Growing up, many of us assumed that adults had everything figured out. They seemed so certain of who they were and what they believed, and surely, we thought, our own adult life would be the same. Fast forward a decade or three, and suddenly we’ve grown into adults ourselves—and we most certainly do not have everything figured out.
So how can we start getting better at this “adulting” thing? Well, we can start by learning more about how people manage their professional and personal lives like pros. And with that in mind, we recommend cracking open the five excellent books below.
Quarterlife: The Search for Self in Early Adulthood
By Satya Doyle Byock
An acclaimed psychotherapist utilizes personal storytelling, mythology, Jungian psychology, pop culture, literature, and client case studies to provide guideposts for navigating “Quarterlife,” and years between adolescence and midlife. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Satya Doyle Byock, in the Next Big Idea App
Dream First, Details Later: How to Quit Overthinking & Make It Happen!
By Ellen Marie Bennett
The author shares her incredible journey from young line cook to the founder and CEO of Hedley & Bennett, an apron and kitchen gear brand that outfits the world’s best chefs. Her book will help anyone who’s procrastinating on a goal, career change, or business idea to stop the obsessive worrying and leap into action. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Ellen Marie Bennett, in the Next Big Idea App
Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick
By Wendy Wood
A University of Southern California psychologist draws on three decades of original research to explain the fascinating science of how we form habits, and offers the key to unlocking our habitual mind in order to make the changes we seek. Take our original video e-course, taught by author Wendy Wood, in the Next Big Idea App
Your Turn: How to Be an Adult
By Julie Lythcott-Haims
A former Stanford dean offers compassion, personal experience, and practical strategies for living a more authentic adulthood, as well as inspiration through interviews with dozens of voices from the rich diversity of the human population who have successfully launched their adult lives. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Julie Lythcott-Haims, in the Next Big Idea App
The Book of Moods: How I Turned My Worst Emotions into My Best Life
By Lauren Martin
With a good job and healthy relationships, the author seemed to have it all—but she couldn’t shake persistent feelings of inferiority, irritability, and more. The Book of Moods is her deep dive into what causes such negative emotions, what purpose they serve, and how anyone can manage them more effectively. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Lauren Martin, in the Next Big Idea App
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