This has been a year where I have invested more time in educating myself through reading than I probably have in my whole life. And this reading list is something I’m pretty proud of.
The personal challenges I have taken on through Order of Man and 75Hard helped me develop a consistent habit of filling some part of my day with learning and that habit has had wonderful effects on my mental clarity and acumen. Below is a list of titles I have consumed both in printed format and audio format. Links and a brief statement regarding each work is included.
It is my hope that you really enjoy this list. As I look back on it, I honestly can’t believe that I went from essentially being a “non reader” to someone who consumed 30 books either in print or audio over the course of the past year. Heading into 2021, I look forward to continuing to cultivate this habit of self-education and development.
Happy reading!
Own The Day, Own Your Life by Aubrey Marcus is a super entertaining and very informative read. Marcus is the former CEO of Onnit and a well-known podcaster based in Austin, TX. Sure, he’s got some wild personal style, but his framework for total human optimization is a must read.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
Grit by Angela Duckworth prompted pages and pages of notes in my journal. Her detailed explanation of what traits predict successful outcomes in individuals is fascinating. Her personal story and wonderful anecdotes born of serious academic research (characteristic of her experience as a McKinsey alum) lends massive credibility.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
Essentialism by Greg McKeown seems like it was written for me. I’ve struggled with working in a million different directions on various projects and making limited progress on any of them. Essentialism helps guide your thinking towards what’s most important in order to focus your energy there. Something many of us could benefit from.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
Oren J. Sofer’s Say What you Mean offers a wonderful method for finding your voice, speaking truthfully and listening deeply. With so much of our lives depending on our ability to communicate effectively, this book offers clear and effective strategies based on the fundamentals of mindfulness and non-violent communication.
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle is a follow on volume to his bestselling The Power of Now. Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Dense and cerebral, but super inspiring.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
A friend recommended Michael A. Singer’s, The Untethered Soul to me, and on the heels of A New Earth it felt a little less esoteric and more applicable. Singer explores our relationship to our thoughts and how those shape our actions. He encourages present moment consciousness to help unlock the massive potential of humanity.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
I don’t make a secret of the fact that I am a huge Rich Roll fanboy. There are many similarities between our lived experiences, and as a middle-age father, dreamer and endurance athlete seeking greater meaning and purpose for my life, Finding Ultra is an inspiration and validation of that path. Rich’s story is a redemption tale that is still being written. Check out his podcast as well.
When a woman recommends to you that you read The Way of the Superior Man, you should take that seriously. I have to admit, the concepts that Deida presents here were completely foreign to me the first time I read it (I’ve read it 3 times this year and it’s a permanent reference), but his work has inspired a more integrated and healthy approach to masculinity and male sexuality. A good intro to masculine/feminine energy, but don’t stop here.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
I’ve owned my personal struggle with alcohol both here and elsewhere. This Naked Mind by Annie Grace was recommended to me by a friend I respect who touted it as respectable and accessible – AND non-judgemental, which is huge for folks who struggle with any kind of addiction. Annie and I share a background in advertising which makes this super-relatable, as I often look back at those days as a catalyst for when I made daily drinking “acceptable” in my life. Oh how things have changed.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
Russell Simmons has a complicated legacy, and this book is largely a recounting of his personal journey towards one striving to be guided by stillness and equanimity. I often cite the work being done by the David Lynch Foundation to demonstrate the power of meditation in various social groups (schools, prisons, VA groups). Success Through Stillness has its greatest value towards the end of the book, but as a fan of old-school hip hop, it’s cool to think back on what Simmons has contributed in spite of some personal struggles.
As our society continues to steamroll us with distractions, noise, anxiety-producing 24-hour news cycles and much more, Stillness Is The Key reminds us that in order to make any kind of progress in our lives we must be still. To seek stillness in the margins of our busy lives. To act with mindful intention. Ryan Holiday is an avid researcher and wonderful storyteller as well as a credible authority on stoic philosophy. This book is super easy to read and offers many practical strategies on how to find stillness in our frenetic world.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
When I entered therapy a few years ago, my therapist described his practice as following “ACT” principles – or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Hayes is the originator of this method of psychotherapy, and although I may be a little biased, I believe it to be widely applicable for many of the psychological and emotional difficulties many face in our society today. A Liberated Mind is full of valuable information and tactics to help you pivot towards what really matters in life. An invaluable resource in my own work with clients.
5 out of 5 stars // Get It
There are a lot of folks who absolutely love Steven Pressfield, and while I found some really valuable insights in The War of Art, the most important were around the concept of resistance and how to identify and work with and around it. This book is short and easily consumed and for that reason is worth a read or at the very least a listen on a road trip.
The original Psychology of Achievement was released over 35 years ago and at the time was a revolutionary work on personal and professional growth and development. This updated version (available only as audio) builds upon the concepts put forth in positive psychology and highlights how goal setting and positive habit cultivation can create transformation in our lives. Definitely worth a listen even if there are a few cringy moments due to some old-school examples presented.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
When No More Mr. Nice Guy! was released back in 2003, it received both praise and criticism, and having read it, I can see why. But at its core, this book is a guide to help individuals recover from deeply embedded tendencies and learned behaviors resulting from a constellation of traumatic life experiences. Yes, this is a book about men, for men. If you hate men, you’ll hate this book. If you’re a man interested in the path towards integrated masculinity, this is a great start.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
I’ll just start by saying that this book is long. AND, it’s dense. AND, it requires a certain amount of “readiness” to begin consuming some of the concepts. At the core, Becoming Supernatural is concerned with demonstrating the links between stuck energy in our bodies and the resulting inability to connect with higher consciousness. I can get down with all of this. Dr. Joe is a well-meaning healer. An easier on-ramp to his work might be, You Are the Placebo. Still dig this.
Gary Keller and Jay Papsan have created in The One Thing a guide to discovering and activating your true purpose in the world. Through his own “crisis of purpose” Keller has developed a methodology that not only serves as the backbone of Keller Williams Realty‘s legendary agent training and support system, but shows how when we focus on our “one thing” many other things become much easier or unnecessary. A really great read and resource.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
Atomic Habits by James Clear is an absolutely invaluable resource. Clear is a personable and relatable author who offers a wealth of knowledge and practical strategies for casting votes for the kind of person you want to be through making small and impactful changes in habitual thoughts and behavior patterns that can unlock tremendous positive outcomes in your life. If you are feeling stuck or frustrated in your life, this book is absolutely a must read.
5 out of 5 stars // Get It
There’s just something about the classics written by individuals whose hearts were squarely in alignment with their purpose. Dr. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a book I bought 15 years ago and never really studied. I picked it up again this year and consumed it enthusiastically. Filled with timeless and relevant wisdom, this is a must read for anyone seeking greater effectiveness in their lives (personal and professional).
As with The 7 Habits this sequel takes the wisdom of the first and reveals how there is a greater ecosystem at play in our lives and how through conscious choice, we can apply all of this learning to create a life of abundance in all things. If you read no other books in this list, please make sure you take the time to read these two. They are fantastic.
5 out of 5 stars // Get It
I’ve been reading The Road Less Traveled here at the end of the year. It’s a perfect exclamation point on a year of transformation. Dr. Peck’s writing style is both academic (meaning well-researched) and totally accessible (meaning he speaks like a normal person). It helps us learn how to distinguish dependency from love; how to become a more sensitive parent; and ultimately how to become one’s own true self. Absolutely wonderful.
5 out of 5 stars // Get It
Sex At Dawn by Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá is a smart and sometimes sassy academic survey of the evolution(?) of human sexuality and our ongoing struggle with primal instincts vs. moral and cultural conditioning. A fairly dense read, but super well-researched and presented in an accessible voice that anyone can relate to.
Siddhartha is widely considered to be Herman Hesse’s definitive work. It’s an epic tale of self-discovery told through the experience of Siddhartha as he moves through life seeking enlightenment and higher consciousness in all its various forms from the sacred to the profane.
5 out of 5 stars // Get It
Good old Uncle G – what can I say? The 10X Rule is sales training giant, Grant Cardone, at his very best. I picked this book up before hopping a plane to Miami to attend one of his epic conferences and the energy of the man in person is certainly carried through to the written word. Cardone pulls no punches and gives no quarter when he implores readers to apply these tactics to 10X everything in their lives.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankel opens with a stark and devastating account of Frankl’s experience in a Nazi concentration camp where he begins to lay the foundation of his revolutionary concept of logotherapy. His experience observing in himself and his compatriots the struggle to maintain the will to live under the worst of conditions is not just inspiring, but vital.
I was gifted this book by my good friend, Jill. She’s a love and relationships coach who was mentored by Gay and Kay Hendricks – the authors of Conscious Loving Ever After. This book is a great resource filled with amazing insights for those who find themselves rebooting (or reinvesting in) romantic relationships a little later in life.
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
What does it mean to be an UNcivilized man? That’s the question Traver Boehm aims to answer in his book, Man Uncivilized. This question is vital to answer for any man seeking to connect deeply with his primal and divine nature in a way that is proactive and purposeful. Traver also has a great podcast and several great workshops, including Head, Heart and Balls which I personally participated in this past summer. Brash and relatable. This dude brings the fire. (link to audiobook below)
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
As introduced by Shakti Gawain to more than seven million readers worldwide, creative visualization is the art of using mental imagery and affirmation to produce positive changes in your life. Gawain’s clear writing style and vivid examples make Creative Visualization easy to read and apply to your personal needs and wants.
I initially resisted picking up Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. But after listening to him talk with Rich Roll (who I respect a ton) and following along for a while on Instagram, I decided to give this a shot. Honestly, it’s pretty damn inspiring. I found it a little tough to endure what I see as Goggins’ tendency to avoid deep healing by relentless self-flagellation, but the ending was a nice surprise and definitely worth the wait. #stayhard
4 out of 5 stars // Get It
When I got my real estate license and began working as an agent with Keller Williams, this book was handed to me as essential reading. The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller, Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan is hands down one of the most useful and practical guides to success out there. The principles contained within are targeted towards building successful real estate careers, but could easily translate into almost any entrepreneurial endeavor.
5 out of 5 stars // Get It
