With what to begin self-development? List of the best books on self-development

The need for spiritual and physical development does not cause doubts. Parents are concerned about the upbringing of young children. A person older than himself builds himself. But how correctly to organize this process, with what to begin self-development?

About self-improvement

What advice should I give to someone who has decided to improve themselves? First you need to understand what exactly he is going to improve, what is the meaning of the concept of "self-development" for him. Modern trends often mean by this term the opportunity to become successful. Not smart, not kind, not talented, but just achieving some success. But is this the goal that you really need to strive for?

Let's think for a minute: geniuses and simply successful people of past years did not read modern books on self-development! But this did not stop them from achieving remarkable results. Moreover, it is difficult to imagine a psychological training capable of making an artist talented, or a pamphlet on self-development, which allowed the scientist to make a brilliant discovery. No doubt, each of the realized personalities worked a lot on themselves, but it was unlikely that they were techniques similar to those recommended today.

About the purposes of self-development

An artist, writing his canvases, a writer, a sculptor - they are not yet taking up work, already imagine the desired result. And the scientist, approaching his discovery, sees before himself a cherished goal: a new device, a proven theorem. Thinking about how to start self-development, too, must imagine what results he wants to achieve. Not realizing this, it's silly to start a process of perestroika.

The need for physical improvement can not be repeated once again: the phrase "A healthy mind in a healthy body" speaks about this quite specifically. As for the improvement of another kind, some 30-40 years ago the presentations on this were different. On the question of what to do for self-development, answers would be given that do not coincide with modern ones at the root. However, the person who works on himself, then, too, was sent to literature - to the works of the classics.

Jack London. Martin Eden

Unlike modern psychologists who present detailed algorithms of how to begin self-development, classical literature does not give concrete advice. It simply offers a person to think, to understand his own soul. And also try to answer the main question about why he is on this earth, what is the meaning of the life given to him.

Jack London's novel "Martin Eden" can be called a textbook on self-development. A young boy, a sailor, loves a girl from another circle, begins to work hard on himself, to learn and improve to be worthy of his beloved. And this brings generous fruits: the former sailor becomes a famous writer, a rich man. But the success so often desired does not give Eden satisfaction, and even passionate feelings leave him. Our hero understands that the beautiful image he painted was just a beautiful dream, and the real girl is limited and self-interested.

And what is the result? After all this grandiose work on himself, Eden only has an emptiness in his soul, a bitter disappointment and a persistent unwillingness to live. The author, of course, is proud of his hero and his desire for excellence. But the novel also speaks about the wrong arrangement of life priorities, and about the tragic attempts of a person to comprehend life and himself in it.

About books

In the world there are many works that help people understand the essence of the universe. But, perhaps, the best books on self-development are the immortal works of Leo Tolstoy. These are the deepest thoughts about morality and faith, about feelings and duty, about deeds, compassion and love. Tolstoy's descriptions and his conclusions are akin to the arguments of the best psychologists who guide their clients through life.

But where is self-improvement? There is a wonderful and very correct phrase "The soul must work!". Missed through the mind and soul of the creations of Tolstoy and other classics - this is the best answer to the question of what to do for self-development. The soul becomes purer in the process of reading, the mind is lighter, and the person is better.

About life approaches

Why does a person live? Once the following phrase was popular: "Man is born for happiness, like a bird for flight". But now these words are hardly remembered, they do not fit well into the current coordinate system. Happiness is a shaky concept, it is difficult to teach. Whether business is a success! Successful people are all in sight, they are bowed down, envied, trying to imitate. The fashion trend has been to teach to be successful: the goal of all trainings and seminars on the development of personality is precisely such an installation. But how true is this?

The richest man of our time - Bill Gates - wrote a testament according to which his children receive virtually nothing. What is it - a whim, a tyranny? Or, on the contrary, his father's wisdom, the desire for happiness for his children? It seems the latter.

Money by itself has not made anyone happy. It is unlikely that Gates on the approaches to the tops puzzled over where to start self-development, how to use it to succeed. His life was simply interesting and filled, consisted of favorite deeds and accompanying any work finds and disappointments, achievements and misses. In this life there was a thirst for victory and excitement, probably happiness. To leave only money to their children, depriving them of their need to go forward and live truly, means to make them deeply unhappy. Gates understood this in time.

And again about happiness

Many people have a clear substitution of concepts, and success becomes an end in itself. In fact, the psychology of a person's self-development should be based on his desire for happiness. Success can only be a private, concomitant result. Example: a girl is seeking to marry, she is only interested in "princes" (by the way, much of the psychological literature is devoted to this - to teach young people to always achieve the goal). And, let's say even, our heroine, armed with the advice of professionals, everything turns out - the "prince" with her. But will this bring them both happiness? Will their home become warm, will it contain love and joy?

And in real tales, everything is different. Folklore characters dream exclusively about love and aspire to it, sweeping away any barriers. Is this why the endings of fairy stories are much better than those that are expected in real life?

How to be?

If you do not set your goal to achieve success, then what to do? Sister, like the legendary Emelya, on the stove, and wait for the onset of happiness? In no case! To lazy people with an empty soul it is unlikely to look. The path to happiness is hard work, it is an attempt to understand and change yourself to become better. With what to begin self-development? With books and music, the perception of beauty (not without reason it is said that beauty will save the world!). Even with attempts to understand people nearby, with a desire to improve life around (it's hard to be happy in a disharmonious world!). Self-improvement involves serious work on yourself, and in this matter, the recommendations of specialists will be more than appropriate. Of course, not all. Instructions to achieve success at any cost and to strive towards your goal, almost by corpses, will never make a person happy. Useful are only those tips that contribute to the real improvement of human qualities.

What psychologists recommend

It's no secret that people are born different. Wise teachers are needed by absolutely everyone, even the strongest and most talented. But in one case a good book will take on the role of an adviser, and in another person serious help from the outside is needed.

What will psychologists tell? How correctly to start self-development? Although the methods of specialists sometimes differ significantly and are far from indisputable, a number of recommendations should still be noted. For example, to know yourself, to try to understand your goals and desires, to soberly assess your own strengths and weaknesses, then to work on that and on the other, improving as a person. Any person has a limit of opportunities, but self-development allows you to push the boundaries and do what yesterday seemed impossible.

In the stock of psychologists a lot of practical advice. For example, every day to discover something new - the process of self-development is endless. And to break the big goal into stages, so that the process of achievement does not seem so difficult. It will also be useful to recommend how to overcome the inherent laziness, how not to pass before difficulties, how to do what you love, and not what you have to do.

Additional tips

Extremely important advice of a psychologist will be for people burdened with complexes. Very often self-development of a person and achievement of the set goal is hindered by inability to communicate and low self-esteem. To impose one's will on others is not good - everyone knows this. But it is no better to give up forever, not to be able to insist on one's own, constantly to quench your impulses, needs, desires.

Organizational councils will be valuable for the self-development of the individual. How to educate will power, overcome obstacles and achieve success? How to spend less time on work, but more time to do, how to stop putting things off for later, how not to be afraid of failures and learn from your mistakes? You can teach a person to read books in a new way, while making the most of it. After all, without the ability to perceive information of self-development there!

Live in joy

So what is a person's self-development? This is the path to harmony, to satisfaction with life, to happiness. Therefore, the most important and truly priceless are those tips that encourage a person to be happy. How to live your life fruitfully and healthy? How to get rid of anger and envy, learn to believe in yourself, develop a positive attitude towards yourself and people? The result of self-development should be the ability to love and be friends, the ability to appreciate human warmth and admire the beauty. The desire for harmony and perfection in humans in the blood, you just need to direct these impulses into the necessary direction.