The "Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch

First and foremost, what you are describing is metacognition - thinking about the way you think. Hopefully that will aid you in your search for things! Secondly, here are some of my favorite influential material: - Li Ka-Shing, Tips on Life. My takeaway: invest in yourself. [link] - Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture. My takeaway: don't limit yourself [this video] - Guy Kawasaki, Make Meaning. Aimed for startups, but equally applicable in life. My takeaway: Have the proper motivations for doing things. [link] - Admiral William H. McRaven, Make your bed. My takeaway: if you want to change the world, start by changing yourself. [link] - David Foster Wallace, This is Water. My takeaway: Take a big picture view, and don't sweat the small stuff. [link] - “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about.”― Rumi - Man's Search for meaning. My takeaway: We make meaning. [link] - "All the livin that you're saving, won't buy your dreams for you" - Townes Van Zandt - Idiot wind by Bob Dylan My takeaway: Your reaction to things can be just as bad as the actual thing. [link] - Stoicism and Marcus Aurelius, Seneca. My takeaway: Focus on what matters. [link] (read this one first for a good foundation) [link] [link] - Buddhism. Our takeaway: Meditation is important, the doctrine of emptiness (not nihilism!) is super interesting. [link] [link] [link] [link] [link] - Leonardo Da Vinci My take