I have to be honest.
I am the embodiment of a stereotypical book nerd.
I went from not reading a single book to reading over 50 books every year. And it’s not just me. Some of the world’s top CEOs and CEOs read 4-5 books a month.
So today, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to share some of my all-time favorite books with you.
To make the list easy to read, I have divided all the books into four categories, so that you can easily find the books you want to read:
1) Personal development
2) Psychology
3) Leadership
4) Miscellaneous
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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
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1. The Obstacle is the Way: The Ancient Art of Turning Adversity to Advantage by Ryan Holiday
This book is based on ancient Greek philosophy, “Stoicism.” Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor, said this almost 2,000 years ago: “What gets in the way becomes the way.” The book shows you how some of the most successful people in the world faced difficult and almost impossible situations. And why their success was due less to their intelligence, talent, or luck, but more to how they chose to handle stressful situations.
2. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
This is probably THE BOOK to read if you want to discover how to live more in the present and be present in everything you do. That said, you need to be very open to the slightly more spiritual element: spiritual, not religious. It can be a bit “heavy” in places, but once you extract its essence, it makes for a fascinating and thoughtful read.
3. The Way of the Seal: Think Like an Elite Warrior to Lead and Succeed by Mark Divine
The book was written by former Navy SEAL Mark Divine. It dives into how you build true mental toughness. The book has different exercises to help you make the techniques a regular part of your daily life. Don’t let the title scare you off. The book is packed with practical techniques and philosophies that will make you more focused and mentally stronger.
4. Unbeatable Mind: Build Resilience and Mental Tenacity to Succeed at an Elite Level by Mark Divine
Yes, yet another book by Mark Divine. The difference between “Unbeatable Mind” and “Way of the SEAL” is that UM focuses more on the aspect of mental toughness. Look at the description: “The book teaches you to shed your fear, overcome negativity, and connect with a deeper and heightened sensitivity to what is going on around you. You want to remove emotional blocks and become the leader you know you were created for.” . be be. “
5. The 5-Second Rule: The Amazingly Simple Way to Live, Love, and Speak Courageously by Mel Robbins
The book gives you an interesting technique that helps you break the different patterns that prevent you from doing the things you want to do. The book has a ton of great stories, examples, and a solid tool that you can use.
Mel Robbins also has a great TEDx talk if you want more material from her.
6. Extreme Property: How the Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
This book … This book is amazing! Since I bought it last year, I have reviewed it more than 5 times. Whether you are the CEO, a manager, even a parent, you can use the principles in this book. This is by far my favorite book of the hundreds of books I have read. The audiobook read by the authors is also probably one of the best.
7. Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Financial Destiny by Anthony Robbins
If you haven’t heard of Tony Robbins, a present awaits you. Tony is known as “the father of the training industry”. He has personally helped people like Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, and Nelson Mandela! If there weren’t Tony Robbins, I wouldn’t be here either. Tony is one of my most influential mentors.
8. 59 seconds – Think a little, change a lot by Richard Wiseman
Here’s something you might not know: Many of the “gurus” in the self-help industry use different study examples to make their point. But, no matter how interesting they are, most of them never existed. This book presents a critical look at the self-help industry, and instead gives you some ultra-specific ways to get more motivated, enjoy your life, and so much more.
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PSYCHOLOGY
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9. The Psychology of Winning: Ten Qualities of a Total Winner by Denis Waitley
Denis Waitley studied the different qualities (mindset, thoughts, concentration, etc.) that the world’s best athletes and entrepreneurs have compared to others struggling for life. It gives you a clear idea of what you can do to overcome the difficult times that life inevitably brings us.
10. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and in Business by Charles Duhigg
If you’ve ever struggled with a bad habit and you don’t know how to get rid of it … read this book. This is by far the best book on how to control your habits. You discover why we have them, how they are created and, most importantly: how you change them.
11. The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get It Right by Atul Gawande
Here’s a universal truth: a checklist can save your life (just ask any pilot). Atul Gawande, surgeon and New York Times bestselling author, gives you insight into how to use checklists to optimize all aspects of your life and your business.
12. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
This book is a behemoth of a book. “Influence” is the book that thousands of other books refer to when it comes to understanding human psychology. There are decades of research that boils down to a few critical principles that will help you understand the science of influence and how you can influence others and yourself.
13. Never Divide the Difference: Trade Like Your Life Depends on It by Chris Voss
I love this book! If you’ve ever struggled with negotiation, or if you just want to take your negotiation skills to the next level, you should read this book. Chris Voss was the FBI’s international hostage negotiator. He has taken his vast experience and narrowed it down to step-by-step principles that you can use in ANY negotiation today.
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LEADERSHIP
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14. Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies From A Disney Life By Lee Cockerell
Lee Cockerell shares the leadership principles he discovered during his time at Walt Disney World Resort, a multi-million dollar company. This phrase sums up this fantastic book pretty well: “It’s not the magic that makes it work; it’s the way we work that makes it magical.”
15. It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques of the Navy’s Best Ship by D. Michael Abrashoff
Leadership and management are difficult in any business. But managing in a rigid, top-down hierarchy like the United States Navy is something else. However, Abrashoff managed to take the USS Benfold, the navy’s worst performing ship, and transform her into “the best damn ship in the navy.” The book is an excellent practical guide that will make you an even better leader.
16. The TRUST method: 10 leadership strategies that build genuine trust and influence anyone to act
Ahh yeah, by far my most FAVORITE book on this list. (Hey, it’s my list, there should be some benefits, right?). In the book, you will discover EVERYTHING you need to know about building genuine trust and influencing anyone to act. You’ll get ten modules in a hyperspecific step-by-step program that retains nothing of the most effective leadership principles.
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DIVERSE
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17. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The main reason I read “Ender’s Game” was because it is one of Mark Zuckerberg’s favorite books. Fortunately, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the exciting story of Ender and his development in the military as a child. If you like science fiction books, this is a great read.
18. The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho
The title says it all: The Alchemist is a story about the courage to pursue your dreams. The book focuses on the boy Santiago, a shepherd who dreams of traveling the world and its treasures. The book has sold more than 65 million copies and holds a Guinness World Record for the most translated book by a living author.
19. The Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives by Dan Millman
Honestly, I usually read this book twice a year. The book is based on Dan Millman’s actual experiences with his mentor “Socrates.” You have great life lessons, stories, and philosophies that you can directly implement in your own life.
20. The Unique: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
Most of us probably know the feeling of being overwhelmed by all the different things we want to achieve: lose weight, grow our business, buy a new car. “The One Thing” takes the complete opposite approach. You’ll learn how to cut through the noise, achieve better results in less time with less stress … just by focusing on one thing: what’s most important.
21. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of World-Class Billionaires, Icons, and Artists by Timothy Ferriss
In this book, Tim Ferriss took over 200 podcast episodes, featuring the likes of Jamie Foxx, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and narrowed them down to the most meaningful ideas and some simple tools that you can use to become the best version of yourself.
22. The 4-hour workweek: Escape from 9 to 5, live anywhere and join the nouveau riche by Timothy Ferriss
The last book on the list and another book by Tim Ferriss and a modern classic. This book is for you if you want to live life on your own terms (that is, more time on your hands), and this book shows you exactly how to do it.
Honestly, all of these books can change your life. So here is my recommendation for you:
Don’t argue with yourself whether to buy a book or not. Buy the book, whatever happens. If you just get a new idea or perspective from the book, it could potentially change your life and your business. At that point, it is already worth much more than the few dollars you invested in it.