Just read. (Yes, it's really that simple)

Books introduce you to beliefs, attitudes, and perspectives for which you would have never considered, or fathomed, otherwise. And the best books teach you something you weren't even looking for.

I believe books are the closest most of us will get to having a conversation with some of the greatest minds to have ever lived. But most of all, you can use them to educate yourself on a particular problem you are facing in order to aid you in getting to the bottom of solving it.

A book existing (particularly related to self improvement) means that someone else has already gone through the trials and tribulations involved with solving that same problem you are experiencing. This saves you precious time and energy that would have otherwise been spent coming to the same conclusion.

Now whilst you won't finish a book and all of a sudden be a master of all your problems, I can promise you now that you'll certainly be better equipped with the tools and knowledge necessary to navigate through, and eventually conquer, your problems.

Whether it's fiction or non-fiction, the more you read, the more you gain an understanding of how humans think and behave—Something extremely crucial if you want to improve your day-to-day (and deeper) interactions with your fellow humans. This is because behavioural patterns become apparent as you observe them across the various stories, research studies, and real world examples (including your own experiences) you read about.

And if dealing with other people better isn't exactly your top priority right now, think of yourself. Since you are a human yourself, improving your insight on human behaviour will help you to navigate and process your thoughts, feelings, and emotions better.

Throughout my journey of self improvement, I've found that combining what I've read with daily self reflection sessions has been a dangerously effective combination in my pursuit to get to the bottom of my problems.

Reflecting upon what you've learned and how you can apply it to your life and personal situation helps you gain a better understanding since it reinforces what you've read. This is because humans are seeing creatures. We believe what we see and see what we believe. Painting a picture of what we've read/learned about on the canvas of our own lives in a way that we can understand helps us to not only understand better, but have the information drilled into us in a long lasting way.

Whilst you can find a summary of any book in the world, it won't help you understand in a way that will be inherently useful. And if you don't understand, you don't truly know.

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand." - Albert Einstein

It's like getting all the answers to a test. Sure, you know the answers, but that's about it. The answers will only be useful for passing that particular test and nothing beyond that (such as real world application or future tests). Better to seek to gain the methods that will lead you to the answers so you can apply them to all future tests (or as the famous proverb goes: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime").

The above also relates closely to one of my favourite quotes by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.: "The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions". Summaries give the answer, but they don't talk about the nuances which only come from having a clear understanding of a particular topic, rule, method, etc.

If there's one thing that books have taught me it's that for every rule, there's an exception, and two things can be true despite them contradicting one another. Knowing the exceptions and when/where each rule is relevant can only come from having even a fair understanding of a topic.

This is why reading multiple books on the same subject is highly beneficial. You have different authors with their own stories, perspectives, theories, analogies, and research studies to help you grasp that particular topic in a way that suits you and your style of learning.

A common problem I've noticed others experience is the struggle to take in and consciously apply everything they've read to their lives (due to a belief that they have to). This is a misconception. A lot of reading has to do with taking in what you've read in to your subconscious (automatic) mind and therefore the beliefs, attitudes, and perspective changes mostly does not require conscious implementation.

The simple act of taking in enough information into your subconscious mind can be enough to have a profound effect on your worldview. This works in the same way that, after enough times of doing it, you don't need to look at the keyboard when typing, or how a certain smell brings up a memory without having to consciously search your memory for the origins. One way I've noticed something has changed my perspective and entered my subconscious mind is by those 'Light bulb' or 'Aha!' moments.

However, it's important to remember that, as with taking on a new habit, a certain degree of conscious effort is required before what you want to become a part of your paradigm is fully ingrained and therefore, I'd recommend writing down key things you wouldn't want to forget to implement into your life.

If you're unsure of where to start (or overwhelmed by the amount of books you feel you have to get through), start with the elephant in the room. Ask yourself 'What is the biggest problem in my life right now?'

The elephant in the room should always be addressed first and foremost since, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, it will always be there—gnawing at you until you have no choice but to address it. Not doing this is like trying to clean up spilled cereal whilst your house is on fire.

When choosing books, I'd recommend beginning with the highest rated ones surrounding your chosen topic since these books tend to be timeless accounts covering all bases.

It's also worth mentioning that you shouldn't feel like you have to strictly read self improvement or non-fiction books. Fiction books have been shown to be highly beneficial for enhancing areas such as imagination, creativity, empathy, vocabulary, and conversation skills. I usually read one non-fiction book and one fiction book and have found that I've learned just as much through the stories of the fictional ones as I have with the non-fiction.