Prepare yourself not just for some soul-searching, but for some real Eureka moments.
Daneil Goleman's two EI books take you on a journey deep within, but also give you the tools to persuade, convince, and - yes - even manipulate those around you. It isn't NLP, it's what NLP was made from.
Thoroughly researched, basic things like "why do certain pieces of music bring memories flooding back" get covered in a way that asks you to choose "do I want to keep that or shall I get rid of it?". Much more importantly, it addresses the kinds of questions we adults should be asking:
* [Salesman, teacher, professor, marketer] if I want to persuade or convince, what signals am I looking for to continue down a track or change tactic? What methods usually work? What are the alternatives?
* [Parent, teacher] What will determine each child's success? How can I develop those skills? What do they mean for me in later life without having learnt them in childhood?
* [lawyer, solicitor, negotiator] what's top of the game? What am I missing that I need to learn/ develop? How can I go about it?
This isn't a book about good ideas. This stuff works. It has worked for centuries, it has been researched and tested for decades, and it will probably work for centuries to come. Get it, read it, weep over lost opportunities, then reach for the stars and win!