The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

We often think “happiness is merely the result of success, not the precursor to success.” The author, the pioneer of positive psychology, suggests to think in the other way around: when we’re happier, we will become more successful. When I was playing Civilization V, I had to keep my citizens “happy” in order to keep up their productivity. But how come I failed to think I had to do the same thing for myself, even playing it several hours a day?

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

It’s my third time to fully read this book. Once at my teenage in Korean; once in college and, this time, in grad school, in English. Not surprisingly, every time I read this type of classic bestsellers, I learned new things. I now see things differently, now that I’ve lived more. After reading the book, I found myself thinking more empathetically and listening more attentively to others. In general, I felt better at communicating with others than before.