A 24-years old lady, came to me to find her purpose. During our Purpose Mentoring sessions, I was searching deep inside her for her values and those limiting beliefs that created noise in her head, as she was ready to spend some hundred thousand euros on one of her countless ideas she had, without having a vision to follow or a purpose to fulfill.
“What is your greatest advice for my future?”, she asked me. And I answered without hesitating even for a second: "If you were to give me a million-dollar check today for one piece of advice, I would tell you: Educate Yourself!"
She laughed! She told me that she doesn’t like reading books, unless they are mainstream, like the one that everyone was reading last year “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson. An amazing book, if only you can read through the lines, having already started your personal development journey.
Why (Some) Young People Hate Reading?
Similar to her, two years ago, my assistant -an amazing 24-years old guy- stated the same: “I don’t like reading books”. And when I wondered why, I found out that for some (maybe for most) young people, books are equivalent to studying for school or university and are synonymous with effort and being tested. Therefore, youth often relates the word “Book” with the words “Approval” or “Punishment”.
Maybe that applied to me, too, back then when I used to hate books with all my heart, when I made my revolution at home, opposing my brother, who was piling one book over the other, reaching the ceiling.
My Reading Journey Became The Path For My Personal Development
However, when I started reading Robin Sharma’s “The Monk That Sold His Ferrari” I was shocked by the effect of such a book on my mindset. And that was the beginning of my personal development journey. As simple as that.
I then stopped reading super-summer-romantic novels that helped strengthen society’s stereotypes in my subconsciousness, and even refused to donate those books to some girls in the neighborhood, not wanting to proselytize anyone else on this non-ending summer-book emptiness.
Thus, here I am today, hundreds of books and many many years later, advising (not only) young people to start reading, in order to cultivate their inner self and educate themselves.
And for those who are searching for a nice list of books to start their reading journey, you may read the list of 5+1 Books I wish I had read in my 20s.
Just to clarify things, books are not just a solution for you to become a better version of yourself. They are a source of inspiration, entertainment and motivation. As theater, music, dance, art and fashion are.
So, what are you waiting for? Share with your surroundings your favorite book, the one that changed your mindset for good.
Let’s change the world together, by changing firstly ourselves! Education is the key...
xx
J.
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P.S. Don’t forget to leave me a comment with your favorite mind-blowing book.