5 books that will change your life

Some books help you relax at the beach. Others teach you something specific you need to know for your career or hobby. But some books do something much more profound than entertain or teach -- they open your mind to whole new ways of seeing the world, shifting fundamentally the way you approach your work and life.

Many have helpfully shared their most life-changing reads in blog posts and interviews. Here's a roundup of recommendations.

1. Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin

You can’t escape misfortune in life. But you can change how you respond to it.

Do you struggle to get over your failures? Or dwell on things out of your control? Getting over these obstacles can have a profound influence on your everyday life. Morin shares how her most successful therapy patients overcame these difficulties.

2. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie

How would you feel if someone told you on Sunday evening that, come Monday morning, you would be thrown into a torture chamber? Would you worry? Probably. But there would be a way to deal with those worries.

Ever wondered why you can’t stop worrying about something? No matter how hard you try, are you fixated on the same issue? By defining the source of your stress, you can get over it once and for all. Carnegie came up with a timeless formula that helps you tackle any overthinking situation.

3. How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth and Karen Dillon

What do you think would make you happier at work? Perhaps a little more pay might be nice, or maybe some more admiration from fellow colleagues.

Are you making the right trade-offs in life? While career achievements can be satisfying, neglecting your family and friends can be detrimental in the long-run – in ways you can’t even imagine.

4. Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson

Have you ever felt pressured to live your life in a certain way? Society often encourages us to follow a certain linear plan. We're supposed to graduate high school at 18, enter university, and then become a professional person, get married and have children. This narrative may work for some people, but for many of us it can be limiting and steer us away from opportunities in which we might excel.

Everyone has a passion. If you don’t know what yours is, it just means you haven’t discovered it yet. Or perhaps you have, but it was dismissed early in life. Find out how you can break free of society’s strict rules and find your calling in life.

5. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

Do our emotions hold us back? Would we do better if our emotions were removed and we became unfeeling, logical creatures?

Did you know if your pulse rate rises above 100 bpm, you’re deemed too emotional to think rationally? You probably let feelings cloud your judgment more often than you know. Goleman explains how you can avoid letting your emotions rule you and make better decisions in life.

Source: Blinkist