Thought and habits
Mind and conduct
From Marcus Aurelius and Emerson to Maltz, Peale, Frankl, and Covey.
A slower path. It puts older essays next to the mid-century books about thinking, and it ends with a habits book from 1989.
- 01 Meditations Marcus Aurelius The private notes of a Roman emperor, used for centuries as a manual of steadiness.
- 02 Self-Reliance Ralph Waldo Emerson Emerson's essay on trusting your own thought instead of borrowing your opinions.
- 03 As a Man Thinketh James Allen · 1913 edition A very short book on the idea that character and circumstance follow the thoughts a person keeps.
- 04 The Power of Your Subconscious Mind Joseph Murphy · 1963 Murphy's book of drills for planting an aim in what he calls the subconscious mind.
- 05 Psycho-Cybernetics Maxwell Maltz · 1960 Maltz's book on self-image, written by a plastic surgeon who noticed that changing a face did not always change a life.
- 06 The Magic of Thinking Big David J. Schwartz · 1959 Schwartz's book on raising the size of the goals and actions a person will attempt.
- 07 The Power of Positive Thinking Norman Vincent Peale · 1952 Peale's widely read book of faith and practical drills for a more confident mind.
- 08 Man's Search for Meaning Viktor E. Frankl · 1959 Frankl's account of the concentration camps and the idea that a person can choose a stance toward suffering.
- 09 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen R. Covey · 1989 Covey's book of seven habits, from private character out to working with other people.