Books of 2023: My Yearly Journey of Personal Growth and Inspiration

Zdravko Kolev
5 min readDec 25, 2023

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After a two-year pause, it feels like the perfect time to reflect and share my reading journey once again.

For me, a yearly reading list retrospective is like a mirror reflecting one’s personal experiences and aspirations from the past year. It reveals what we seek and what are we ready to embrace in our journey of learning and self-discovery. This approach to reading not only enhances our knowledge but also aligns with our evolving goals.

Sharing what I’ve learned from these books is not just a practice in self-reflection but also a way to potentially inspire others. This list is a guide through various realms of thought, culminating in the inspiring story of one extraordinary individual with a seemingly ordinary vision: making humankind multi-planetary.

📚 Outliers — The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

Have you wondered, what’s needed for achieving exellence or true expertise toward something? In short, it’s not mare tallent, rather an amount of practice, ten thousand hours, to be precise. Gladwell explores what makes high-achievers different. He argues that successful people are not only gifted but also have had unique opportunities.

Understanding the “10,000-Hour Rule” and the significance of cultural legacies in shaping success were the main takeaways for me after finishing the book. Consistency and practice always pay off.

“If you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires”

🕔 The 5 AM Club

This book champions the idea of starting your day early for personal growth and productivity. The 5 AM Club advocates for a morning routine that fuels success. The author emphasizes the transformative power of dedicating the first hour of your day to self-development activities. The key takeaway for me was the concept of 'Victory Hour' - a period of intense focus and self-care before the world awakes. This practice promises to enhance mindfulness, fitness, and productivity. The notion that..

“Owning your morning is owning your life”

.. truly resonated with me, echoing the book’s essence of spending the early hours for significant personal and professional goals.

🔗 Atomic Habits

The book emphasizes the profound impact of small, consistent changes in our daily habits. The book delves into the science of habit formation, offering practical strategies for building good habits and breaking bad ones. The main insight for me was the compound effect of incremental changes – how small adjustments can accumulate into significant transformations over time.

Consistent change:

Book quote:

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems"

.. this underscores the importance of establishing robust systems and routines to foster habit change. This concept has been a guiding principle in reshaping my habits for better productivity and personal growth.

🗣 Just Listen by Mark Gouston

This interesting book gives transformative strategies for becoming an effective listener and communicator. The book emphasizes the power of empathetic listening in fostering deeper connections and understanding. Goulston provides actionable techniques for listening with intent and responding with empathy. A key insight that I gained is the concept that..

“Listening is not just about being quiet, but about being present”.

This perspective has significantly enhanced my communication skills in both personal and professional interactions, making conversations more meaningful and productive by removing near distractions, such as screen devices and intrusive thoughts, and by committing wholeheartedly to the conersation itself. This approach has reshaped my communication skills, making my interactions more meaningful by ensuring I’m fully engaged and giving 100% of myself in every conversation.

🏛 Built to Last

In "Built to Last," the authors provide a comprehensive analysis of how certain visionary companies achieve and sustain success over time. This book is particularly insightful for those interested in company culture establishments and the crucial role of core values and long-term goals in crafting enduring organizations. One inspirational quote from the book that stood out to me was:

"Visionary companies display a remarkable ability to continue to grow and change while remaining true to their core ideology."

This highlights the idea that successful companies can adapt and evolve without losing sight of their fundamental beliefs and purpose.

It’s the same for us. Identifying your core values and living a live based on them is vital for every human being.

🚀 Elon Musk’s First Biography by Ashly Vans

The biography of Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance offers an in-depth look at the life and achievements of one of the most influential innovators of our time. Musk’s journey is not just about creating successful businesses but also about his passion, persistence, and vision of a better future for humanity.

A quote from the book that encapsulates Musk’s philosophy is:

“Once you figure out the question, then the answer is relatively easy. I came to the conclusion that really we should aspire to increase the scope and scale of human consciousness in order to understand what question to ask.”

This quote reflects Musk’s approach to finding life-changing purposes and working towards goals that benefit society as a whole, not just individual success.

Musk’s story is a testament to the power of vision, hard work, and resilience, making it an inspiring read for anyone interested in making a significant impact in the world.

If I had to describe this book with one word, that would be inspirational. The book shows the power of relentless innovation and thinking big. Looking at my reading list, you will notice I was searching for more inspirational books, like Outliers and Musk’s biography, and to be honest I believe the latter was what I’ve been looking for, it was really inspirational journey while reading it.

This year’s reading list has been a remarkable journey through success stories, personal development, habit formation, and visionary leadership. Each book has not only enriched my knowledge but also motivated me to apply these insights in various aspects of my life. I’m thankful for the era we live in, where such wisdom is accessible, and for the authors who continue to inspire and challenge our thinking.

Thank you for the time you spent reading this post! I am looking forward to the one book you would recommend starting 2024 with? :)

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Zdravko Kolev

Product Development Manager at Infragistics, passionate about technology, innovation, personal growth, leadership, and team development.