Editor's note: We should learn from other people's lives, learn from other people's lives. While these aren't the six best biographies, they will teach you some valuable lessons about life. The author is Tom Stevenson, this article is translated from Medium, originally titled: 6 Biographies That Will Teach You Lesson Valuables On Life, I hope to inspire you.
Inspirational books are a huge industry. Go to amazon.com, type "inspirational" into the search bar, and you'll be bombarded with thousands of recommendations. While some of these books will be useful, most are not.
A more useful but often overlooked book is biography. Whether it's an autobiography of a famous person, or a biographer's view of past characters, you can learn more from these books than you could have imagined.
I believe it's easier to learn from other people's lives than to read multiple inspirational books in general. When you read a biography, you get a close picture of that person's life. You'll see how they live, and you'll peel back layers and layers of their personality to see what makes their lives so active.
No one is perfect, and this is confirmed in most biographies. Everyone makes mistakes. We can and will make mistakes. Who is better suited to learning than someone in a high-pressure environment?
Their lives are an exaggerated form of our lives. You don't read biographies to gain countless facts about this person's life, you read biographies to improve yourself by learning from the mistakes and successes of others.
I haven't read many biographies I want to read, I've only read some. Some of these books are well known, while others are obscure. They all face challenges and tribulations in their lives.
Their stories teach us more than we realize ourselves. They can show us the right path and how to avoid falling into the trap. These aren't the six best biographies, but they will teach you some valuable experiences about life.
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By Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi is one of the most famous tennis players of all time. He was one of the few athletes to win gold at the 1996 Olympics and win all the Grand Slams.
His autobiography, The Net, differs from many other sports stars because Agassi is very open to his life. The struggles he experienced, as well as the successes he had achieved, were also discussed. He doesn't hide the disgraceful parts of the past, he confronts them.
The most striking thing about Agassi's autobiography is his frankness. He didn't mind telling us that he actually hated playing tennis. Considering the success he's had, it's remarkable, but in his childhood he really hated tennis.
Similarly, he is not shy about detailing his struggles outside the tennis court and the impact on his life. This book is a wonderful read that makes it clear that no matter how successful the heroes we worship, they are human beings who will experience failure.
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt
By Robert Dallek
I've included this biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt on my list of the best books I've read in 2020, and here I have to include it as well. Dalek's book, an interesting look at one of the most fascinating presidents in American history.
Roosevelt always piqued my interest because he was the only president in American history to be elected four times. During his 12 years in the White House, he also faced arguably the most difficult situation of all presidents.
When he came to power in 1933, the United States was still in the midst of the Great Depression after the wall Street crash. Roosevelt's New Deal helped revive the economy, though it was not as successful as he had hoped.
Then, toward the end of his second term, World War II became a top priority. The United States remained absent from the war until December 7, 1941, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
Roosevelt's extraordinary thing is that he coped with it all despite being disabled by polio infections in early adulthood. Despite these setbacks, he successfully led the United States through two crises and inspired the confidence of his countrymen.
If I were Joe Biden, the incoming president himself, would face great challenges, this biography would certainly be on my reading list.
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By Tyler Hamilton
Taylor Hamilton may not be a familiar name for everyone, but he's lance Armstrong's teammate. Top Secret Ride tells the story of his life with Lance and what he witnessed.
Lance Armstrong's story is one of the most interesting in the history of modern sport. His story is unbelievably perfect. The cancer survivor, who came back from the precipice of life, won the world's greatest cycling race, the Tour de France, not once, but seven times in a row.
We now know that his story is incredibly good. But in the days when Lance was fine, he was unshakable. Hamilton's statement is instructive because he was in the midst of the incident. He has witnessed what happens every day, and he himself has been condemned for covering up the DOPING regime of the US Postal Team.
What's most striking about Hamilton's description is how hard Armstrong puts in to ensure his secrets aren't leaked. This is a lesson for all of us. If we are not careful, we will be swallowed up by desire. It is important to remember that deception will never succeed.
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By Ronald Reng
Life Is Too Short is a tragic biography of The German footballer Robert Enke. In 2009, Enke ended his life after being injured by a train.
At the time of his death, Enke was the number one goalkeeper for the German national team and he seemed to have everything you could want in life. Successful career, wife and children love. However, behind all this, he was tormented.
Early in his career, Enke was diagnosed with depression. His experience playing for European giants such as Benfica and Barcelona did not help his situation.
When most of us are willing to stand in his shoes and look at things, Enke actually committed suicide, which seems incredible. Sure, we can stand in his place, but we don't get into his mind. No matter how successful a person is, they are still human.
This biography tells the story of the enormous pressures that success, fame and sport put on people. In a media like Twitter, it's easier than ever to criticize public figures, and we have to remember that no matter how successful these people are, they all have their own feelings.
Life Is Too Short also highlights how important it is to take care of our mental health. Enke received help, but he didn't show the open mind he deserved. Maybe it's because he's afraid he'll be laughed at, or because he doesn't want to burden the pressure of his friends and family.
It's okay to recognize that you have discomfort in your heart, and that you can talk about your mental health without being humiliated. As people who have suffered from panic disorder in recent years, the sooner we do this, the better.
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Author: Plato
The Last Days of Socrates is the oldest in this biographical book, but its content is still as important today as Plato wrote about Socrates in his last moments on earth.
While this description may not be strictly accurate, we can still learn a lot. Socrates was tried for corrupting the Athenian youth. The rulers of Athens did not appreciate his philosophy of asking questions and seeking truth on all questions.
Plato's description, detailing the trial of Socrates, in which he defended himself, and the moment before his death after being convicted of a crime.
Despite the dire situation, Socrates never felt angry at those who sued him. He swallowed his fate and even blamed his friends for crying before he drank the poison!
The book examines Socrates' plight and elaborates on his reflections on the soul and the afterlife. Not everyone agrees with him that the soul is immortal, but a philosophical view is something we should consider anyway.
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By Phil Knight
Shoe Dog is the autobiography of Phil Knight, the founder of sportswear giant Nike. Before reading the book, I didn't know much about the history of the company and found it to be a fascinating story.
Knight's career began as a distributor for the Japanese shoe company Onitsuka. Over time, he disillusioned with them and decided to start his own business.
Today, we take it for granted that Nike is a big company. It's almost impossible to imagine that they weren't big companies in an era, especially if you're a millennial like me.
In Nike's early days, however, life was tough. This company was short of money, and they went through a lot of problems that you would have thought of when you first started, but without going through those difficulties, they would never have become the company they are today. Those market opportunities were actually bad for Knight, but he beat them anyway.
Shoe Dogs is an important reminder of how to succeed in life. You need hard work, dedication and a little luck. Knight's experience is a pleasant journey in his life, and it is also the process of Nike's development to today.