1.
Startup Your Life by Anna
Akbari: Great book to start the New Year off with. This talented author
challenges readers to evaluate and plan their life like they would a new
business. This entrepreneurial approach requires planning, ownership and the
ability to ‘pivot,’ when necessary, just like any successful startup.
2.
Living Forward by Michael
Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy: Recommended by a friend (thanks, Kelvin!),
another exceptional book on looking inward for the answers to life you want.
The importance of planning, looking to God for His guidance and then taking the
time and effort to TRULY create a plan for your life is detailed in precise
terms for anyone looking to live a better, more intentional life.
3.
The
Seasons of Life by Jim
Rohn: Wow! This just became one of those books I will read over and over
this year. Rohn communicates the basics of life in a manner that is both
nurturing and challenging. The metaphor he uses to describe our lifecycle is
spot on and should really help us to understand how in control and responsible
we are for our behaviors and, more important, outcomes.
4.
The House
of Broken Angels by
Luis Alberto Urrea: Phenomenal story about a Mexican-American border family
whose patriarch assembles 4 generations of his clan together for a
funeral/birthday party celebration in an attempt to unite, seek forgiveness and
share final words of wisdom.
5.
The 10
Minute Millionaire by
D.R. Barton, JR.: I bought this book less for the dramatic title and more
to start learning investment formulas. I enjoyed the technical insight, common
sense approach and disciplined, by-the-numbers rubric the author has designed
and look forward to trying out this method.
6.
Mud,
Sweat And Tears: A Survival Guide For Life by
Bear Grylls: Excellent list of ‘best practices’ and quotes from a man who
has lived a successful and exciting life, ranging from a career in British
Special Forces, to climbing Mt. Everest to hosting one of television’s
most-watched survival shows.
7.
The
Silverado Squatters by
Robert Louis Stevenson: The Scottish author’s very brief essay on his stay
in an abandoned mining camp on Mount Saint Helena near Napa Valley. Unique
writing style with lots of hyperbole.
8.
Sapiens:
A Brief History of Humankind by
Yuval Noah Harari: Excellent study of the evolution of homo sapiens. While
I was initially turned off by the author’s anti-God angle, I pushed through it
and am glad that I did. Very thought-provoking view on where we come from and
where we are potentially headed as a race: the human race.
9.
Your
Money or Your Life by Joe
Dominguez and Vicki Robin: Trend-setting book that was the forerunner of
the F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. The authors focus
not only on good money habits (eliminating debt, living below your means,
investing early and often) but also on being stewards of natural resources and
good citizenship.
10.
A Hero of
Our Time by
Mikhail Lermontov: This author was a trailblazer for some of the greatest
Russian authors (Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky and Chekhov). This tale is likely
somewhat of an autobiography, though the author denied it. Excellent
psychological study narrated from different perspectives of a charismatic
playboy of the Caucuses.
11.
Recession-Proof
Real Estate Investing by J. Scott: Good read about the different business
cycles and how to profit and avoid problems in each one while dealing with real
estate.
12.
The Seven Spiritual
Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra: Instructional
book on the importance of understanding one’s own self and the laws of nature
and then using that knowledge to create a harmonious balance with the universe
to pursue your dreams.
13.
The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli: Written for the then governor of
Florence by the young political hopeful, Machiavelli provides his insight on
the values and processes a ruler should develop and follow in his rise to, and
maintenance of, long-term power.
14. The Design of Business by Roger Martin: Good book that details the importance of
evolving a company’s thought process beyond ‘reliability’ thinking to include
more ‘validity’ reasoning in project management and planning as leaders look to
solve more complex problems in the modern age.
15.
Keys to a
Successful Retirement by Fritz
Gilbert: Must-read for anyone approaching or just starting out in
retirement. Great tips on often overlooked topics that can quickly derail
post-work life, along with pointers on how to use all that new free time
productively and with purpose.
16. Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy: Solid
advice for those of us struggling to focus, finish and win at both work and
life. An easy read with end-of-chapter checklist summaries to help readers
quickly apply practical tips for quick wins.
17.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: Excellent story about a young man
pursuing his ‘Personal Legend’ while meeting several interesting characters
along the way.
18.
Stoicism (Ancient
Philosophies) by John Sellars: Solid overview of the development, history and timeline of the
Stoic philosophies, to include the many authors who paved the way.
19. Meditations by Marcus
Aurelius: The
life philosophy of one of the great stoics, covering birth, life, death and
everything in between. Some exceptional quotes to draw on for every area of
life.
20.
On the Shortness of
Life by Seneca (The Younger): Quick
read on the importance of living and actually enjoying life, with several
reminders of how quickly it passes us by when we do not focus on what’s
important.
21. The Silence: What it is and How to Use it: by
David V. Bush: Biblically based book on the importance of
silencing our minds and being in tune with nature, our community and God.
22.
The 4-Hour Workweek
by Tim Ferriss: Encyclopedia of best practices for shortening
your workday/week or even ending your current career so that you can pursue your
real passions.
23.
The Art of Getting
Money by P.T. Barnum: Nice reminder
of some of the basics of accumulating and, more importantly, holding onto, a
fortune. It’s amazing how these principles withhold the test of time,
regardless of changes to political parties or economies.
24.
Escape by Paula Pant: Fast read about
the basic principles, including actionable specifics required, to retire early
and live the life you want.
25.
Common Sense by Thomas Paine: Moral and political arguments presented
in 1775-76 for independence from England and the establishment of a democratic
republic.
26.
The Smartest
Investment Book You’ll Ever Read by Daniel R.
Solin: Solid investment advice on how to use indexing to build a nice nest
egg for retirement, including arguments against stock-picking and high-fee
advisors.
27.
It’s Your Ship by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff: Exactly what you would
expect from a leadership book from a career military officer who turned the USS
Benfold from one of the worst to the Best Damn Ship
in the Navy within 2 years, while also inspiring his crew
to take ownership of their performance and futures.
28.
The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss: Another life hack book from the life hack
master. Ferriss lays out the secrets (hard work and discipline for the most
part…surprise!) for building your best body. My son and I followed his 28-day
replicate of the infamous Colorado Experiment, with my son gaining – pounds of
muscle and me putting a ½ inch on my arms at my age….
29.
The History of Money in America by
Alexander del Mar: Excellent
book that details not just the evolution of paper, coin and other forms of
money in America, but the motivations behind its coming to be and the long-term
impact of those decisions.
30.
Man Up by
Bedros Keuilian: Leadership book from the founder and CEO of
Fit Body Boot Camp. The ‘Immigrant Edge’ as he is known, cuts to the chase and
provides direct, practical, and sometimes in-your-face advice about taking
charge of your life in order to drive success in both your business ad personal
life.
31. Theodore
Roosevelt by Theodore Roosevelt: Autobiography of
a man’s man that should be required reading for any American. Too many great
quotes and principles to live by to list, so continue to check my blog. I love
this guy and his kind is a thing of the past. It’s sad that we don’t have
someone of his ilk around today on either side of the aisle to lead this
country through the multiple crises we are dealing with. I’ve said before that
I cannot stand our two party system and I find it interesting to know that two
men ranked at the top of the ‘All-Time Favorite Presidents’ list (Theodore and
Franklin Roosevelt) were both ideologically opposed to the parties they ran and
served under as president. Theodore, as a Republican broke up major trusts,
created national parks and won the Noble Peace Prize for ending the war between
Russia and Japan as a Republican, and FDR knew that the majority of his
policies as a Democrat were decimating his wealth (his biography was titled ‘A
Traitor to His Class’) and was actually disappointed
when he won a 4th term in office.
32.
Future Shock
by Alvin Toffler: Written 50 years ago (1970), this books speaks
to the trauma brought on by fast-paced change and suggested actions to get
ahead of this issue before transience, diversity and novelty overwhelm our
ability to cope with day-to-day life in the age of technology.
33.
The Willie Lynch Letter and
The Making of a Slave: Recommended by a friend, this
‘manifesto’ of sorts, written by a slave owner in 1712, speaks to the
methodology employed by slave owners to divide and keep slaves submissive. What
is amazing is how often I’ve observed the practices employed in social,
business and other relationships for all people.
34.
What Motivates Me by Adrian
Gostick and Chester Elton: Excellent book that not only helps one
understand his or herself, but also those on your team. Very thought-provoking
read that I will attempt to use to help motivate those around me based on their
personality types.
35.
Mastering Creativity by
James Clear: Short, insightful read on some best practices to increase your
throughput in all areas by getting started, having a plan and not being afraid
to fail.
36.
The Way of Liberation by
Adyashanti: A great reminder that we create the vast majority of our
problems, and, our thoughts on reality aren’t reality. We should accept
life (and people) for what it/they are and not be so judgmental of everything,
including ourselves. Then, and only then, can we make progress. Deal with each challenge
honesty and look at life as it is, not as we wish it to be.
37.
Making Work Visible
by Dominica DeGrandis: Solid advice on using lean Kanban flow
principles to identify operational time thieves to maximize throughput in any
operation.
38.
The Encore
Career Handbook by Marci Alboher: Comprehensive
guidebook for anyone looking for ideas on work for the next phase of life.
Contains detailed perspectives and insight from those who have already been
successful in determining how to use previous experiences to add value to both
your personal life and community.
39.
Stillness is the Key by
Ryan Holiday: Insightful advice on how to be fully present in our busy
day-to-day lives from a true modern-day stoic.
40.
The Handbook of Epictetus: Concise
advice on how to live a life of temperance, courage, wisdom and justice from
one of the OGs of Stoicism.
41. Atomic Habits by James
Clear: Exceptional direction on making small, incremental improvements and
gaining the compound interest over time that lead to massive improvements in
all areas of your life.
42.
How to Be a Stoic by
Massimo Pigliucci: Rumination of the core tenants of Stoicism, with some
nice sidebar ‘conversations’ with one of my favorites: Epictetus.
43.
The E Myth Revisited by
Michael E. Gerber: Entrepreneurial guide on how to use a ‘turn-key’
(franchise) approach to build and expand your small business.
44.
The Autobiography of Malcolm X with
Alex Haley: A very honest self-portrait from the well-known legend and
prophet (no doubt as to whether his vision of the future was true or not). My
personal take-aways include the need to constantly seek truth and to be willing
to change when that truth conflicts with my current thoughts/approach.
45.
Tales of Power by
Carlos Castaneda: Fictional account of a warrior apprentice and the lessons
he learns in the Mexican desert. Personal takeaways include never forgetting my
‘code’ and the need to silence that inner dialogue that is always attempting to
subvert my better self. Also a great reminder that, although we cannot avoid
pain and grief, we can chose not to indulge in them.
46.
Work Less, Make More by James
Schramko: Some excellent business and leadership hacks to help small
business owners grow their ventures to allow them to spend more time doing the
things they love.
47.
Million Dollar Networking by Andrea
Nierenberg: A detailed guide on how to create, maintain and nurture
relationships and the fringe benefits they create in all areas of life.
48.
Demosthenes by W.J.
Brodribb: Biography of the great orator and statesman of Greece, which
includes much of the history around the Macedonian conquests of Phillip and
Alexander.
49.
Wise as #@% by Gary
John Bishop: Some excellent wisdom on the topics of love, fear, loss and
success. My personal takeaway is that being successful isn’t something I’m
working towards; it’s what I already am. And I mean that with complete
humility. However, I continue to let past mistakes reverberate in my head. I
have way more to offer the world when I play from a position of strength, not
weakness.
50.
The Old Man and The Sea by
Ernest Hemingway: I chose this (previously read) book for my last read of
the year because of the symbols and metaphors that so represent 2020. And
Hemingway, like always, lived up to the task. Good riddance to the sharks and the loneliness,
but despite the anguish endured, we will be stronger for it. And welcome,
Dry Land, as it represents hope and a better tomorrow. Like Santiago, we end
this season somewhat ‘defeated, but not destroyed’ and look forward to our next great
excursion.
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