Tag: Psychology

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Nonfiction

This is not a one time read, this is a book you keep on your shelf in plain sight because until you grasp all the concepts, and are practicing them regularly, you both will and should continue to go back to it. It is not the most engaging read, I had to tell myself I wasn’t done for the day unless I finished a chapter. But, it is full of advice and lessons that you can use daily. You won’t become an expert after one read, that is made plain and clear, these habits take time and effort to master. 

I did take a lot of notes while I was reading and I used a lot of post its to mark sections that intrigued me or spoke to me. I do not see myself practicing all of the habits in this book, I do not aspire to become a master of the seven habits, but I do see myself using bits and pieces as a means of self help. I loved that there were a lot of charts, diagrams, and visual examples throughout, they definitely made understanding the concepts much easier. I also loved the many stories the author referred to. It was very fitting, using his real life experiences as a way to teach us about the seven habits. I feel like without these true stories the book would not have been as effective or made as much of an impact as it would have without them. I greatly appreciated the author telling his personal stories. 

I’m not going to explain any of the habits to you, you can only truly learn them and how they can help you if you take the time to read about them for yourself. It would be impossible for me to summarize the contents of this book to anyone, it is vastly informative. But, I can say that I can see this book being good for a lot of people. If you are having problems at work, with family or friends, with your life partner or children, or if you are feeling lost, unmotivated, unsure of what to do, there are solutions for how to deal with all of these issues.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Nonfiction

I think I picked this book up at just the right moment in my life. The things I do in the next few weeks have the potential to change the next few years of my life for the better or worse and I feel like some of the theories I have read in this book might be able to help me. I was recently laid off, and like most people that lose their jobs unexpectedly I didn’t know what to do for a few days. The author posed some questions that I believe by answering will help me figure out what I need to do. 

I found myself relating to so many stories chronicled by the author of people she had met and interviewed. I had so many aha moments, I put post-it notes on several pages of passages I wanted to read again and philosophical questions I wanted to go back and try to answer about myself. Chapter three in particular was when I first made a huge connection to this book. It made me realize why I hated school so much, working in groups, open concept layouts, lack of privacy, introverts hate these things, they can’t concentrate and they don’t produce their best work under these circumstances. I can recall many times in my life when I was required to work with a group for a project, and I always felt that I could have done something better on my own. Or other times when I was in a classroom trying to get a head start on my homework but really wishing I could just leave then and there and do it in my bedroom. 

I think I could read this book several more times and mark several more spots that I want to go back to and reflect on. I feel like this is a book that I am going to revisit many times in my life, especially when I feel like I need to try and learn something about myself or when I feel like I need to accept who I am. I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone who is an introvert or for anyone who wants some insight into the life of an introvert.

David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, And The Art Of Battling Giants by Malcolm Gladwell

Nonfiction

Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favorite authors. I was browsing through the aisles of Barnes and Noble a week ago and I saw one of his books that I had not read yet, but had been meaning to, and I bought it. It was an easy decision for me to make knowing how much I had enjoyed his other books. Also, the book had the original cover design. Personally, I don’t like the new covers as much, plus, I already have the other books in the original white covers and I would only allow myself to buy David and Goliath if it matched. 

I like the way Gladwell writes. He is very obviously an intelligent man, but his books are written in such a way that the concepts are easy to comprehend. It makes me feel as though he wants everyone to be able to get a grasp on the topic at hand, not only the intellectuals, and I like that. I enjoyed how he interviewed many different people and used their real life stories to explain why the seemingly weaker party in a confrontation may end up in a David and Goliath type of outcome. It’s a very inspirational book, it makes me feel like I can one day defeat a giant. If you need a pick me up, pick this up. It took me very little time to read, as I was enjoying it so much, and I feel like it is worth spending a little bit of time when you could benefit so much intellectually and psychologically. I feel as though I gained a lot of insight into how I can prepare for any future battles if I recognize that I am being viewed by others as a longshot.