Ah, those years of blossoming youth. That’s the time when you are full of energy and you feel like you are ready to conquer any mountain. That’s the period when you can take on any task and have it done with flying colors.
But regardless of the well of energy hidden in you, you might feel frustrated, unmotivated, or even lost in this big world. Which path should you take? How to overcome inner fears and start taking action towards your dream? How to get an idea of what motivates you? What skills should you hone to become a successful person?
A lot of questions might pop up in your mind. Perhaps, you’ve already discussed them with your peers, but it turned out that they are as ignorant in these matters as you are. Your parents are nice people, but you do not believe they can understand what’s going on in your mind and have absolutely no relevant experience and knowledge to help you in your endeavors.
What should you do then? We would recommend you reading books. One decent book can save up to 10 years of life by equipping you with the right information and putting the right ideas in your mind.
But how do you find that very book that would guide you through the uncertainty and open your eyes to life-changing things? You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll review fascinating books everyone should read before college. So, grab your notebook and be ready to create a list of your must-read books right now.
7 (Seven) Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Multiple Intelligences by Thomas Armstrong
What does being smart mean? Are we smart in one way? How can one develop different facets of intelligence? This book by Thomas Armstrong will give answers to these and some more questions.
This piece of writing is a great resource for high school and college students to understand how our psyche works based on psychological researches and theories. It also dwells seven ways of being smart, which include:
- linguistic intelligence - words;
- logical & mathematical intelligence - logic and numbers;
- spacial intelligence - images and pictures;
- musical intelligence - sounds and music;
- bodily-kinesthetic intelligence - physical-self;
- interpersonal intelligence - communication with people;
- intrapersonal intelligence - understanding of the inner self.
This edition contains checklists for estimating the levels of each of the intelligence types. It also includes exercises, tips, and recommendations for developing the inferior smart type.
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Without any doubt, this is a life-changing book, and we can't help but give it a spot on our list of the best inspirational books for college students.
In this writing piece, Rhonda Byrne reveals the secret to lifetime success. This is a self-help book that would motivate a high school or college student to transform the mindset by adopting a completely different universal paradigm that is applicable for all aspects of life. It shows how the way of thinking can make dramatic changes in studies, career, personal life, and even health.
The key pitch of this book is about the power of positive thinking and visualization. According to the book, we attract similar stuff, so if we are buried in negative thoughts, don’t be surprised that awful things happen to you. But when you emit positive energy, you’ll magnetize positive outcomes.
Thus, this book is a treasure for those students who would like to reach success, health, and wealth by adopting the new approach of thinking.
The Comfort Zone: How To Overcome Your Greatest Challenge by Virend Singh and Verusha Singh
Fear and frustration to get out of your comfort zone are natural. What’s more, it’s built in our DNA as it’s the way to save ourselves from the dangers of the unknown world. This instinct helped our ancestors survive.
But we live in a safe world where mammoths do not walk across the street, but the self-protection habit hasn’t gone anywhere. When we embark on a new journey and have to do things we’ve never done before, our mind will try to stop us from this new experience and will be doing its best to choose the path of least resistance.
This book by Virend Singh and Verusha Singh will explain to students why becoming more than you now requires extra effort and requires pushing the boundary of the comfort zone. It will rivet on the idea that there is no way to wait for the miracle to happen. You’ve got to work and push forward to make your dreams come true,
We add this work to the list of must-read books for college students since it builds a success-oriented mindset and motivates learners to overcome obstacles and fears to create a fulfilling life.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Frequently, stories inspire us more than solid facts and bold phrases. For those students who would like to get thought-provoking and motivational ideas, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho should become their go-to book. The author gives the readers invaluable life lessons while telling an entertaining and fascinating story.
It tells the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who sets off for a journey to Egypt with a belief that he will find a treasure there.
The story is philosophical, and the topics of dream, destiny, love, religion, and spirituality are covered in this book. The greatest benefit of this fable is that everyone is free to make their own conclusions and get their dose of motivation.
However, the key motive of the story is finding one’s destiny. It tells that when you want something with every fiber of your body, the whole universe will create a splendid environment to make your dream come true.
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Communication skills are one of the most important keys to success. At least, that’s what Dale Carnegie preaches in his book. This is a good book to read for college students since it:
- shares six secrets to make people like you;
- gives twelve ways to convince people to accept your point of view;
- introduces nine ways to encourage the change in a person without resentment;
- shows how to set a good rapport with people you do not know.
These skills will help build a network and make friends at any stage of life. It’s essential for those students who would like to learn how to communicate more effectively and feel at ease even in an unknown setting.
The art of speaking and influencing others can be useful in many spheres of life. For example, it will ensure smoother accommodation to the new leap of life when going to college. It will increase the chances to get a better job or improve the existing one. In any case, this is a great book that would teach you how to take any situation and make it work for you.
Eat That Frog! for Students: 22 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Excel in School by Brian Tracy and Anna Leinberger
How do you get more things done in less time? That’s what this book is teaching. It is adapted from the world’s bestseller ‘Eat That Frog!’ to meet the needs of students who feel stressed out and overwhelmed with their studies.
This time-management book shows the effective ways of juggling classes, extracurricular activities, college admissions, jobs, friends, family, and other aspects of life. ‘Eat That Frog’ contains effective ways of fighting procrastination, so it is a good book for college students as well as high school learners.
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
This is one of the most inspirational books for college students that has become the #1 finance book for people all around the world. Since schools do nothing to teach students to become rich and successful in the future, Robert embarks on this task in his book and shares the life lessons that have brought him to success.
This is the author's autobiography telling a story from his childhood. Robert was growing up with two dads - his real father from the middle class and his friend’s father who has become insanely rich within several years. He contrasts two mindsets and shows how he adapted a completely new vision of life through lessons the rich dad taught him.
This book explains how to make money work for you, even if you are a kid, teenager, or youngster.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
This book might be a tough one for high school students, but it’s definitely worth the shot. It will inspire positive changes in life through the holistic approach, which enables taking control over your own life without any excuses.
The author combines stories with theory to maximize the results. In this book, you’ll learn how to respect others’ opinions and choices, take control of your life and do things that take you closer to your dream, communicate with your family and friends, and so much more. Every chapter has a list of exercises, so you will be able to immediately implement quality changes in your life.