8 Books Every Millennial Should Read

Ninety-percent of the wisdom I’ve gained in my twenties has been acquired from reading. As you can probably tell…I read a lot of books. These, in particular, have made the most meaningful impact on my life. I began reading aggressively in 2014 during my senior year of undergrad. I was constantly confronted with academic, professional, and personal challenges. I started a new position with my employer and my school workload was draining me. I felt like I was holding on by a thread. I resorted to reading to help me cope during this arduous time.

To this day these books continue to help me overcome any mental challenges I encounter. I say “mental” because each book will help to change your mindset and ultimately change your outlook on life. If I had to choose, a must-have book to add to your collection it would be “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Marc Mason. Manson explains the concept of not giving a f*ck about the things that don’t align with our values, “Giving too many f*cks is bad for your mental health.” I can attest to Manson’s approach. I tend to give too many f*cks, it changes my attitude and renders zero productivity. To help me get past this I have tried to adopt Manson’s philosophy by telling myself:

“THE KEY TO A GOOD LIFE IS NOT GIVING A F*CK ABOUT MORE; IT’S GIVING A F*CK ABOUT LESS, GIVING A F*CK ABOUT ONLY WHAT IS TRUE AND IMMEDIATE AND IMPORTANT.”

I hope this book & my future recommendations will be of assistance to you. Check out my list below.

 Personal Growth // Think and Grow Rich- Napoleon Hill

“Every failure brings with it the seed of equivalent advantage.”

This book is a self-help classic published back in 1937. It’s been passed down from generation to generation. This version was recently updated and revised for the 21st century. The title makes it seem like this book is all about money but it’s actually about the psychological power of thought. When accessed, this power can help you advance in your career and entire life. My favorite value discussed is persistence in the chapter about sustaining the effort necessary to induce faith.

 Personal Growth // The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck- Mark Manson

“There is a simple realization from which all personal improvement and growth emerges. This is the realization that we, individually, are responsible for everything in our lives, no matter the external circumstances. We don’t always control what happens to us. But we always control how we interpret what happens to us, as well as how we respond. Whether we consciously recognize it or not, we are always responsible for our experiences. It’s impossible not to be. Choosing to not consciously interpret events in our lives is still an interpretation of the events of our lives.”

 Humor // I’m Judging You: The Do Better Manual – Luvvie Ajayi

“As social media permeates our world, everyone is now in some unofficial competition to live the most interesting life in their online circle. When keeping up with the Joneses becomes a life mantra, you know we are doing too much. “

This is one of my favorite quotes from this book because it resonates with me on so many levels. Social media has absorbed 80% of the millennial generation and Ayaji does a great job in discussing the hard truth about it. In the “Do Better Manual”, Ayaji explores class and manners in the 21st century and touches on the topics of racism, reality TV, feminism and social media etiquette among others.

 Personal Growth // Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck

“The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.”

I recommend this book to anyone who feels they are in a stagnant state in their life. I read this book at a pivotal point, where I was experiencing failure and starting to let it affect my livelihood. Dweck discusses her theory of developing a Growth Mindset. The two approaches she discusses are the Growth Mindset: Intelligence can be developed and the Fixed Mindset: Intelligence is Static. Interested in a preview of the book? Check out her Ted Talk.

 Personal Growth // The People Factor- Van Moody

“Who you hang out with determines what you dream about and what you collide with. And the collisions and the dreams lead to your changes. And the changes are what you become. Change the outcome by changing your circle. Clearly, relationships can make the difference between a great life and a miserable existence. They can launch us into heights of excellence and achievement we never dreamed possible, or they can keep us down in the dumps, tethered to mediocrity for all of our days.”

Have you ever expressed to a friend or spouse an idea and they quickly dismissed it like “You’re bugging!”, or a change in body language? Sound familiar? It may be time to reevaluate that “friendship/relationship”. A relationship should empower not drain you. Moody explains this in greater detail. This encouraged me to let go of a lot of my friendships and ever since I’ve been on an upward path of growth. Sometimes what stops us from fulfilling our potential is not just self-sabotage but lack of support from our circle. If someone isn’t making you stronger they’re making you weaker.

Personal Growth // You are a Bada***: How to Start Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life -Jen Sincero

”You’re gonna have to push past your fears, fail over and over again and make a habit of doing things you’re not so comfy doing. You’re going to have to let go of old, limiting beliefs and cling to your decision to create the life you desire like your life depends on it.”

Generally, I don’t gravitate towards reading the  “popular” books, they tend to be a bit overrated in my opinion. When I got wind that this e-book was on sale for $1.99, I couldn’t pass up the offer. In my previous post,  I mentioned this book helped me execute my vision in hosting a vision board party. It serves as a motivational handbook for anyone who needs that extra boost in bridging the gap from where you are and where you want to be.

 Personal Growth// The Gray: A Relationship Etiquette Study- Enitan Bereola II

I was gifted this book by my mentor and I finished it in one sitting! Enitan discusses the cold, hard, honest truth in modern-day relationships. This book will prompt you to do a self-reality check to identify if you have any of the unhealthy habits he talks about. He sheds light on questions we may have about past or current relationships.

“Communication is our most powerful tool and yet we still don”t know how it works. We have a head, body, mouth, younger, lips and eyes but will not make personal contact at a dinner table due to a needless need to connect to a wireless device and view the latest post from the person sitting next to us so we can repost it and the rest of the table can discuss in the comments.”

 Business // Mastery- Robert Greene

”We might have the most brilliant ideas and a mind capable of handling the greatest intellectual challenges, but if we are not careful, we will tumble into emotional pitfalls. We will grow insecure, overly anxious about people’s opinions, or excessively self-confident.”

You may or may not be familiar with this author and his bestselling book “The 48 Laws of Power. ”   In Mastery, Greene delves into different strategies and principles to help you become a master in your field. He discusses the principles of discovering your calling, absorbing the master’s power, and the mentor dynamic, among others. My favorite principle is to embrace the active mind. Greene talks about avoiding emotional pitfalls like complacency, conservatism, dependency, impatience, grandiosity, and inflexibility.

I hope one of these books have captured your interest. Why not take advantage of this upcoming holiday season and snuggle up with a good read? If you feel you’re always on the go or have no time to read, try an e-book or audio version.  Prefer to read the hard copy or paperback instead? Minimize your TV Time. I watch TV three times a week, in order to have time to read and create content. If you are itching for a real challenge, dedicate a full day to just reading. That’s right, one whole day.

 

Have you read any of these books?