Twelve books that will help you focus and inspire you to grow
I read, because I enjoy it, but also because books help me learn, and I like to believe they make me a better person. Some books are good, some great, but once in a while you come across a book that is remarkable. Such that makes your brain filled with the aha moments and you wish you’ve read it earlier.
Here’s my list of 12 books that I found really impactful and I hope you will too.
Identifying what matters
Those books will help you find your essentials and act upon them.
1. Man’s Search For Meaning — Viktor Frankl
Ever more people today have the means to live, but no meaning to live for.
Victor Frankl, based on his experience as a Nazi concentration camp survivor tells us that we can’t always choose our environment, but have a choice in how we respond to that environment. He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.
2. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck — Mark Manson
This book is not about finding mindless positivity. It’s about a path towards essentialism: Caring less about more — and more about what matters.
Mind bits:
3. The one thing — Gary Keller, Jay Papasan
Multitasking is killing your brain. Not only that, but as the authors tell us extraordinary results happen when we focus on a single thing. In particular, we should ask ourselves:
What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?
Followed by principles and techniques to help you act upon Your One Thing.
Mind bits:
4. Ego is the enemy — Ryan Holiday
What if the single biggest obstacle to a meaningful life is our attitude? In particular an unhealthy belief in our own importance? Arrogance? Self-centered ambition — our ego? Aspire, Success and Failure. This book characterizes those three phases in our lives, and how we can take control back from our ego in each.
Mind bits:
The Basics — Put your own oxygen mask first
“You only get one mind and one body. And it’s got to last a lifetime. Now, it’s very easy to let them ride for many years. But if you don’t take care of that mind and that body, they’ll be a wreck 40 years later, just like the car would be. It’s what you do right now, today, that determines how your mind and body will operate 10, 20, and 30 years from now.” — Warren Buffet
5. Why We Sleep — Matthew Walker
We are a sleep deprived society, and some even take pride in pulling yet another allegedly productive all-nighter, perhaps even bragging about it in the cafeteria while sipping through a 50th cup of coffee. Yet, getting enough sleep is the most important thing we can do for our mind and body. Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist, in his book tells us how important sleep is, what happens when we don’t get enough of it, and what we can do to improve quality of our sleep, and ultimately life.
Mind bits:
- Why We Sleep: Prof. Matthew Walker — Video
- Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker review — how more sleep can save your life
Growth
Is intelligence fixed or can it be developed? These are key beliefs behind fixed and growth mindset. Carol Dweck advocates for the latter; the power of believing that you can improve yourself, and has research to back it up. If you ever felt an urgency to constantly prove yourself or took any form of criticism personally this book might explain why and what to do about it.
Mind bits:
- Ted Talk — The power of believing that you can improve | Carol Dweck
- Carol Dweck: A Summary of The Two Mindsets And The Power of Believing That You Can Improve
7. Peak — K. Anders Ericsson, Robert Pool
Genetics influence performance, but they do not determine it. Ericsson argues that you can reach mastery through deliberate practice. I.e. not just doing same thing over and over again, but practicing purposefully and systematically. E.g. setting goals, reflecting on your performance, increasing difficulty etc. If you ever heard of 10,000 hour rule popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, this book will provide you with actual research behind it.
Mind bits:
- Anders Ericsson — Deliberate practice makes perfect — Insights for Entrepreneurs — Amazon
- The Beginner’s Guide to Deliberate Practice
8. So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion — Cal Newport
Fulfilling career? Follow your passion and the rest will follow some say. Well, how do you do it? Can you make a living by following it? According to Cal Newport “Follow your passion” is bad advice, and psychologists from Yale and Stanfrod agree. Newport’s success recipe revolves around building your expertise. Once you’ve honed the skills and are so good they can’t ignore you, the rest will follow, including passion.
Mind bits:
9. Black Box Thinking: Why Some People Never Learn from Their Mistakes — But Some Do — Matthew Syed
If you want to succeed, you must know how to fail. I.e. acknowledge the failure and engage with it. Yet, by way too many people failure is given the silent treatment and considered unacceptable. In his book Matthew Sayed encourages us to embrace the failure and learn from it.
Mind bits:
The book deals with focused persistence called grit, which according to Angela Duckworth’s research is a much better predictor of success than social intelligence, good looks, physical health, or IQ. Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Mike Tyson said “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face”. What do you do when stuff happens? You can check where you are in the grit scale here: https://angeladuckworth.com/grit-scale/
Mind bits:
Another Cal Newport’s book on the list, more on “the how to” spectrum. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. You’ll learn why deep work matters, and how to cultivate your deep work routine.
Mind bits:
- Quit social media — Cal Newport at TEDx Tysons
- 5 Practices from Deep Work by Cal Newport That’ll Change Your Life
12. Atomic Habits — James Clear
Fantastic book that will teach you how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
Mind bits:
