Why I’m Steering Away From Self-Help Books in 2022
I’ll Be Focusing On These 3 Themes Instead
A New Year is now upon us. Have you pondered what books you’ll be reading in 2022?
Looking back, my 2021 was about personal growth and expansion — becoming a better writer and a more compassionate person in a world seemingly turned upside down.
Personal growth, self-improvement, and expansion have always been the nectar of my existence. I love exploring new ways of bringing the best version of myself to the table every day.
In short, I want to be world-class. A global badass. Someone who lives life out loud with reckless abandon while leaving a fingerprint on humanity.
Self-development books have forever appealed to me. Among my favorite authors — Mark Epstein, Danielle LaPorte, David Deida, Tim Gallwey, Alan Weiss, Robert Greene, and even the epic rapper star 50 Cent.
But now as we face some of the most profound changes to our world order in our lifetime, my inner muse is beckoning me to pursue the following book themes in 2022.
Philosophy Books
When I decided to attend The Ohio State University in the 80s my Dad encouraged me to pursue a liberal arts degree. He believed that the ability to think critically, write effectively, and successfully dialogue with others were all key elements of long-term success.
Many iconic business leaders, in fact, credit philosophy for their standing in life.
I first fell in love with philosophy in 1986 as a result of an introductory undergraduate course. From there, my interest in both Western and Eastern philosophy blossomed.
Truth be told, if I had to select a major all over again (I was a Sociology major before getting a Masters's in Health Services Administration), philosophy is the field I would choose to pursue.
My all-time favorite read to this day is Sacred Hoops: Spiritual Lessons of a Hardwood Warrior by legendary NBA basketball coach Phil Jackson. In exploring the deeper recesses of life through the intersection of basketball and spirituality, the book has been a life-altering presence in my earthly journey.
And a self-avowed Taoist-Libertarian, “The Free Market Existentialist” written by academic and philosopher William Irwin has had a profound impact on my thinking. HERE is a feature article that I wrote back in 2015 about this great piece of work.
But the person who has perhaps had the greatest influence on my quest to become a world-class critical thinker is the incomparable Cornel West. In an interview with Black Enterprise Magazine in November he had this to say:
“Philosophy challenges us to see differently, feel more deeply, and act more courageously. My hope is that members will develop a new lens through which to view themselves and become more conscious human beings and that they can become introspective of their own journey and how they interact with others.”
His new Masterclass trailer captures it all.
So with 2022 now upon us, I am endeavoring in a sense to return to my roots. Philosophy book on Stoicism, Taoism, Libertarianism will be a healthy part of my reading diet as I seek to further sharpen my critical thinking and awareness for the changing times we’re in.
Economics Books
Amid the massive shifts taking place in our world order, I find this to be the most profoundly interesting period in my lifetime. The key in my view to acquiring a broader understanding of what’s taking place in humanity’s evolution are the fields of macro and microeconomics.
This year in my quest to better grasp what's happening in the world, books on money, economic developments, technology, and the new economy, finance, and the emerging areas of blockchain and cryptocurrency will be on the top of my list of reads. I also am a huge fan of The Economist, arguably the most important news publication that a free-thinking person can read.
I’ll be delving more into the works of Thomas Sowell and Jim Rickards as well as themes like the history of money, Austrian Economics, and the global socio-economic divide. I hope to pen more articles like this in the coming days.
Black History Books
One of my most stunning discoveries over the past couple of years is how little knowledge I, and most Americans have about the deeper context of America’s racial past. It’s here where Black History books offer a mind-blowing experience in terms of where we’ve been and where we are today on this journey.
Sadly, much of this important history has been whitewashed and hidden from view. So I’m personally committing myself to take a deeper dive into the rich repository of books in this genre.
Let me close by expressing my gratitude to Libertarian.org for giving me a forum for my intellectual interests and writing in the field of Black History. You can check these writings out HERE.
AND, please check out and subscribe to my “Great Books, Great Minds” companion site “Black Books, Black Minds.”
I find it fascinating that self-help books "lost their luster" in the last few years for me as well. Of course, the ethos of positive thinking has its place. However, the incessant self-congratulatory tone and the embedded survivorship bias became both obvious and disturbing. There is a reason why so many fantastic accomplishments are one-off. And the people who were lucky enough to enjoy those accomplishments often, though maybe not always, over-value their ability while under-valuing the positive effects of that luck. This is not to say that hard work and preparation are irrelevant. Of course, they are not! By the same token, it is entirely possible that following the "three key steps..." will not result in the same outcome, automatically. In contrast, a solid philosophical foundation--and my bias will show here--rooted in Stoicism, will make almost any journey, no matter how winding, transverse-able!