We need to
give credit to great self-help books that encourage real growth without all the
hype that is so common in the industry.
My criteria for a good self-help book are:
1. No hype – just honest information without false promises
and fantasy.
2. Intelligent insight into real life – not phony or shallow
“steps to success.”
3. The author is genuine – not setting himself or herself up
as God’s gift to humanity.
4. You grow just be reading it! It leads to real behavior
change. This requires that the information be deep and revealing.
With this in mind, here is my list of the top five self-help
books. These should be considered required reading for anyone interested in
personal growth.
1. The Road Less Traveled
by M. Scott Peck, MD
If psychiatrists in general were as committed to real mental
health as M. Scott Peck was, the mental health industry would be a different
place. Dr. Peck’s classic, The Road Less Traveled should be considered a
standard for anyone remotely interested in personal development.
Dr. Peck pulls no punches, yet is compassionate and
thoughtful as he explains that life is difficult. He offer his ideas on the use
of two basic tools, love and discipline. He concludes with and honest inquiry
into the mysteries of grace.
2. Why We Suffer
by Peter Michaelson
Why We Suffer is a lesser known, yet should still be
considered a standard in personal development reading. Why We Suffer
reveals the pervasive nature of self-sabotage, which is perhaps the single most
important and universal mental health issue. Self-sabotage is what prevents
everyone from applying the tools in Dr. Peck’s The Road Less Traveled.
Unless you learn how to get out of your own way, you will
never reach your potential. Peter Michaelson is perhaps the world’s foremost
expert on self-sabotage, inner passivity and how these evil twins ruin our
lives.
3. Cain’s Legacy by
Jeanne Safer, PhD
If you like smart books about sorely overlooked topics, then
look no further than Dr. Jeanne Safer’s collection. Cain’s Legacy is her
book about sibling strife – one of the most important psychological issues in
our lives. Yet, so few have written about it!
If you even think that some of your stress in life is due to
unresolved issues with a sibling, then do not hesitate to get Cain’s Legacy.
What’s nice about this book is that Dr. Safer combines her vast knowledge of
psychology and rigorous research with her personal experience as a sibling.
It’s a tour de force!
4. NLP: The Essential Guide
to Neuro-Linguistic Programming by Tom Hoobyar, Tom Dotz and
Susan Sanders
Every self-help library should contain strategic information
– information on the “how-to” side of the growth equation. This is where NLP –
Neurolinguistic Programming – shines like no other personal growth model. With
NLP, you get how-to details that you never considered because NLP understands
how the unconscious mind processes information.
For years, the field of NLP has lacked a well-formed and
comprehensive guide. That trend is officially over with NLP: The Essential
Guide.
5. Boundaries
by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Boundaries is one of my favorite books because it was
so hard for me to get through. Boundaries is all about relationships and
how to keep them safe and respectful. The principles in Boundaries apply
so thoroughly that you may have to put it down several times, take a break for
a few days and work things out before you pick it up again.
In other words, understanding the words in this book
requires you to grow and make changes in your life. In Boundaries, you
will discover how you’ve been creating stress in your life by taking on
unnecessary suffering and pain. This opens the door to changes you never considered.
No comments:
Post a Comment