15 Books That Changed My Life for the Better

15 Books That Changed My Life for the Better

Posted on September 22, 2021

By Gregory T. Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Human Services | Chief Executive Officer, Penn-Mar Foundation
Greg Miller

Gregory Miller
President/CEO Penn-Mar Human Services

Dr. Howard Hendricks, a former professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, famously said, โ€œThe secret to concentration is elimination.โ€ย I have often thought of that wiseย adviceย when trying to figure out whichย activities are consuming my time โ€“ both in my personal and business life โ€“ at the expense of more important things I should be doing.ย 

Mort Zifferer, a former Penn-Mar Board Chair, gets credit for helping me understand how reading is a discipline that needs to be cultivated if you want to be continually exposed to new ideas. More importantly, great books can lead to self-revelation โ€“ those A-ha! moments that are rather sobering and motivating. ย 

I know what youโ€™reย thinking: โ€œHow can I findย time to read with everythingย elseย I have on my plate?โ€ย ย 

I used that excuse, too, until I realized that reading is a discipline not unlike working out at the gym, improving a skill, or earning a degree.ย The good news is we can always manage to find time for the things we want to do.ย 

I know few people that have less time to read thanย I do, but by eliminatingย unimportant activitiesย and drawing a line in the sand on commitments, Iย now have the capacity to make reading a pleasurable habit.ย 

I haveย listed 15ย books below that have helped me to do all that, and more, over the past few years.ย ย 

One of the most significant books for my development โ€“ a bedrock of leadership โ€“ is Stephen Coveyโ€™sย The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.ย 

I alsoย suggestย youย pick upย Necessary Endingsย by Dr. Henry Cloud. Other than the Bible, this book has had the most impact on my life when Iย found myself becoming overwhelmed with commitments.ย 

Iย actuallyย had the opportunity to spend time with Henry and John Towson, authors of another phenomenal book on my list calledย Boundaries.ย The title speaks for itself.ย 

There are thousands of great books out there thatย can change your lifeย and outlook.ย I try to readย younger authors for a different generationalย perspectiveย as wellย titles with opinions thatย may not be culturally aligned withย mine.ย Itโ€™s important to be a student beforeย becoming aย critic.ย 

For me itย hasย alwaysย beenย a challenge to put learning into practice, whether itย isย at Penn-Mar or in my personal life.ย However,ย itโ€™s a welcome challenge that I accept as a life-long journey.ย 

Tryย combiningย this new discipline with a hobby. I spend a lot of time sitting in tree stands while hunting. Aย good bookย is alwaysย within reach to help me pass the time.ย 

Take a minute to scan the list below. Pick out a title that piques your interest and start to lean in to reading and learning. I promise, you wonโ€™t regret it!

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