Books I wish I had read 20 years ago that have changed my life

A list of life-changing books I wish I had read 20 years ago

My pursuit of Martial Arts has coincidingly launched an everlasting quest for personal development. Living in this amazing time of worldwide distribution, the internet and unrestricted access (for now) to the internet in the U.S. gives us the ability to information that previous generations never had access to. One of our distinctive abilities as human beings, whether we choose to or not, is the uncanny ability to learn from the mistakes of others and history. I believe one of the best mediums in order to take lessons from other successful or experienced individuals is through their publications and here is a list of such books that have completely changed my life.

The Tao of Jeet Kune Do :

Unbeknownst to many of his fans, Bruce Lee was an amazing philosopher which he Majored in at the University of Washington. Bruce Lee’s The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, meaning the way of Jeet Kune Do contains a plethora of quotes, perspectives as well as his personal studies on the Martial Arts and I can honestly say that reading this book has changed my life for the better.

The Alchemist :

I enjoy reading stories which carry valuable morals and information within them and The Alchemist is definitely one of the most inspiring books that I have read. I want to refrain from spoiling any of these stories, so please check this one out!

Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Not many of us are fans of cardio, and whether we would like to admit it or not, are plagued by personal issues. I personally have a strong family history of bipolar disorder and have exhibited symptoms throughout my entire life, until I started training. Parts of this book can be dull and drag on with scientific studies citing works and such but carries such important information that I hope everyone has a chance to read this.

The Richest Man in Babylon :

I’ve never been good with or enjoyed money. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the concepts it provides for a sustainable money management system. It’s just a well-written story nonetheless.

The Greatest Salesman in the World :

Og Mandino is another amazing writer who has the ability to pass on information in the form of a captivating story, whether or not you’re into entrepreneurship I hope you make the time for this story.

The Power of Habit, Why we do what we do in life and business :

While this may not be presented in the form of a story, this book is seriously life-changing. I have always had something against routines, which has prevented me from many opportunities in life. I enjoy spontaneity, however as all serious Martial Artists or anyone into physical fitness knows or you will come to find after reading this book, a routine is incredibly beneficial to all individuals especially in training.

The Art of Non-Conformity :

This book follows an extremely similar format to authors like Dale Carnegie and Tim Ferris. Offering pieces of life advice or information which are reinforced by supposed real-life stories. This was recommended to me by an incredibly interesting individual which you can read about in my post here _. Another life-changing book, or if you need the courage to just start living your own life.

An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life

In this book, the Dalai Lama shares a lot of his own insight and lessons from his own personal life. He is an incredibly well studied individual and regardless of your own religious beliefs or absence of I sincerely recommend giving this a read.

Siddartha :

Again, regardless of your religious affiliations, this is another book I recommend picking up. This book has changed my perspective on many things in my life and allowed me to take a very deep introspective look at my own personality. A must read for Martial Artists, and I believe if everyone was able to take in messages like the ones in this book the world would be a much better place.

Stranger In a Strange Land :

A science fiction book by my absolute favorite author Robert A. Heinlein. While incredibly entertaining, the book has so many relevant subliminal messages to our current day and age it requires multiple read-throughs in order to capture them all. After reading this and falling in love with it, I recommend checking out more of Heinlein's books!