by DJ Schofield |
Last Updated:September 8, 2016 I don’t think any of you will find it to be a big shocker that I love to read. So I figured what better topic to write about than my absolute favorite books of all time. Call me crazy, call me weird, but books mean way more to me than just reading words. Even more than just reading a story… or learning about a particular topic.
A book to me, is something special. They take me to another world… better yet, the world of another person’s mind. Anyway, I won’t bore you with my “love for books” rant. Here are my top 15! By the way, click the book titles to get them from Amazon.
1. Wild at Heart
This book by John Eldredge is unbelievable. I like to call it the “Christian Man’s Blueprint.” It shows how modern America has taken the adventure, danger, and wild from our spirits.
John Eldredge also has the female version of this book called Captivating. I would recommend both male and female to read both of these books. They are truly great and helped me to understand what it is like to be a Godly man.
2. Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Robert T. Kiyosaki explains the difference between his “rich dad” and his “poor dad.” This book is possible one of the best personal finance books ever written. The main takeaway is the explanation of the difference between a liability and asset. I still refer to this book from time to time. It has complete shaped the way I look at money.
3. The Compound Effect
Darren Hardy has a simple philosophy in this book… decisions shape your life. He believes by changing little, everyday tasks overtime compound into creating success. I love how this book is against the quick money and successes. It explains how success is cultivating through long term changes of simple things. It is applicable because it doesn’t ask to change anything major.
One example of this is with one’s diet. You shouldn’t take on some crazy diet of cutting 1000 calories and only eating certain foods. The compound effect way would be to cut 125 calories per day and walk 10 minutes per day. Then from there you can continue to reduce calories and increase the amount of time you walk. It is simple tasks like this that compound into the life you want.
4. Mind Power into the 21st Century
The first word that comes to mind when I think of John Kehoe’s book is interesting. This book will make you think long and hard. It is all about how your thoughts effect your subconscious mind, ultimately effecting your quality of life. There are many applicable principles in this book so it is definitely worth reading a couple times.
The main thing that I took away from this book is the principle of positive affirmation. He says multiple times throughout the book how you should speak to yourself like you speak to your best friend. Many people are way too hard on themselves or negative. This will indefinitely crush your optimistic outlook on life.
5. Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill has THE greatest business books of all time. This book is a classic as it was originally published in 1937. There really isn’t much I can say about this book but anyone MUST read it, immediately. It gives a set of principles pulled from great millionaires such as Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford. Do yourself a favor and read this book today.
6. A Walk to Remember
Haha, I can already feel the judgement from you. But I’m no longer ashamed to say this is my favor fiction book ever (the movie is pretty awesome too… and Mandy Moore’s album isn’t so bad either). Now that I have you judging me 100% let me tell you why it’s my favorite. It teaches me two things: 1) people can and do change 2) Things can always be worse.
I think I easily connected with this book because of my past of being in Landon’s shoes. He and I are both proof that people can change. God works in amazing ways and this book shows that. If you have about 4 hours or so of spare time I recommend you read this book (it’s only about 220 pages). You won’t regret it.
7. How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie’s book is a classic. It also completely changed my life. He does exactly what the title says, shows you how to win friends and influence people. It will show you exactly how to be a people person and how to make others like you. I think it is a missing ingredient of many millennials today. Social skills seem to be lacking by many people and it is arguably one of the most important skills to have.
8. The Art of War
I am going to assume that this book by Sun Tzu (dated back to approximately 500 BCE) isn’t something most are interested in. It is a military theory book with strategies that have be used by many military leaders. No, I’m not extremely interested in war strategies. I’m not in the military and I don’t plan to be anytime soon. However, if this book is taken and applied in a business or life sense, it is one of the best.
9. Man’s Search For Meaning
I don’t even know where to begin with this book. It literally left me speechless. It is written by Viktor Frankl, who was in inmate at a concentration camp during World War II. Not only is this book emotional and hard to imagine but has life changing principles in it.
After telling about his experiences, Frankl describes his psychological theory known as logotherapy. Simply put, this theory involves finding a purpose in life, feeling positively about it, and vividly imagining the outcome. It is such a great read and really puts life in perspective. Your everyday “struggles” will seem so small, at least it made me feel that way. Never the less, his theory definitely holds water.
10. The Richest Man in Babylon
In this book, George Clason has seven “simple rules of money.” This book is relatable to Rich Dad, Poor Dad but also has some other great finance principles. It tells parables from a man named Arkad (The Richest Man in Babylon). This is a book you can easily read in a day and I highly recommend you do so!
11. Becoming a Supple Leopard
Dr. Kelly Starrett and Glen Cordoza are the guys behind one of my favorite gainz (some call it fitness) books. This isn’t your type book full of workouts and diet plans though. Dr. Starrett looks at the mobility and human movement side of fitness. I think this is one of the most underrated aspects of lifting. I completely overlooked the importance of it until a little over a year ago and it changed my life. The ability of being more mobile will drastically change your life, I promise.
12. The Power of Habit
I can’t overlook Charles Duhigg’s great book. This book appealed to me because it is very psychology heavy. However, anyone and everyone can benefit from this book. We all have those bad happens, whether big or small, that we would love to get rid of. This book is based off of a theory Duhigg refers to as “The Habit Loop.” Every habit we have is comprised of a cue, routine, and reward. This book explains that the cue and/or the reward must change in order to change the routine (the habit). There are many examples in this book and it dives deep into the scientific side of habits. I think anyone would greatly benefit from this book. I know I did.
13. Not a Fan
Kyle Idleman’s book literally smacked me right in the mouth from the very first page. It will call you out, it will have you question the strength of your Christian faith, and at times make you feel down. I remember getting halfway through this book and questioned whether or not I should finish it. It gave me such a feeling of inadequacy, but I’m so glad I finished it.
In short, this book WILL strengthen your relationship with Jesus. It first explains the difference between a fan of Jesus and a follower of Jesus (this is when you will most likely be called up). The book then quickly takes a turn and invites you to be a follower. Whatever you do, please stick around for that part of the book. I am so glad I did. Actually, I liked it so much I immediately read it again.
14. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen Covey’s book in a classic that every person walking the earth should read at least once. We as human beings are habit forming creatures. Nearly everything we do throughout the day is out of habit. Whether these habits are good or bad is the difference in whether we are successful or not.
Covey’s entire theory in this book is that our habits consist of three things: knowledge, skill, and desire. He says, “Knowledge allows us to know what to do, skill gives us the ability to know how to do it, and desire is the motivation to do it.” I have read this book probably 5 times and refer back to it very frequently. If you’re a human with a pulse, go read this book now.
15. The Holy Bible
Yep, you’re right I saved the BEST for last! Written by none other than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Should I even need to say anything else? Not really… But I will haha. By far the most difficult book I’ve ever read. But at the same time, the best book I’ve ever read. The best advice I’ve ever received and will pass on to you is to find someone that is knowledgeable about the Bible. This can be your pastor, friend, parent, whoever. Once I reached out to others to help me understand many difficult areas it slowly but surely began to make sense.
Another thing that helped me is set a schedule and read in small chunks. I honestly wouldn’t read over two chapters per day (trust me I’ve done more). What happens is you get confused, frustrated, and demotivated. So take it slow, make sure you understand everything and enjoy! Oh, and if need help or don’t understand something comment or contact me through this website. I don’t know everything but I can assure you I will find someone who does!
Wrapping It Up
There you have it… all 15 books that are guaranteed to change your life. You don’t have to be some crazy book worm to finish all of these books. Anyone should easy be able to finish these books in a year. Simple make it a habit to read 20-30 minutes before you go to sleep or maybe as soon as you wake up (instead of checking your instagram). Maybe even pick one of the habit focused books first to learn how to form that habit and make it stick.
I hope you enjoy each of these books as much as I did. Have any other great books? Leave them in the comments for others!