In this weeks edition of Monday Morning Quarter-Buck, financial planner Kerrie Beene, CFP® (our resident self-help “junky”) dives into her favorite topic! She shares the top 10 books, podcasts, and YouTube videos and her current favorite self-help tip.
By: Kerrie Beene, CFP®
September is designated as Self Improvement Month. Most of us want to “improve” and become better people. Someone once coined the phrase, “there is always room to improve” and it has stuck around for decades. I firmly believe this. Each day I think we should all wake up and say, “How can I be better than I was yesterday?”
However, thinking about improving can be overwhelming. Especially given all the areas in life there are to improve. My suggestion is to look at the 8 areas of life and just pick the one you need the most work on at this time.
8 Areas of Life
Personal/Spiritual Development
Physical Environment
Finances and Wealth
Friends and Family
Career/Business
Fun, Recreation, and Entertainment
Health and Fitness
Love Life
Once you decide which area you need the most work on, your options to educate and improve yourself are limitless. As a self help junkie, I use every form of consumption I am aware to absorb the information. You can read books, listen to content, attend seminars/webinars, etc.
The self improvement industry in the United States continues to grow each year. According to marketresearch.com, the self improvement industry was worth $10 billion in 2016 and continues to grow each year. Below, I will list some of the easiest ways to increase your knowledge about how to “improve” yourself.
Reading - There are multiple books available for any area you would like. Amazon has a list that updates hourly based on the top sales. Currently (August/September 2019) these are the top 10 books in the self improvement category.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Unlimited Memory - Kevin Horsley
Tribe of Mentors - Timothy Ferris
Find your Passion: 25 Questions you must ask yourself - Henri Junttila
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb
Showing up For Life - Bill Gates, Sr.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson
The Traveler’s Gift: 7 Decisions that Determine Personal Success - Andy Andrews
Empath: A Complete Guide for Developing Your Gift and Finding Your Sense of Self
Atomic Habits - James Clear
Listening - If you don’t like to read, consider listening to a book. Audible.com has the section listed as “self development.” There are over 52,000 titles available and here are the current top 10.
Lightly: How to Live a Simple, Serene & Stress-Free Life - Francine Jay
Can’t Hurt Me: Master your Mind and Defy the Odds - David Goggins
Unf*ck Yourself: How to Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life - Gary John Bishop
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Girl, Stop Apologizing - Rachel Hollis (one of our favorites on the team)
Atomic Habits - James Clear
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson
Dare to Lead - Brene Brown (One of Amy’s Favorites)
How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as Your Life Depended On It - Chris Voss
Podcasts - this form of medium is a little newer to the market compared to reading and listening to books, but I believe it is here to stay. Google listed it as best motivational podcasts and here are the Top 10
The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes
The Gary Vee Audio Experience
The Tim Ferris Show
Hidden Brain
Art of Charm
The Dave Ramsey Show
Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations
The Minimalists Podcast
This is Your Life
TED Talks Daily
YouTube - According to gedground.com, these are the most popular YouTube channels for Self Development
TED
Actualized.org
Evan Carmichael
Lewis Howes
GaryVee
Goalcast
Neil Patel
Be Inspired
These lists are a great start to those of us who are always looking to improve. There are other options, like seminars, however these are the forms available at your fingertips daily.
I have read and listened to most of the items listed above. However, one thing I have noticed is that as I age and life gets busier, it is a little harder to improve in multiple areas of life at a fast pace and it can be overwhelming to think we need to improve in all areas of our lives. My suggestion comes from one of the books listed above, Atomic Habits, focus on getting 1% better each day. Often when we look to improve, we set the goal so big that we lose motivation and feel overwhelmed. So focus on just getting 1% better. For example, if your goal is to start exercising, just start walking everyday and create the habit instead of planning to run a marathon next month. Create the habit, then work on small improvements. If your goal is to read more, don’t buy the thickest book you can find and try to read it in a few days. Grab a book and just set a goal to read 15-20 minutes before bedtime. “Be the Tortoise, Not the Hare.” Don’t forget, if you would like to improve your finances, that is our passion at Rooted Planning Group and we are here to help!
Good Luck with your Goals and Happy Self-Improvement Month