What do you do when you feel stuck? When we are truly stuck, we usually need something radical. We need a new perspective to prompt us into a new way of being. And books have the power to do that.

There’s a reason people still love books for learning. Not only do books show us how others have done things so that we too can expand on their knowledge, but they also give us quiet time. Our mental health needs the comfort of that stillness while we explore other worlds.

Most importantly, books give us a depth of knowledge that is far more meaningful than any training course alone.

Dive Into the Depths of Vertical Learning With Books

We all know that we have human needs, even if the list changes depending on what you read. Regardless, some form of growth, development, actualization, or Carl Jung’s process of individuation all seem innate to us.

In other words, we want to continuously improve ourselves. Whether driven by the need to succeed so we can grow our wealth or make this world a better place is almost irrelevant. Simply put, we enjoy learning and the feeling that we have mastered something.

Nevertheless, have you noticed how hard it is to change ourselves? A workshop or training session might be great fun, but what really stays with you after one day, a week, or a year? Sadly, very little if you’re like most adults.

Effective and long-term development is vertical. As this paper on leadership development for a complex world describes, vertical development is expanding one’s way of thinking and being.

As a result, complexity and uncertainty become patterns and shapes to rearrange according to context rather than insurmountable hurdles. Additionally, we start embracing the unknown more wisely.

Books and book clubs are the perfect catalyst for vertical development. They can offer:

• New perspectives. Whether you're looking for books on workplace mental health or leadership development, every new perspective evolves your current reality into something else.

• Connections. Book clubs naturally create a culture of belonging, but even books on their own connect us to all human stories throughout time.

• Challenge analysis. Through books, we experience some of history’s greatest challenges and reflect on how they might affect us.

On Becoming Authentic and Wise

Whether you’re pro “authentic”, or you’ve had enough of it as the new buzzword, it’s still incredible to be yourself, warts and all. Of course, that assumes your intentions are good and aligned with reality.

Unfortunately, the mind presents the reality we want to see based on our past experiences and pain. A bully being authentic because they fear being weak isn’t something anyone wants to see.

And so we refer back to books again.

Books offer countless realities to compare our assumptions and approaches. We can also simulate different options in a book club or alongside dynamic coaching experiences as we test our own reality and intentions.

In other words, books encourage us to pause and reflect, both necessary allies to being both authentic and wise. As the perfect example, take this new Book Wise podcast. The discussions are all about combining insight and reflection for greater wisdom.

You can leverage books to be both authentic and wise through:

• Role models. Books show us both wise people who thoughtfully express themselves and examples of how not to interact with others.

• Decisions. Life is about the choices we make, and books guide us by revealing various options that can lead us to our truth.

• Values. Through book clubs, leaders and teams can hold rich discussions about what matters most to them and how that aligns with the business. From there, it is much easier to take wise action.

What’s Your Next Comfort Book of Learning Going to Be?

Whether you’re looking for some quiet time to reflect with a book as your guide or to simply keep learning, we can all find comfort and new realities in books.

As a result, our beliefs are altered, and worldviews shifted. There’s nothing more staggering to push you into a new way of being. The choice of where that takes you then lies with you so choose your books wisely.