During my years in college, I became interested in self-help books. I have been interested in any book that deals with motivation, inspiration, personal development, personal development, positive thinking, empowerment, success and achievement.
In the field of self improvement and positive thinking, there are many gurus from whom one can choose to take advice and understand better. These are my top five.
1. Norman Vincent Peale
Dr Norman Vincent Peale's most famous book is titledThe power of positive thinking. Even though his book has a religious orientation, it offers practical ideas and strategies even for those who are not particularly religious. He believed in evaluating the positive things you have in your life, allowing you to see that things are not always as hopeless as you might think. He believed that positive affirmations could have a powerful impact on his life. He believed in gratitude and gratitude. He believed that forgiveness was powerful and that one should forgive even people whom one does not respect or love. He believed that there was good in everyone. He believed in visualization and having a clear picture of what you want to achieve. He believed in having clear goals. It is better to know precisely what you want in life than to have a vague idea of what you want. Above all, he believed in positive thinking as reflected in the title of his famous book. There is always hope.
2. Anthony (Tony) Robbins
I got to know Tony Robbins long before he started doing TV infomercials. I bought a copy ofUnlimited power in 1989. Tony Robbins introduced NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) to a wider audience than he had been exposed to before. Tony Robbins, like Norman Vincent Peale, also wrote that he had clear goals in mind. He believes it is important to know the outcome you desire. Tony introduced me to NLP techniques such as modeling, mirroring, anchors and pattern breaks. He introduced me to what he called The Ultimate Success Formula. The formula is a simple but effective strategy to achieve a positive result. Tony explains how the "state" you find yourself in has a huge impact on how a person feels and behaves. Our state is determined by our thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, mental images, physiology, and other factors. Tony discusses the Seven Success “Lies” which are actually guidelines that generally promote success. Tony attaches great importance to beliefs because they influence his emotions and behaviors. He understands the importance that his values play in his life. And, he too believes in always looking for the positive in life.
3. Maxwell Maltz
Dr Maxwell Maltz is the author of the bestselling book Psycho-cybernetics. He believed that man is a being who strives to achieve a goal. What I found most intriguing about his book was his statement: "Your nervous system cannot tell the difference between a imagined experience and a "real" experience. Later in the book, he reiterates this idea slightly differently: "Our brain and nervous system cannot tell the difference between a 'real' experience and one that is. vividly imagined“Dr. Maltz knew how powerful imagination and visualization can be. Dr. Maltz, like Tony Robbins, believed that beliefs were a determining factor in how one behaves and reacts to the world around him. Dr Maltz understood how powerful our imaginations are. Therefore, he advocated visualization and mental rehearsal. Dr Maltz believed that happiness was essential to good health and that pleasant thoughts were a major influence When it comes to happiness Above all, Dr. Maltz understood how important self-image was in determining one's success in life Too many people underestimate themselves.
4. Wayne Dyer
My parents had a Dr. Wayne Dyer book lying around the house when I was young, so I knew his name. During my years in college, I visited my aunt and found a copy of Your wrong areas on his library and decided to take a look. Dr. Dyer emphasizes two main themes in his book: taking responsibility for your emotions and your life and living in the moment. He believes that thoughts precede emotions. Individuals can control their thoughts and therefore control their emotions. He believes that happiness is important and that you are responsible for your happiness by virtue of the beliefs and thoughts you hold. Dr Dyer believes in being open to new experiences. You don't have to be too rigid in your beliefs or activities, and you don't always need to have a plan. Living in the moment and being spontaneous can have a positive impact on your life.
5. Paul Pearsall
Dr Paul Pearsall is the author of a book entitled Super Immunity: Control Your Emotions and Improve Your Health. This book fascinated me. I learned how important our thoughts and emotions are in determining our health. Dr. Pearsall understands the dangers of anger, sadness and other emotions. He understands how beliefs influence how we feel. Thoughts can be a danger to our health. For example, black and white thinking (rigid thinking) can contribute to illness. Seeing the gray areas in life and not demanding everything in a particular way in life is much healthier. Interestingly, Dr. Pearsall also wrote a book called The last self-help book you'll ever need in which he actually confronts the self-help industry and challenges some of its more common ideas and concepts. For example, Dr. Pearsall thinks the concept of self-esteem has been overdone. He thinks it's good to be realistic and recognize that you can't necessarily be good at everything you desire.
Some common themes seem to be present in the writings and teachings of these five self-help gurus. These five people all seem to understand the importance of goals, beliefs, thoughts, emotions, visualization, values, and personal responsibility. And, of course, they all recognize the importance of positive thinking.
Can we really have, do and be whatever we want in life? I'm going to be positive and say "Yes!"