The National Centre for Biotechnology Information claimed that the average human attention span has dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2013, and much of this attention deficit is a result of the internet replacing healthy reading culture.
Pause.
When did you last take the time to read? Let alone read something that could prove helpful for your growth as a person?
That’s okay. We won’t judge you. Reading the right books still, however, remains a top recommendation for positive, healthy living.
If you’re unsure of which book to read next or want to read a summary before investing hours in perusing a hefty tome, we bet you’ll find your cup of tea in this post.
We’ll be walking you through remarkable texts that will change your life or change how you perceive life.
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The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
By Charles Duhigg
This 371 page-book by Charles Duhigg, a New York Times reporter, is dedicated to the art of habit formation and reformation. The book takes us on a remarkable journey of relatable anecdotes and scientific evidence.
The author depicts how a decision to change your behavioral pattern can become permanently ingrained in your subconscious.
The book discusses the “Habit loop“, a neurological pattern comprising three elements: a cue, a routine, and a reward. These components are vital players whenever an individual resolves to change his habit.
The cue, the first element on the habit loop, is a situational trigger based on the reward an individual seeks.
The habit is an emotional, physical or mental routine to obtain the reward.
Lastly, there’s the reward or satisfaction which etches the habit in one’s memory.
Charles emphasizes that willpower and a belief in the process are critical elements for change. You may want to listen to his TED Talk on the book’s details. Totally optional.
The only drawback of this book is its focus on theories at the expense of actionable material.
Using Focus Bear can make the book’s advice ten times easier. Focus Bear can be that trigger to encourage you to form good habits.
Nevertheless, it’s an excellent book for every person who cares about making a positive change in their lives.
High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way
By Brendon Burchard
Brendon Burchard is a Performance coach, and he uses this book to reveal the secrets to attaining long-term success. The author proposes six significant habits people need to adopt to attain excellence.
These habits include: finding clarity, creating energy or enthusiasm, building necessity, increasing productivity, attaining influence, and lastly, embracing courage.
Like our previous book, this uses helpful anecdotes and success stories to illustrate how one can adopt new habits. However, it takes it a step further.
Brendon Burchard introduces science, exercises, and practices that readers can use in their journey to self-improvement. Although some readers might find the information in the book a bit wordy, you will find the various stories and illustrations a terrific guide for attaining your best possible self.
The primary lesson from this book is that the key ingredient to excellence is deliberateness. You need to be intentional and express an inner willingness to defy the odds of unproductive habits.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
By Steven Covey
The seven habits outlined by Steven Covey are: be proactive, begin with a goal in mind, put first things first and understand your priorities, think win/win, seek first to understand then try to be understood, synergize, and lastly, sharpen the saw.
Fun Fact:
This book by Steven Covey was written in 1989 and is probably the most referenced text on formulating and changing habits.
The book is composed of three primary themes:
First, success comprises personal and professional effectiveness.
Second, a switch in your perception of the world would prove helpful in your adoption of the seven habits of successful people.
Thirdly, power lies in every individual’s hand to decide how they choose to respond to events around them.
See a summary of the book in video format.
Sticky Habits: 6 Simple Steps To Create Good Habits That Stick
By Barrie Davenport
Barrie Davenport’s book helps readers develop new skills and overcome any issues they might have with staying disciplined. This is the perfect text for anyone who wants to form a habit but struggles with getting the right resolve or momentum to commence.
According to the book, a great plan should be backed by baby steps. The odds of achieving a new habit are very high when the little steps are followed through dutifully.
One thing that sets Sticky Habit apart is that its manner of presentation enables the reader to reflect and identify past mistakes that hindered their ability to create a new habit.
An important lesson from this book is that we must commence with simple things before progressing to complex habits whenever we seek to change our lifestyle.
For example, the simplest thing you could do now is taking a deep breath.
This book help readers to form hindsight based on their past to create insights into the future.
Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don’t, and How to Make Any Change Stick
By Jeremy Dean
This book adopts a psychologist’s approach to picking up and maintaining new habits and takes pain to explore the depth of habit formation.
According to Jeremy Dean, people assume that they are in control of themselves. However, a great deal of human behavior happens without any conscious or deliberate thought.
This book says that the brain is on “autopilot,” and you must hijack the wheels to make changes stick. In this book, you learn that you are not necessarily in control of your mind.
A reader’s favorite, because of its very unique perspective on the subject and its use of wit. Although the book does not provide a step-by-step guide for the reader, it allows each reader to create a personalized framework.
The author, Jeremy Dean, presents valuable research regarding habits and explains how such research can be adopted to improve one’s habits. Many readers find tips in this book that they can use immediately.
Conclusion
Habit change can be very strenuous.
We’ve been there: the exhausting gym routine, the attempt to quit smoking, the resolve to be a better partner in a relationship.
These decisions, albeit positive, require a lot of nerve to pull off. We are confident the texts on our list will provide significant insights for you when you eventually decide to brave the odds and do one of the most daring things ever — change positively.
We are rooting for you!
If you want additional help after reading the books (or even help to do the reading!), check out Focus Bear. It uses many of the techniques mentioned in the books above and makes it super easy to do your habits every day.
Hi I'm Jeremy, and I understand the challenges of living with ASD and ADHD.
