I often think of what books have helped me personally grow the most. There is no doubt when it comes to personally growing the list is pretty long, but when it comes to books that have helped me understand and know myself better there are three that come to the top of the list. I must give credit to these books for bringing clarity into my life and showing me not only who I am, but also who I am supposed to be.
Are these books the only ones that make it personal? The only ones that teach you about personalities and strengths? Of course not. I have found them though to be very impactful, thought provoking and complimentary to each other. They are definitely some of the better ones out there.
I believe that one of the most important things you can do for yourself and others is to identify your strengths and work on building them. Learning your personality helps you to understand how to serve and work with others.
If you want to lead others or add value to them then take time to invest in yourself. From experience I know it will overflow out of you when the opportunity presents itself.
Take note that reading is one of many ways to grow yourself, but if you want to invest in yourself and others you must prioritize reading good books that you can learn from. They are filled with a wealth of wisdom that can transform your life.
So, lets chat about those three books.
1) The Five Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman
First thing, don’t let the love part throw you off and dismiss this book. Dr. Gary Chapman did an amazing job writing this book that can truly help you in many areas of your life. So as much as it is a book for couples it’s also a book that helps the individual express and receive love through one or all of the love languages. Whether you are male or female Dr. Gary Chapman makes a point that we all have a love tank and that love tank gets filled when our love language is spoken to us. Not only will you learn so much about yourself, but it will help you serve others better. So go learn what your Love Language is. Is it words of affirmation, physical touch, receiving gifts, quality time or acts of service?
2) Your Personality Tree by Florence Littauer
When it comes down to knowing and understanding yourself better, taking some sort of personality test is a must. There are many different styles and methods and I believe they all add some sort of value, but I’m a big fan of the personality tree. The book goes in depth to explain and give examples on what the four dominant personalities are. From experience I can tell you that it has helped me understand people at a new level and helped me lead and serve them with a new perspective. The book is solid and won’t be a waste of your time. So go uncover the sanguine, choleric, phlegmatic and melancholy in you!
3) StrengthsFinder by Tom Rath
We live in a culture that loves to put an emphasis on weaknesses and pick at them. There is also a mentality that a way to grow is to focus on improving your weaknesses, but that’s absolutely not correct. If you’re going to get better and excel, focusing on your strengths is the way to go. StrengthsFinder is an amazing book with a strength test included. Yes I said test, but it’s a test that you won’t fail. Instead, it will highlight your strengths so you can put them into action. The book focuses on 34 talent themes that will equip you to know how to work within your strengths and what kind of people you will work best with. And you don’t even have to read the whole book, unless your weird like me. Happy strength finding.
My hope is that these three books will help you get started on the adventure of reading, personally growing and understanding yourself. So, grow as you go and share it with the people you come into contact with.
When we know ourselves and others better, we lead better
The Time Is Now
Walter Perez – Founder/CEO – The Leader Co. Inc.