Reading: Lazy or Efficient?
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As the old saying goes, leaders are readers. After avoid reading for most of my life, I came to gain an appreciation for the value of reading. While learning by experience may be the most effective at becoming a subject matter expert or high-performer, true mastery of skills and knowledge takes years of deliberate practice. Reading enables us to take the most valuable lessons learned and insights from entire lifetimes of learning, condense the information, and take action to improve our lives. Is that lazy or efficient? That is up to you to decide, but personally, I think a few hours of reading for a few decades of advice and experiences is a pretty good tradeoff.
Here are my top ten recommendations to change your life immediately.
10 Life-Changing Reads
1. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, the stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor from 161-180, is the single most influential form of content that I have ever consumed in my life. Taking a journey into Aurelius’ personal exploration of life, death, virtues, and fulfillment, I journeyed down a path of introspection that shifted my entire outlook of life. Most of the sentiments and lessons learned are highly relevant and at the core of a happy and fulfilling life. I strongly urge everyone to read this ground-breaking text that has remained relevant and applicable after nearly 2,000 years.
BONUS: For a similar, but much shorter perspective on Stoic Philosophy, check out Epictetus’ Enchiridion. A fantastic “manual” for living a stoic life, Enchiridion is a book that I review regularly.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/37ffWXP
2. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, Ph. D.
The impact of mindset in our ability to achieve success and manifest greatness in our lives is deeply explored in this fantastic book. Carol Dweck, the now-famed Stanford psychologist, does an excellent job establishing the foundation of what separates a Growth Mindset from a Fixed Mindset through comprehensive literature, scientific exploration, and countless case studies. Simple mindset changes discovered in this text are at the core of the success of many of the most successful individuals and organizations, including Michael Jordan, Microsoft (heavily influenced by CEO Satya Nadella), Thomas Edison, and Mozart, among many others.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/3mccjbo
3. Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging by Ben Greenfield
Written by Ben Greenfield, a New York Times bestselling author and expert in everything related to health and fitness, this book is a must-have for anyone serious about human optimization. Covering everything from enhanced cognitive performance to defying aging, this is the ultimate textbook to improve your life and performance. Written like a textbook, there is extensive scientific evidence, practical examples for immediate implementation, and highly-specific biohacks and technology available to truly become Boundless. As a huge fan of Ben Greenfield’s work, I highly encourage you to also check out his podcast: Ben Greenfield Fitness.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/3mgQIyL
4. The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
Although human behavior can change, as evidenced by the work of Carol Dweck, Norman Doidge, and others, many patterns are consistent throughout history. Robert Greene does a phenomenal job exploring the history and psychology of human nature, providing a manual for observing, understanding, and capitalizing on pre-determined patterns of behavior. Extensive historical examples are used to provide a deep understanding of context and the power of human nature.
BONUS: Robert Greene’s other texts are equally impressive and valuable, although more narrowly focused. To learn more, see 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, Mastery, The 33 Strategies of War, and the 50th Law.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/3lhbVav
5. Limitless by Jim Kwik
Jim Kwik is a world-renowned brain performance expert and coach, helping many top-performers optimize brain functionality. After struggling through learning disabilities after a childhood brain injury, Jim Kwik dedicated his life to learning how to learn. In this book, he provides practical advice and insight into improved brain performance, including focus, memory, studying, thinking, and speed reading. Easy to read and follow along, this is a great resource to immediately help you optimize your life.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2JmurAO
6. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
Tim Ferriss has dedicated his life to discovering how to maximize efficiency in work and life, enabling him to escape the rat race and excel in a life of traveling, learning, and happiness. Largely centered around maximizing output in a professional or entrepreneurial setting, lessons from this book can be applied to anything in life. This book is filled with life lessons and insights from some of the most successful and efficient people and is certainly worth adding to your bookshelf.
BONUS: Tim Ferriss’ Tribe of Mentors compiles life advice from some of the most successful people in the world. Tim also has one of the most successful podcasts of all time, The Tim Ferris Show.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/3fJNPnk
7. The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge, MD
An inspiring book that combines concrete scientific evidence of neuroplasticity (the ability for the brain to rewire itself throughout an entire lifetime) with emotionally-charged stories of remarkable recovery and brain regeneration. The dogma of a having fixed intelligence, potential, or brain functionality is completely revoked in this highly acclaimed New York Times bestseller. If you are curious about how the brain works or simply want to discover how you can unlock your potential, this is a great place to start.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/36fZIyt
8. Nichomachean Ethics by Aristotle
Aristotle, the famed scholar who was a student to Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great, was a philosopher who has widely influenced modern day’s perspective on happiness and ethics. His profound perspective that happiness can only truly be attained through virtuous action promotes deep introspection. After first discovering this text, Aristotle’s concept of happiness has been one of the guiding philosophies of my life, something that I think about on a daily basis.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2Vj0Mep
9. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willik
Leadership books are a dime a dozen, but Extreme Ownership is rooted in real-life experiences in the most demanding and extreme of circumstances – US Navy Seal officers who led the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War. The lessons, which are simple and blunt, are highly transferable into any context. As a Leadership student, alum of the oldest private military college in the US (Norwich University), and friend to many service men and women of the US Military, I personally found this book to be incredibly powerful and inspiring.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2Vdx0ba
10. The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz
Coined as ‘A practical guide to the art of relationship,’ don Miguel Ruiz exposes the reality of emotional wounds that plague many modern relationships. I have read this book multiple times over the course of many years, and always find extreme value in revisiting. It has challenged my ego, allowed me to come to deep realizations about my own emotional wounds and self-imposed emotional poison, and helped me to find forgiveness and peace of mind. I personally recommend everyone to read this book to better understand themselves, their family, and even strangers.
AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2V9Zqmb
Have you read any of these books?
Are there any books that you think should be on this list?
Have any questions about these books?
Let me know and let’s talk about them!