, some about fiction, and some like to take a ride into the historical past. Despite the diversity in the reading habits of people, there are many avid book readers who love to read books on the subject of
“self-help,” too.

There are a multitude of books on self-help and most of them are among the best-selling books of all time which speaks to the popularity of this genre among book readers. The popularity of self-help books is not a fad. There is a perfectly justified rationale behind this popularity, which is that self-help books can and have transformed the lives, or at least some aspects of the lives, of millions of people around the globe.

There are several benefits of reading self-help books. The first and foremost benefit of reading self-help books is the experience puts the reader on a path to where they can read, practice the strategies learned, and make improvements in their lives without having to ask others for help. Thus, if we read, learn and decide to create our own life plan and carefully do the necessary things that can make us better, we can accomplish our goals and improve our lives significantly.

Reading self-help books can also build a higher sense of confidence in a person – over time – that can help them to get out of almost any challenging situation without resorting to the help of others. Another benefit of self-help books is that one develops the mentally tough attitude of relying on oneself, and develops the skills of addressing and untying the knots of day-to-day life.

There are a plethora of self-books on almost every conceivable aspect of life. One of the best self-help books of all time is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. This book has virtually transformed the lives and attitudes of millions. The book highlights the traits and habits that are found in highly effective people and invites others to learn and master them. This is one book on self-help which you absolutely have to read.

Another famous book on the self-help bookshelf is Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins. All of us have dreams but few have the fortitude of taking the required steps to achieve those goals and this is where this book comes in handy. It forces the reader to take that all-important step towards realizing one’s goals.

Many of us find that we are lost and do not actually know what the purpose of our life is. The famous book Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl tackles this question and clarifies one’s mind about how to have a meaningful life.

Human beings are social animals, and one of the most important skills required by a person is to be successful at being social. The critically acclaimed self-help classic book How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie addresses the problems people usually face in the social process and helps the reader to get a better grasp on the secrets of influencing others and expanding one’s social circle.

In a nutshell, the vast benefits of reading self-help books cannot all be summarized in a short article like this one. I will say, however, reading and benefiting from self-help books is all about learning, applying and taking continuous swift action. I encourage you to make an effort to get into the habit of reading self-help books in order to experience the true transforming and life enriching benefits of these books. Hopefully, as a result of you doing so, you too can reach your greatest and most fulfilling potential.

 

The MOTIVATION Top 25 Self-Help Books
1. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
3. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
4. Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins
5. The One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard
6. Eat the Frog by Brian Tracy
7. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
8. As A Man Thinketh by James Allen
9. Attitude is Everything by Keith Harrell
10. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
11. Feel the Fear… and Do It Anyway by Susan J. Jeffers
12. Over the Top by Zig Ziglar
13. The Courage to Live Your Dreams by Les Brown
14. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
15. What Makes the Great Great by Dennis Kimbro
16. Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou
17. Shut Up, Stop Whining, and Get a Life by Larry Winget
18. Untie the KnotsTM That Tie Up Your Life by Ty Howard
19. Self-Matters by Phillip C. McGraw
20. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith
21. Finding Your Glasses by Justin Jones-Fosu
22. The Courage to Be Yourself by Susan Patton Thoele
23. The Art of Exceptional Living by Jim Rohn
24. How to Position Yourself for Success by Nido Qubein
25. The Procrastinator’s Handbook by Rita Emmett

* The above Top 25 List was compiled based on the preference and reading experience of the author of this article, and not by the number of books any of the listed titles sold.


About the Author: Ty Howard,
Mr. Untie the Knots®,
Freeing Maximal Business, Performance & Human Potential Daily!

Ty Howard is an internationally recognized authority on organizational and managerial practices that optimize employee performance and success. He is the creator and lead facilitator of the trademarked “Untie the Knots® Optimal Performance Process,” and the author of Untie the Knots®: Improving Habits, Choices, People, Relationships, Performance and Results, as well as dozens of published articles on employee and organizational performance and development worldwide. For information on his programs and services, visit: http://www.motivationmagazine.com/experts/Ty_Howard.