It’s no secret that I read a lot. I find a lot of great information in books. In this episode, I break down my best books for finding purpose. These books have shaped me into the purpose-driven woman I am today.
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I noticed that there are lot of people who like to read just as much as I do. I usually give an annual recap of my top 5 books of the year, but those books aren’t necessarily geared towards purpose.
The three best books for finding purpose that I’m discussing in this episode are solely the books that have been pivotal in my journey with purpose, outside of the Bible of course. The bible is where it all starts.
The books are all quick reads. In fact, one book you finish in a day if you have a few hours. I read one of the books long before I knew what my purpose was but that doesn’t negate its relevance and contribution.
Your past experiences and knowledge have a way of compounding on each other to make you into the version of yourself you see now and will see in the future.
The best books for finding purpose are below.
The 4 Agreements
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. The book is just what it purports to be, a guide to personal freedom.
Reading this book freed me of a lot of things. Before we get into that, let me tell you what an agreement is and then what the 4 agreements are.
Whenever we hear an opinion and believe it, we make an agreement, and it becomes part of our belief system.
The first agreement is to be impeccable with your word. The second is, “don’t take anything personally. The third is, “don’t make assumptions.” And the fourth agreement is, “always do your best.” Let’s break each agreement down starting with the first agreement.
Reading a book like this really gets your mind thinking differently about your interactions with others. I found that things just don’t bother me like they used to. I focus more on doing my personal best at each juncture, standing by my word, and not speaking down about others or to others.
All of this helps me as I’m on this journey of being obedient in my purpose. This is a book that I revisit. I also give it to others as a gift from time to time. I think everyone should read it.
The Purpose Driven Life
The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren. The book is good. If there was only one book I could recommend for finding purpose, it’s this one.
There is a reason why this book is a NYT bestseller and has sold over 34 million copies. It’s truly a comprehensive collection of information about why we are on earth.
The book doesn’t tell you exactly how to discover your purpose in a step-by-step format but it provides a wealth of information about purpose.
The author the fact that we are servants and separates the book into 5 different purpose areas. He goes into detail explaining how we were planned for God’s pleasure, formed for God’s family, created to become like Christ, shaped for serving God, and made for a mission.
This book gave me a foundation to understand why humans exist and how we are supposed to operate.
The other great thing about this book is that it isn’t separated into chapters. It’s separated by days. It’s broken up into 42 days worth of reading. Each day is only a couple of pages, so you can finish this book in a little over a month if you just read a section everyday.
The Big Leap
Next is up is The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. I had never heard of the author or this book before 2020 but it was published back in 2009. It’s another quick read. It’s a small paperback book. Not quite as small as The Four Agreements, but you can still get through it relatively quickly.
I kept hearing people talk about it last year or mention the phrase “zone of genius” so I knew I needed to check it out. Ok, so without getting too deep, the book focuses on exposing readers to internal limits they likely didn’t know they had, and by doing so equipping you with tools to conquer the limits, and experience more extended periods of contentment.
He labels our internal limiting by calling it an Upper Limiting Problem. And here’s how he describes how the upper limiting problem works. He says that each of us has an inner thermostat setting that determines how much love, success, and creativity we allow ourselves to enjoy. When we exceed our inner thermostat setting, we will typically do something to sabotage ourselves, causing us to drop back into the old familiar zone where we feel secure. Our comfort zone.
In other words, we start thinking, “wait a minute, this is too good to be true, let me mess it up.” lol. I’ve seen this play out in real life. I literally know someone who sabotaged a relationship because he felt like it was going too good.
Honorable Mention
I wanted to keep this list to my top 3 books for finding purpose, but I must mention one last book. Even though it didn’t make the top 10 it’s still a great book. It’s Believe Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels.
In the book, Marshawn shares how she turned her pain into purpose. The book doesn’t teach you how to discover your purpose but does show readers how to become more aware of purpose.
Hopefully, one or more of my best books for finding purpose piqued your interest. If so, check them out and let me know your thoughts!
Want More?
If you enjoyed this episode with the best books for finding purpose, then you may also enjoy the episode of the show about the fear of success and how it hinders purpose or this episode detailing what to expect when operating in your purpose.
Resources Mentioned
- Believe Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels
- The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
- The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren
- The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
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Disclaimer: If you happen to purchase anything I recommend in this or any of my communications, it’s likely I’ll receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, I only recommend things that I truly believe in and have personally experienced. If you ever have an issue with anything I recommend, please let me know. My goal is to help you thrive in your purpose. — Pavielle