Why I'm Challenging Myself to Read More Self-Development Books
I've Always Been Skeptical of Self-Help Books
I’m terrible at reading non-fiction books for enrichment, especially if they’re anything related to self help. I majored in psychology in college, and my professors drilled a cynicism towards these books that I’ve never been able to shake. But an integral part of entrepreneurship is self-development. The tie between building a business and self-development will forever mystify me. I get the general idea as to how it works, but the why and how will forever confuse me.
At the same time, I recognize that I have limitations that prevent me from getting where I am to where I want to be. The only way to overcome these is through self development. Cue reading a bunch of books.
The Books That Changed My Perspective
It started with two books that were recommended by my friends Stevie Ambrose and Alyne Padilla. Stevie had recommended We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers. Alyne had recommended Energetic Selling & Marketing by Lenka Lutonska. Friends, I loved these books! They blew my mind! And made so much sense.
Since then, I’ve been slowly working through a growing list of self development books. And then I randomly ran across one of those lists of self help books that every entrepreneur needs to read. I noticed something immediately about this list. The authors were almost all rich, old, white men. I glanced at the list and was inspired to do something with it, but better.
My Reading Challenge
I knew the only way I would actually read a list in a reasonable amount of time would be if I created some type of challenge. (I was really into the Book IT! program growing up.)
So here we go. I’m going to challenge myself to read 13 books by the end of the year. Yes, it could have been 12 or 15, but all these numbers are arbitrary, and this is my challenge. I do what I want.
Reading With My Values in Mind
To make it more interesting and value-aligned, I’m prioritizing books that are written by underestimated and marginalized authors. The goal is that at least 75% of the books need to be written by authors that aren’t white men.
To add fun and whimsy to it, I’ll open the challenge to anyone who wants to join in. I’ll post the books that I’m reading in advance. Feel free to join me in reading them. You can comment on my posts and create your own related posts.
I’ll be posting about this here and on Threads @phoenix_growth_systems.
The First Three Books
The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
The Miracle Hour by Kelly Roach
What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
My goal is to finish these by the end of July. I’ll be posting progress updates and reviews.
Continue Reading
If you enjoyed this article, you may also like:
Continue the Conversation
If you're interested in entrepreneurship, thoughtful bookkeeping, and building a business that's aligned with your values, here are a few ways we can connect.
Bookkeeping Services
Whether you're looking for ongoing bookkeeping support, help getting caught up, or someone to help you better understand your numbers, I work with entrepreneurs and small business owners to create greater financial clarity and confidence.
→ Learn More About Bookkeeping Services
Networking
One of my favorite parts of entrepreneurship is meeting other business owners.
Whether it's through networking events, collaborations, or simply grabbing coffee, I love connecting with people who are building meaningful businesses.
Explore the Blog
I write about bookkeeping, entrepreneurship, money, self development, and the ideas I'm continually learning and unlearning as a business owner.
