Most of us read the wrong things. As Haruki Murakami put it, reading what everyone else reads means youre probably going to think what everyone else thinks. All those books from high-school? Everyone else has read them too. The best-sellers? Same.

Thats not to say these books arent valuable. They are. Theyre just not going to help you get unique insights, see problems in a different way than others, or even help you solve more problems. They will, however, make you sound like youre smart because you can talk about the things everyone else is talking about. That said, there is the old adage: When you do what everyone else is doing, you shouldnt be surprised to get the same results everyone else gets.

While thinking the thoughts that other people have is enough to get a seat at the table, its not enough to win the game.

To win you need to see things that other people cant see. You need to connect things that other people cant connect.

Reading can help you develop insights, connections, and understanding that baffles others. To do this, you cant, however, follow in the same footsteps as everyone else because that leads you down the same path.

With that in mind, here are five books that youve probably never heard of (and one you have) that will change your life and enable you to see the world in a new light.

La Rochefoucaulds critical and pithy analysis of human behavior wont soon be forgotten. A list of people influenced by his maxims include Nietzsche, Voltaire, Proust, de Gaulle, and Conan Doyle. The readers best policy, Rochefoucauld suggests, is to assume that none of these maxims is directed at him, and that he is the sole exception. . After that, I guarantee that he will be the first to subscribe to them.

Ive never read this book in a cover-to-cover sense but Ive read each of the laws. More than that, Ive broken each of the laws. Ill give you an example. The first law is Never outshine the master. Once, I worked directly for a CEO. I worked as hard as I ever have to show off my talents and skills and at every turn it backfired over and over again. The lessonmake your masters appear more brilliant than they are and you will attain the heights of power. I wish I read this book earlier in my career, it certainly would have been helpful.

This book sat on my shelf for a year before I picked it up recently. This is the biography of Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus the Elder, who made the oldest known declaration of human rights. The book is full of leadership lessons. Heres an example.

Brevity is the soul of command. Too much talking suggests desperation on the part of the leader. Speak shortly, decisively, and to the pointand couch your desires in such natural logic that no one can raise objections. Then move on.

This no-nonsense collection of 20 letters from a self-made man to his son are nothing short of brilliant as far as Im concerned. This is a great example of timeless wisdom. The broad theme is how to raise your children in a world where they have plentybut the lessons apply to parents and non-parents alike. Check out a sample.

An autobiography of Nobel laureate Herbert A. Simon, a remarkable polymath who more people should know about. In an age of increasing specializing, hes a rare generalistapplying what he learned as a scientist to other aspects of his life. Crossing disciplines, he was at the intersection of information sciences. He won the Nobel for his theory of bounded rationality, and is perhaps best known for his insightful quote, A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.

And heres one more just for good luck, even if youve probably heard of it:

OK, this is a bonus pick as I figured many of you might have read this already. However, the translation matters. Get this one. The best way to sum up this book is: A simple and powerful guide to life. This book was never intended for publicationit was for himself. How many people write a book of epigrams to themselves during a war? Get it. Read it. Live it.

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Five books about human behavior that will change the way you see ... - Quartz