by Jennifer Lopez is one of the most successful entertainers in the world. She first rose to fame as an actress, starring in hit films like Selena, Out of Sight, and The Wedding Planner. But JLo has also forged an impressive career as a singer, with multiple hit albums and sold-out world tours under her belt. On top of her work in music and movies, Lopez has also built a business empire spanning clothing, perfume, and production companies.
With such a busy career across so many industries, how does Jennifer Lopez stay inspired, motivated, and focused? According to the superstar herself, reading great books has played a major role. Over the years, she has regularly shared her favorite reads with fans on social media and in interviews. From self-help to spirituality, JLo loves diving into books that challenge her perspective and teach new life lessons.
Here are five of the most impactful books that Jennifer Lopez says have shaped her outlook and driven her success:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This inspirational fable tells the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel and see the world. When he has a vivid, prophetic dream about finding treasure at the Egyptian pyramids, he immediately sets off on an epic journey to fulfill his destiny. As he travels, he meets strangers, falls in love, and encounters setbacks that test his perseverance. All the while, he slowly gains wisdom from the journey itself and uncovers his true purpose in life.
Jennifer Lopez has frequently mentioned The Alchemist as one of her favorite books of all time. She relates to Santiago’s courage to leave home, follow his dreams, and discover his personal legend. The book inspired her to keep pushing forward on her own path towards stardom, even when she faced challenges and skepticism from others. Most importantly, The Alchemist taught Lopez to never give up on her ambitions. The valuable lesson gave her motivation during tough times in her career. According to JLo, the novel is a reminder that “your dreams are never too big”.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
In this inspirational self-help book, Don Miguel Ruiz introduces readers to four simple principles for finding personal freedom and happiness. The agreements encourage readers to 1) Be impeccable with your word, 2) Don’t take anything personally, 3) Don’t make assumptions, and 4) Always do your best. By living these agreements, individuals can transform their perspective and mindset to create joyful, fulfilling lives.
Jennifer Lopez credits The Four Agreements with helping her become more positive. In particular, she embraced the advice to not take things personally. This agreement reminded her not to overreact negatively to other people’s words and actions. Lopez said the book taught her to respond calmly rather than get angry or offended. With more optimism and less sensitivity, JLo found greater confidence and success in navigating her busy career. The book’s empowering message to take control of your own happiness resonated strongly with the superstar.
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
This popular self-help book introduces readers to the law of attraction – the principle that positive thinking and focus can attract events, opportunities, and people into your life. Byrne guides readers on how to apply the law of attraction through simple visualization, positive affirmations, and dreaming big. She claims these techniques helped her overcome adversity and achieve her goals.
No stranger to big dreams herself, Jennifer Lopez found great inspiration in the lessons of The Secret. She embraced the law of attraction as a way to clarify and achieve her ambitions. JLo says the book gave her renewed motivation and self-belief to keep reaching for bigger successes across her multitude of projects. She also appreciated Byrne’s advice to let go of negative energy, which helped her tune out critics or naysayers. Lopez now sees The Secret as essential reading for anyone looking to actualize their aspirations.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
This spiritual self-help guide teaches readers the importance of living in the present moment. Tolle explains how the ego leads to negative thoughts, fear, and unhappiness by dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. Instead, he advocates mindful focus on the now. By fully experiencing each moment without judgment, readers can unlock inner peace, joy, and purpose.
As someone with a hectic, fast-paced lifestyle, Jennifer Lopez found Tolle’s teachings invaluable. The Power of Now reminded her to be present and appreciative of the current moment amidst her busy schedule. JLo says the book had a profound impact on her outlook, leading her to live each day to the fullest. She also learned techniques like mindfulness meditation that allowed her to reduce stress. Lopez continues applying the book’s lessons to enjoy more simplicity and calmness in her otherwise very public life.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
In this powerful memoir, psychotherapist Viktor Frankl chronicles his experiences surviving multiple Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust. He describes enduring unimaginable suffering, loss, and horror. According to Frankl, the key to persevering was finding meaning and purpose even in the darkest of circumstances. His theories gave rise to a therapeutic technique called logotherapy.
Jennifer Lopez has called Man’s Search for Meaning “one of the most impactful books I’ve ever read.” She was deeply moved by Frankl’s incredible story of resilience. His ability to stay hopeful despite cruelty and tragedy inspired her tremendously. Lopez says the book taught her the importance of being brave even in difficult times, both in her career and personal life. She aspires to emulate Frankl by growing from challenges and emerging even stronger. To JLo, the memoir serves as an unforgettable reminder of how the human spirit can overcome anything.
Beyond providing great entertainment, these books gave Jennifer Lopez profound lessons that fueled her success. The Alchemist taught her to stay determined and never abandon her dreams. From The Four Agreements, she learned the power of positive thinking. The Secret gave her tools to visualize and attain ambitions. The Power of Now showed her how to be mindful and appreciate every moment. And Man’s Search for Meaning inspired her with stories of courage and resilience.
JLo has not kept her favorite reads a secret. She openly talks about the books that uplift and motivate her, even sharing them with fans on social media. On Facebook, Lopez recommended The Four Agreements to her millions of followers, saying “it is a great guide to personal freedom”. She described The Secret to Twitter fans as a book that helped her “accomplish goals and live the life you want”.
In interviews, Lopez generously offers more insight into how reading shaped her path. She told Vanity Fair magazine that Man’s Search for Meaning completely changed her outlook on life. And in a chat with Oprah Winfrey, she explained how The Alchemist gave her confidence to keep pursuing her show business aspirations. “I could do anything that I wanted to do”, she said after reading the novel.
Beyond these five books, Jennifer Lopez continually turns to reading to stimulate her creativity and bolster her resolve. For anyone feeling discouraged while chasing dreams, JLo’s favorite books offer inspiration in spades. The singer-actress demonstrates the power of literature to provide wisdom, inner strength, and purpose. With her busy lifestyle, JLo carves out time for reading daily. She believes filling your mind with transformative books is critical for self-growth.
In her own words, Jennifer Lopez’s success comes from “perseverance, believing in myself, and reading books that empowered me”. She overcame poverty, discrimination, failed relationships, career setbacks, and more. Throughout the ups and downs, inspirational books kept her vision clear and reenergized her spirit. JLo’s reading recommendations offer a roadmap to anyone striving for greatness.
