Beth’s Top 5 Books for a Positive Mindset

Being an avid reader has helped me immensely in the early phases of my career, especially when it comes to developing the growth mindset that is necessary to succeed in a competitive field like aviation. 

Recently, I have found myself revisiting books that had a powerful impact when I first read them, and thinking about how their lessons are still applicable to me today. 

Over the first few months of 2025, I shared each of these books individually on social media, but I felt like this reading list was too valuable of a resource to not give it a permanent home here on the LadyAv8rBeth blog. 

I have compiled the book list here, along with how each of these five books has impacted my own life and career. If you’re interested in more book recommendations, be sure to check out my Amazon Storefront for even more! 

Now let’s dive into my five favorite books for developing a positive mindset: 

The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, PH.D.

I first read this book when I was 15. It was a tough read at the time, but looking back, I can see how it helped shape who I am today. 

This book talks about how our thoughts impact our actions, and how those actions result in the person we eventually become, as well as how those thoughts can be impacted by our environment and the people we surround ourselves with. 

Even many years later, I find myself leaning on the lessons that I learned from this book, and being intentional about making sure my environment and my thoughts are in alignment with where I want to go and who I want to become. 

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz is one that has been invaluable to me, because it focuses on taking care of our internal world, so that we can be more resilient when we face challenges from the outside world. 

Each of Ruiz’s “Agreements” help us to challenge our thoughts so that WE remain in control of our mindset and can learn and grow in any situation.

Applying these principles (being careful what we speak, not taking things personally, not making assumptions, and appreciating the journey of life) has had a profound impact on my career at every stage, and I continually look back to them for support. 

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 

I first read The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo while I was working as a flight instructor, when my ex-boyfriend gave me a copy saying that the main character reminded him of me. 

This is a book for dreamers like me.

It walks us through the process of identifying our passions, exploring them, and working on our goals in a way that focuses on self-improvement by frequently revisiting them and making adjustments as the steps become more clear along the journey. 

As my life has progressed, I have seen the methods outlined in this book serve me again and again, and it has remained one of my favorites to this day. 

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom 

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Album is another book that has a close personal connection for me, because I initially read it with one of my friends Adrian.

This book tells the story of two men: a professor diagnosed with ALS, and his student who had just lost his uncle to cancer. These men meet every Tuesday for fourteen weeks and discuss lessons in life, love, and legacy. 

The lessons from this book are powerful! 

From understanding how our childhoods impact the beliefs we carry into adulthood, to how to process emotions in a healthy way, Tuesdays with Morrie is rich with wisdom for all stages of life. 

The Monk who Sold his Ferrari by Robin S Sharma 

I first read this book in 2012, another recommendation from one of my friends, Adrian, and have continued to benefit from its lessons about meditation and visualization. 

Learning to practice mindfulness, especially within our thoughts, is the key to truly realizing our goals, and this book gives helpful strategies to those of us who are new to the practice. 

Visualizations rely on focusing on the positive, completed results of our goals, which can be a challenge when we’re dealing with negative thoughts and emotions. Meditation practices, such as identifying negative thoughts and balancing them out with positive ones, can be a valuable tool to make visualizations more effective. 

Even twelve years later, I still use exercises from this book to continue on my journey towards my goals, and they continue to help me become the best version of myself that I can be. 

Have you read any of these books? I’d love to hear your favorite takeaways in the comments, maybe start a little book club discussion! 

While this series has been meant to share books that have helped ME develop a positive mindset, I would love to read more, so please feel free to share your favorite self-improvement books in the comments as well. 

Happy reading!