Avoiding books found at the airport.
Most books on airport shelves are contemporary. They are sensible books, but are not that helpful for growth. It's like doing bicep curls instead of chin-ups.
I have read about fifty of these self-help books in the last three years, and they are starting to become really boring.
They are written in similar styles, address similar problems, and generally just make you feel hopeful and encouraged.
From this vantage point, I guess they make a good start for someone who hates reading or does not even know where to begin. I guess that's why they are so popular - Bestseller this, Bestseller that.
I'm optimizing for truth-seeking now. I want to read books that explore truths. The more boring, the better.