The journey to becoming an extraordinary (and influential) leader isn’t easy – it requires hard work, dedication, and a thirst for growth. Your evolution is dependent on your mindset, the desire to learn and improve, and the courage to make mistakes. It all begins with YOU and whether you’re conscious of it or not, you have an impact on everyone you interact with.
So what steps can you take to start the journey? Or if you’re already on it, what else can you add to your plate that will enhance your evolution? I remember how a book my sister gave me many years ago triggered my own evolution and marked the beginning of my spiritual awakening. It was like fate. I ended up reading that book a total of 4 times and every time, there was something new to discover. I was hooked and thus began my quest of finding books which were able to elicit the same feeling of expansiveness and a sense of growth. My soul was hungry and I finally knew what satisfied its hunger.
Fast forward many, many years, and you will still catch me reading self-help and personal development books. I started listening to podcasts and audiobooks as well, especially while I’m getting ready in the morning for work or anytime I’m in my car driving (so good for your listening skills as well!). My library is full of spiritual content for my spiritual development and leadership content for my personal development. I also read (and listen) to a lot of books about psychology, relationships, and personal development. It’s obvious I am a knowledge junkie and will read anything that will enhance my evolution and add to my growth.
So to pass it forward and with the hope that it will enhance YOURS, I will share my top 5 favorite AND life changing books that took my evolution to a whole new level. Enjoy!
The following books are in ascending order and have influenced my evolution at different stages of my life. Each one had a tremendous impact on my development and fed my mind, heart, and soul in so many different ways.
However, I was only able to receive their lessons when I was ready for them. So although I’m recommending these books to help with your evolution, I urge that you read the ones that feel right to YOU. And if they don’t speak to you, bookmark
The Alchemist was my first Paulo Coelho book and I had to read it twice to understand its meaning. I have been a big fan of the author since and have a collection of many of his books.
This one in particular tapped into the depths of my soul and taught me my first lesson: the importance of listening to my heart. A story about a boy who travels from his homeland to the desert in search of a treasure, it teaches us a valuable lesson of the magic that results when you follow your dreams and lead with your heart.
A New Earth is the book I had referred to earlier, the one my sister gave me that changed my life. Since reading it, I have recommended it to everyone I know. This is the book that was responsible for “waking” me up and I can remember clearly the moment when the veil was lifted and I saw everything differently.
The subtitle, “Awakening to your life’s purpose” accurately describes the intention behind the book and Eckhart Tolle does an amazing job showing us how to transcend our ego-based consciousness, ending conflict and suffering as a result. His philosophies are profound, transformational, and changed the way I looked at life.
When I began going to therapy, I discovered that my thinking was directly correlated to how I was feeling. At that time, I couldn’t understand why I was so “negative”, I just knew that my outlook on things affected the way I felt and I was sick of it. I was ready to make a change.
During this time, I became keenly aware that my outlook on life was highly similar to that of my parents and if I wanted to be less pessimistic, I’d have to change my mindset. Enter the book “Mindset“. This book gave me hope and the tools I needed to make positive changes in my life.
This book was required for my Emotional Intelligence course when I was studying Leadership and Organizational Development at NYU.
It rocked my world and took my awareness to a whole new level. It was also my introduction to the concept of empathy and I learned the tools required to manage emotions so they can better serve me.
I believe in divine timing and when the heart is opened enough to receive, it creates a type of vibration that attracts certain people and circumstances that elevate and help us in our growth process.
“Polishing the Mirror” came into my life when my heart needed some serious guidance and healing. Ram Dass’s wisdom resonated at the core of my being and his teachings have influenced the way I live my life … with an open heart. I would recommend this book
the-conscious-path.com 