Here at Charlotte London we are passionate about helping others and reaching your full potential (whatever that is to you), and in particular want to share the knowledge that we have learned from our reading practice throughout the years. Here are some of the top standout books that have helped to shape our own productivity and well-being, and we hope you find some of them enjoyable and useful!
The Power of Habit:
The Power of Habit is a fascinating book. This is less of a self-help book and more of a learn about how to increase efficiency and productivity. We all have habits that we wish to improve, and we all know the old adage that it takes 21 days to make a new habit. The Power of Habit is fascinating as it dives into the science behind habit building and explains why we are wired the way we are. Understanding our own habits helps us to understand ourselves, and once we understand this it becomes easier to make those changes that we all wish to make. For anyone who wants to build knowledge and help themselves to build consistent new habits- this is the book for you.
Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway:
This book is fantastic. This really is on the self help spectrum, and honestly it does sometimes go a little too far in terms of self-helpiness, but that’s just fine. Susan Jeffers is a great motivational writer, and her book helps you to find a new way to relate to your fears. We all have things that frighten us, whether that is public speaking or trying out new types of foods etc, and they can be big or small. Susan Jeffers reminds you that we all feel fear, and the secret to achieving the things you want is to understand that being brave isn’t not being not afraid, it’s doing what you want to do anyway despite the fear.
The Power of Now:
The Power of Now is more of a spiritual guidebook than a self help book, and it can be a little hippy-dippy, but it is well worth the read. The Power of Now is about the ability to stay in the present moment, and how there actually is no more important moment than the present. This book pre-dates the mindfulness and being present phase that we all hear about relatively consistently these days, but it is a truly eye-opening piece of writing. This book is more spiritual, heavy, and textual than the others, but it is a great reminder and motivator to stay rooted in the present moment. Most of the problems that we imagine never actually come to pass, they are created by our minds and don’t actually exist. By reminding us to stay in the present moment, the Power of Now has done wonders for millions to improve their levels of calm, clarity, and spirituality.
The Four Hour Work Week:
It wouldn’t be a round up of life changing books without the Four Hour Work Week. This book is a little over the top in terms of claims, but it is life changing in the sense that it can change your mindset and the way you approach your work. If you are someone that feels stuck in a rut in life, or maybe are working at a big firm and this isn’t really bringing you happiness, the Four Hour Workweek is for you. Tim Ferriss reminds you that there are other options, and not only that, but there are more than you ever thought imaginable. In the age of the internet and freedom of information, it is as easy now to start a business or try new things as it ever was, and Tim Ferriss’s book is more of a manual on how to take advantage of those things and be your best self. What sets Tim’s book apart though, is that the ultimate goal is not to be living on a beach somewhere sipping Pina coladas (though wouldn’t that be nice), as we aren’t really built to do that and it would become boring. Instead, he argues that life should be lived in the service of others and making the world a better place, and so encourages people to live to their highest and best ability so that we may give back, and he provides the toolkit to do so. Well worth the read.
