Personal development for smart people

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1. itmagFeb 2012
   There's a lot of different ones of course... off the top of my head: No more Mr Nice Guy by Robert Glover.

   I also like Personal development for smart people by Steve Pavlina.

   Tom Butler-Bowdon has a series of books that summarize all the major works in psychology/self help/prosperity/success/etc. Those are a good way to get up to speed and learn what's out there in the genre.

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2. tumblenApr 2010
   Great question and the fact that you are coming here to seek help is a great sign, I'd say.

   I'm in a different situation: 22, dropped out of school to start a company, etc. But, I have committed myself to developing a satisfying general lifestyle (getting there) so, maybe there are some overlaps.

   Here are some thoughts:

   1. In the moments when I feel most stuck and unmotivated it is usually because there is something looming over me that I "have to do."

   It's taken time, but developing the mindset that I truly do not _have to_ do anything has allowed me actually drop the anxiety and become truly excited about my work.

   What are your expectations about what you _should be_ doing? Maybe if you ease up on them, you'll find a new wave of motivation along a new path.

   2. It sounds to me like you, more than anything, need some exploration in your life. But, you are afraid of the risks.

   My suggestion here is to take time to define clearly what you are afraid of, what the worst case scenarios are and how to sidestep them.

   Additionally, lighten physical and mental load. Can you and your girlfriend sell the bulk of your stuff, tie down any loose ends and explore the World without making any living commitments for a few months?

   3. Set small challenges daily (2-3), write them down every morning along with the very specific next action that you need to do to get the ball rolling.

   When you complete all your challenges, put a big red x on the calendar. With each challenge, you will feel better and better and as the red X's grow, it will be clear how much you've accomplished.

   (Someone else suggested exercise, that is a great daily challenge.)

   4. I write ~1600 words daily in MacJournal, just a total brain dump. I don't worry about spelling, grammar or paragraphs I just type. I very rarely go back and read old ones.

   Somehow, just the act of typing through my thoughts, getting them out and throwing them around has had an incredible impact on my mood, motivation, etc. I feel like my own therapist.

   5. I think Steve Pavlina's book, Personal Development for Smart People, is one of the most complete and impactful books on improving your lifestyle. In particular, there are some great thoughts on finding your purpose on life. Highly recommended.

   Again, props to you for grappling with these emotions and talking about them publicly. Keep exploring them with others.

   Feel free to get in touch with me to discuss more, I'd love to hear how things pan out!

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3. sidsavaraJan 2010
   I just finished a ton of great books, some that immediately come to mind:

   The Four-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris - Really made me think about life and the work I do

   Tribes by Seth Godin - Love this book.

   The Dip by Seth Godin - read it before, reread it again this year

   Personal Development for Smart People by Steve Pavlina - really had to struggle to get past the beginning, was fantastic once I did

   Find Your Great Work by Michael Bungary Stanier - I liked this one a lot, motivational

   The Power of Less by Leo Babauta - no surprises here, I enjoyed the book, it reads like you would expect it to. Some new insights that aren't on the blog

   Superfreakonomics by Stephen Levitt and Dubner

   Blink, The Tipping Point and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (I liked The Tipping Point the best out of those 3)

   Free by...Chris Anderson (?) I forget. Very interesting.

   Team Up by Pete Mockaitis - Great read about accountability groups, subset of a mastermind group IMO.

   Collapse by Jared Diamond - Very interesting looks at patterns in civilizations. Some people I spoke to get bored after a few examples, it is a little repetitive but I enjoy the parallels

   My old faves are of course Gettings Things Done, 7 Habits, Greatest Salesman in The World, and How to Win Friends and Influence People.

   More details here: http://sidsavara.com/personal-development/best-personal-deve...

   I regularly (and will be posting a bunch in the next couple weeks) post reviews of books I read here: http://sidsavara.com/product-reviews

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4. zackattackSep 2009
   Gang Leader for a Day Cracking the GRE Personal Development for Smart People The Ultimate Sales Machine Finding Your Zone: Ten Core Lessons for Achieving Peak Performance in Sports and Life

   Must-read-soon: Infinite Jest; Tribes; Influence; Made to Stick; Foundation Rails 2

   There aren't enough hours in the day. I'm going to shift to a wake-up-at-6-am sleep schedule so I can become a more productive person and have more time to read. Anyway, back to work.

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5. TheSOB88Jun 2009
   Seriously. I mean, only an idiot wouldn't want to buy "Personal Development for Smart People".
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