Over the course of 2019, I finally learned to appreciate a good nonfiction book (I’ve always been a strictly fiction gal, other than the Bible and devotionals), and more specifically, books about personal growth, success, and goals. I’ve found these books have made a big impact on the way I think and the way I view different aspects of life.
As I’ve said in my New Years posts, I’ve decided to really focus this year on working towards and achieving goals. It’s part of the reason why I started this blog, and it’s why I’m pursuing other big goals in 2020. I know there are others out there feeling the same way as me, others who are ready to tackle those big dreams. For this reason, I wanted to share some Motivational/Inspirational reads that may help you in that effort.
I hope you find a book (hopefully more than one!) that stands out to you. If you don’t usually read nonfiction, I encourage you to give one of these a try and just see what happens. You may be surprised by how it impacts you. It may be just what you need to kickstart your new year and this new decade!
If you DO read this genre regularly, what is a book that’s impacted you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
1. The Greatest Salesman in the World
This book is a very short, quick read, but it packs a punch. One of the things I love about it is the fact that part of it is written as a story—so I guess it’s really more of a fiction hybrid than strictly nonfiction. I highlighted something on almost every page of this book—it’s that good!
It centers around an elderly merchant in the 1st century Middle East, seven ancient scrolls that helped make him into a successful man, and his search for the next man meant to inherit the scrolls. There’s even some surprising plot twists towards the end that weave in with Biblical events, which left me mind blown and loving the book even more. But you’ll just have to read it to find out what those exciting Biblical connections are! 😉
2. The Traveler’s Gift
The Traveler’s Gift leans even more to the side of fiction than the previous book, as almost all of it is a fictional narrative. The main character, David Ponder, is at the end of his rope. His life is falling apart all around him and he thinks his family might be better off if he was dead. But God intervenes and whisks him away on a journey through time to meet seven historical figures. Each one is armed with a letter written for him, containing the lesson he must learn from their own life experiences.
I cried multiple times during this book, taking in these lessons through the words and actions of people who lived decades or centuries ago. As with The Greatest Salesman in the World, I highlighted like crazy! There’s so many beautiful nuggets of wisdom to be found here, and as the lessons are placed within a story, they hit your heart so much more.
3. Mindset
This one is a denser, true nonfiction book. It can take a little time to read, but I think it’s so worth it! In fact, I’m pretty sure everyone should read this book at least once in their life. Mindset discusses the difference between the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. A fixed mindset is where we believe that everything about us (our personality, our ability to learn, our weaknesses, etc.) is fixed and cannot change or get better. “That’s just who I am,” or, “I could never do that,” we say, and therefore doom ourselves to living in a place of mediocrity when we really have so much more potential that God put inside us. The growth mindset is completely opposite of the fixed mindset. With this way of thinking, we are ok with making mistakes because we know we can try again and do better next time. We don’t draw our value from past mistakes or successes. We free ourselves to grow and learn and live up to our potential. These two opposing mindsets even carry over into others around us, affecting our parenting, business life, schooling, and other relationships.
The author, psychologist Carol Dweck, discusses this and so much more. Most importantly, she helps you recognize which mindset you have, and how to flip to the growth mindset even if you’ve always had a fixed one. As I read this book, I continually noticed things about my thinking and behavior… and I didn’t really like what I saw. It’s not an overnight process, but I’m trying to be mindful of the negative, fixed mindset things I say to myself and to others.
4. Chase the Lion
My dad recommended this book to me several months ago. He showed me several passages that he underlined and explained what the book is about, and immediately, I added it to my wishlist. As the tagline says, the idea of this book is that “If your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s too small”. Wow! What a thought provoking statement is that? Are we settling for small dreams and small existences, or are we chasing the big dreams God put inside us for His purpose?
I just got this book for Christmas (a SIGNED copy, by the way!), and I can’t wait to dive into it soon! I’ll be sure to let you know what I think!
5. Girl Stop Apologizing
This is another book that was recommended to me. I’ve heard so much about it, and it’s been sitting on my to-buy/to-read list for months. Luckily, my sis-in-law got it for me for my birthday! I’ve been reading it this month, and I can say it is living up to the hype! I will be posting my review of it soon.
