I was able to read quite a few books this year, some good, and some bad. Believe it or not, it was one of the few New Years Resolutions from last year I remotely came close to sticking with for the year. Exercise – fail. Eat right – fail. Read (a lot) – success!
So, as we get ever close to the New Year with new resolutions in store and likely a few holiday gift cards burning a hole in your wallet, here are the top 10 books I read this year, which I highly recommend picking up at least one of them for your professional, if not personal gain.
1. Start with Why (Simon Sinek) – Chances are you’ve seen Sinek’s revolutionary TED talk on this, but his book goes even further into detail about his research and provides exceptional historical case studies and examples on how people really buy into your “why” of doing things. This captivating read will transform the way you think about persuasive communication.
2. The Happiness Advantage (Shawn Achor) – Another researcher who I discovered from his TED talk: The happy secrets to better work. Achor completely changed the way I look at work. His work is built around the notion that “our brains change in response to our actions and circumstances.” The gist – if you want to find happiness, a higher salary or greater benefits won’t do it for you. Only you can make yourself happier, and when you do so, the higher salary and benefits will likely come with it.
3. Reinventing Organizations (Frederic Laloux) – This particular book was the defining read at eQ this year. Laloux breaks the mold of how for decades (even centuries) we have fallen into the same patterns of organizational structure over and over again. He suggests the way we structure our businesses and corporations will soon evolve into something fantastic.
4. The Art of Work (Jeff Goins) – One of my favorites, Goins ardent call to action is to live a life of passion and purpose. He does so by recapturing the meaning of a vocation, believing we should all be following our calling, and not simply falling in line with the rest of the crowd.
5. A Curious Mind (Brian Grazer) – A powerful story about how Grazer used his inquisitive mind to never stop asking questions and never stop learning that landed him as one of the most recognizable movie and television producers in Hollywood.
6. Endurance (Alfred Lansing) – The unbelievably true story about Ernest Shackleton and his Arctic endeavor that turned perilous. The story of Shackleton taught me the sheer power of endurance and determination – even in the face of tremendous difficulty. It is one of the most encouraging stories I have ever read.
7. Unbroken (Laura Hillenbrand) – Recently made into a movie that doesn’t do nearly the justice this story deserves, Unbroken follows the incredible life of Olympic runner and WWII pilot Louis Zamperini as he survived a plane crash, being lost at sea, and a Japanese prison camp. Equally as compelling and life changing as Endurance
8. The Prophet (Khalil Gibran) – Hailed as a poetic masterpiece, The Prophet is filled with inspiration and exceptional advice for all occasions. It’s a very quick read if you don’t have the time for some of the lengthier pieces on this list.
9. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (Robert Cialdini) – This one is a copywriting and business classic. If you haven’t read Cialdini – you must. It is an in depth discussion on the psychological functions of the brain and how it can be persuaded.
10. Evolved Enterprise (Yanik Silver) – I couldn’t complete this list without mentioning Yanik Silver’s latest book. Yet to be fully released, I was fortunate enough to read this outstanding book on how business is changing in the modern era. A great friend of eQ, Silver has packed this book with powerful information on how everyone should look at business differently.
I gleaned an incredible amount of information and evolved my mindset about many areas of life from these books. I am, and always will be an advocate of personal growth and development, and I believe that should always start within the pages of a good book.
All of these, in some way, have helped me Grow Regardless.
