Book Recommendations Archives

April 15, 2023 — Comments are off for this post.

The Best Books About Productivity

Bullet Journaling by Ryder Carroll

I have written about Bullet Journaling before and how it has helped me become more organized and disciplined than any other tool I have discovered.

"The Bullet Journal Method" is a productivity and organization system, or framework developed by Ryder Carroll. This analog method helps you declutter your thoughts, focus on what matters, and track your progress in a single, customizable notebook.

The Bullet Journal, or BuJo, combines elements of a to-do list, calendar, and journal, helping you achieve mindfulness and productivity through intentional planning and reflection.

The Bullet Journal Method consists of four core modules:

Rapid Logging: This technique allows you to quickly capture and organize information using bullets (tasks, events, or notes) and signifiers (symbols to provide additional context). Rapid Logging promotes efficient note-taking and helps you prioritize and categorize your thoughts.
Collections: These are organizational units in your Bullet Journal. Collections include an Index, Future Log, Monthly Log, and Daily Log. The Index helps you quickly locate specific collections, while the Future Log is used for long-term planning. The Monthly Log consists of a calendar and a task list, and the Daily Log is used for day-to-day tasks and reflections.
Migration: This process occurs at the end of each month, where you review your tasks and decide which ones to migrate to the next month or discard. Migration helps you stay focused on relevant tasks and promotes intentional planning.
Customization: The Bullet Journal Method encourages personalization. You can add personalized collections, such as habit trackers, goal lists, or gratitude logs, to cater to your specific needs and preferences.

The goal of implementing the Bullet Journal Method, is to achieve a more organized and mindful life, fostering self-awareness and a deeper understanding of your priorities and goals.

Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte

Are you constantly overwhelmed by information overload? Do you find it hard to focus and remember all the valuable insights you come across in your day-to-day life? You are not alone. In today's fast-paced world, it's more important than ever to have an effective system to manage the knowledge you gather. That's where Tiago Forte's book, "Building a Second Brain," comes into play. This book pairs nicely with the Bullet Journal Method assuming that bullet journaling is the initial input method you choose.

The Creator of the Bullet Journal Method Interviews the Author of Building A Second Brain

Concept of the Second Brain

"Building a Second Brain" revolves around the idea of creating an external system that complements and extends your natural cognitive abilities. Tiago Forte likens this to having a personal assistant who's always there to support you, manage information, and help you make better decisions. This concept is not just about productivity; it's about being able to think more clearly, make connections, and create a lifelong repository of knowledge that grows with you.

The PARA Method

To create your second brain, Forte introduces the PARA method, an organizational system that stands for Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives. Here's a quick breakdown of each component:

Projects: These are temporary, goal-oriented endeavors with a defined timeline and outcome. Examples include writing a book, launching a website, or planning an event.
Areas: These are ongoing aspects of your life that require constant attention and maintenance, such as health, relationships, or career.
Resources: Collections of valuable information and materials that you may need to reference or use in the future.
Archives: Completed projects or inactive resources that you might want to revisit later.

By categorizing information using the PARA method, you'll be able to quickly access and manage the knowledge you've accumulated over time.

Progressive Summarization

Now that you've organized your information, it's essential to make it easily digestible. Forte introduces the concept of progressive summarization—a technique that involves condensing and highlighting key points in a document, making it simpler to understand and recall later. This process is iterative, allowing you to add layers of understanding as you revisit and refine the content.

Bi-directional Linking

To make your second brain truly powerful, Forte suggests connecting related pieces of information using bi-directional linking. This involves creating hyperlinks between related notes, allowing you to easily navigate between them and see connections you might not have noticed before. This helps your second brain become a dynamic, interconnected web of knowledge that evolves as you learn and grow.

Implementing Your Second Brain

When building your second brain, it's important to choose a digital tool that supports the PARA method, progressive summarization, and bi-directional linking. Popular options include Notion, Roam Research, and Obsidian. No matter which tool you choose, the key is to consistently capture, organize, and connect the information you encounter, turning your second brain into an invaluable asset.

"Building a Second Brain" by Tiago Forte is a game-changing book that offers a practical framework for managing the ever-growing influx of information in our lives. By following the PARA method and implementing techniques like progressive summarization and bi-directional linking, you can create a powerful external system that enhances your natural cognitive abilities. Don't let information overload hold you back; start building your second brain today and unlock your full potential.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits is a book written by James Clear, a productivity expert and best-selling author. In the book, Clear discusses the concept of "atomic habits," or small and incremental changes to your daily routine that can have a significant impact on your overall success and happiness.

Clear argues that the key to lasting change is not about motivation or willpower, but about building good habits and breaking bad ones. He provides a four-step framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones:

Cue
Craving
Response
Reward

By understanding how these elements work together, you can create a positive feedback loop that reinforces good habits and breaks bad ones.

Clear also covers topics such as how to create an identity that aligns with your goals, how to use visualization and other mental strategies to stay motivated, and how to create an environment that supports your habits.

What I loved about Atomic Habits is that it is a super practical and actionable guide that provides insights and strategies for building good habits, breaking bad ones, and achieving lasting change in your personal and professional life.

The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss

Feeling stuck in the endless cycle of the 9-to-5 grind, constantly dreaming of a more fulfilling and flexible lifestyle? Then it's time to break free with Tim Ferriss's game-changing book, "The 4-Hour Work Week." In the book Tim talks about the idea of "Lifestyle Design". This was one of the very first books I read that helped me to move out of a victim mindset and toward designing a life I wanted to live. This groundbreaking guide will show you how to escape the rat race, maximize productivity, and live life on your terms.

The DEAL Framework

At the heart of "The 4-Hour Work Week" lies the DEAL framework, which stands for Definition, Elimination, Automation, and Liberation. Each component of this framework provides a roadmap to designing your ideal lifestyle:

Definition: Start by defining your goals and desired lifestyle. Determine what truly matters to you and envision how your perfect day would look like. This clarity will help you prioritize your actions and guide you on your journey.
Elimination: Focus on eliminating time-wasting activities and distractions. Ferriss introduces the 80/20 principle, suggesting that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. Identify the most critical tasks that yield the highest results, and ruthlessly eliminate the rest.
Automation: Leverage technology and outsourcing to automate repetitive tasks and business processes. By delegating or automating time-consuming tasks, you can focus on what you do best and dramatically increase your productivity.
Liberation: Finally, free yourself from geographical constraints and embrace the concept of the "New Rich," a lifestyle of time and location independence. This step allows you to work from anywhere, travel the world, and truly enjoy the freedom that a 4-hour work week provides.

Income Autopilot

I am far from adopting this one, but one of the key principles of the 4-hour work week is creating an "income autopilot." Ferriss explains how to build a profitable, low-maintenance business that generates passive income. By identifying niche markets, validating product ideas, and leveraging online platforms, you can create a revenue stream that requires minimal ongoing effort.

The Importance of Mini-Retirements

Ferriss challenges the traditional concept of retirement, arguing that it's better to take periodic "mini-retirements" throughout your life. These short-term breaks allow you to recharge, explore new interests, and experience the world without having to wait until your golden years. By incorporating mini-retirements into your lifestyle, you can truly live life to the fullest. This only works of course if you have the income autopilot he talks about. Otherwise, these are called vacations.

Putting It All Together

Applying the principles of the 4-hour work week may seem daunting at first, but with persistence and determination, you can create a lifestyle that prioritizes what matters most to you. Start by defining your goals, eliminating distractions, and automating tasks to free up time for your passions. Embrace the concept of income autopilot and mini-retirements to live life on your terms.

"The 4-Hour Work Week" by Tim Ferriss was a pivotal book for me that challenged conventional wisdom and provided a blueprint for a more fulfilling, flexible, and rewarding lifestyle.

The Productivity Myth

Books about productivity often seem like a bit mis named. They easily cross the line into self help. I think the best productivity books are more about finding tools and system that compliment the way you want to live your life, and creating a curating a life that you want.

Published by Ken in Book Recommendations

Tags: book recommendations, books

April 7, 2023 — Comments are off for this post.

The Best Books About Building Websites

The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

The Design of Everyday Things is a book written by Don Norman, a cognitive scientist, usability engineer, and design expert. In the book, Norman discusses the importance of design in everyday objects and how good design can enhance the user experience.
This book is the source for so much of how we approach User Experience Design. The book is divided into two main sections:

The Psychology of Everyday Things
The Design of Everyday Things.
In the first section, Norman explains the principles of human cognition and how people interact with and understand the world around them. He discusses how to design products and environments that are easy to use and understand, and he covers the role of affordances, signifiers, and feedback in design.
In the second section, Norman discusses how to apply these principles to the design of everyday objects and environments. He covers topics such as how to design for usability and learnability, how to create effective and intuitive user interfaces, and how to design for accessibility and diversity.
The Design of Everyday Things is a comprehensive and thought-provoking book that provides valuable insights and strategies for designers, engineers, and anyone interested in the psychology of human-centered design or designing for the web or any digital product.

Sprint by Jake Knapp.

Sprint By Jake Knapp
Sprint is a book written by Jake Knapp, a design partner at Google Ventures. In the book, Knapp provides a practical framework for solving complex problems and creating new products or services in a short amount of time.
When Google buys a company with a digital product they needed a way to identify very quickly, what if any needed improvements to that digital product should be made. This book layout a frame work for doing just that. In just Five days, you can get a working prototype that you have vetted in front of real customers before investing the time and money in a new website or application.
The framework is divided into four main phases:

Map
Sketch
Decide
Test

In the first part, Knapp discusses how to map out the problem you are trying to solve and identify the key stakeholders involved. In the second part, he covers how to sketch out potential solutions and create prototypes. In the third part, he discusses how to decide on the best solution and create a plan for implementing it. And in the final part, he covers how to test the solution with real users to gather feedback and iterate on the design.
Throughout the book, Knapp provides step-by-step guidance and practical tips for running a successful sprint, as well as examples from real companies that have used the sprint process to solve a variety of challenges.
Sprint is a useful and actionable guide for anyone looking to quickly and effectively solve complex problems and create new mostly digital products or services.

Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug

In a world where attention spans are dwindling, and competition for attention is fiercer than ever, Krug arms you with the knowledge and tactics to create websites that are not only visually stunning but also effortlessly navigable. The following are what I think are the key takeaways from this indispensable guide, crafted to help you dominate the digital battlefield with web designs that are functional, intuitive, and downright irresistible to users.

Usability is king: "Don't Make Me Think, Revisited" emphasizes that user-friendly web design is critical for a website's success, making it easy for visitors to navigate and find information.
Keep it simple: Krug advocates for intuitive design, urging web developers to eliminate unnecessary complexity and create straightforward, self-explanatory interfaces that cater to users' instincts.
Test early and often: The book underscores the importance of usability testing to uncover potential issues, recommending frequent tests with real users to optimize the website's performance.
Kill the clutter: Krug champions minimalism, advising designers to eliminate distractions and redundant information, creating a clean, visually appealing layout that focuses on the essentials.
Design for scanning: Recognizing that users typically scan web pages rather than reading every word, Krug suggests employing clear headings, bulleted lists, and visual cues to facilitate quick, efficient browsing.

Published by Ken in Book Recommendations

Tags: book recommendations, books, building things, frameworks

April 7, 2023 — Comments are off for this post.

The Best Books about Marketing

Imagine yourself as a master craftsman, meticulously sculpting your brand's image through engaging, valuable, and relevant information. Content marketing, is the art of forging a connection with your target audience, skillfully wielding the power of persuasion to draw them towards your brand. The following are my favorite books about content marketing.

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World by Gary Vaynerchuk

Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuck

In "Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World," Gary Vaynerchuk shares his insights into effective social media marketing strategies. The book focuses on the concept of delivering value through a series of 'jabs' (consistent, valuable content) before landing a 'right hook' (a sales pitch or call-to-action). Vaynerchuk emphasizes the importance of understanding the unique characteristics of each social media platform, crafting tailored content, and maintaining authenticity in storytelling. He offers a plethora of case studies and practical tips, ultimately guiding readers on how to navigate the increasingly noisy world of social media and successfully engage their target audience.

Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen" by Donald Miller

"Building a Storybrand is a powerful, no-nonsense guide that teaches businesses how to create a compelling brand narrative that resonates with customers. Miller's game-changing book uncovers the secret to standing out in the competitive marketplace and driving business growth. Here's a breakdown of the book's core strategies:

The StoryBrand Framework: Miller introduces the StoryBrand Framework, a proven storytelling formula that's designed to engage customers by positioning them as the hero of the story, with your brand serving as their guide. This transformative approach ensures your message hits the mark every time.
The 7 Elements: Miller breaks down the seven key elements of the StoryBrand Framework: (1) the character (your customer); (2) the problem; (3) the guide (your brand); (4) the plan; (5) the call to action; (6) the challenges; and (7) the successful outcome. Each element plays a vital role in crafting a captivating narrative that customers can't resist.
Clarify Your Message: The book emphasizes the importance of simplifying and clarifying your brand message to make it more digestible for customers. A clear, concise message is easier to understand, remember, and share, ultimately leading to increased engagement and conversion.
Create Effective Marketing Collateral: Miller provides practical tips for applying the StoryBrand Framework to your marketing materials, such as websites, email campaigns, social media content, and more. By using the framework consistently across all channels, you'll create a cohesive brand narrative that keeps customers engaged and coming back for more.
Cultivate a Strong Brand Identity: Building a StoryBrand highlights the importance of developing a powerful brand identity that sets you apart from the competition. By positioning your brand as the guide in your customer's journey, you'll foster trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships.
Implement the StoryBrand Framework: The book offers actionable steps to implement the StoryBrand Framework in your business, ensuring your entire team is aligned with your brand message and working together to create captivating customer experiences.
"Building a StoryBrand" is an essential read for businesses looking to make a lasting impact in today's crowded marketplace. Packed with expert insights, practical advice, and a proven formula for success, this book is your ultimate weapon for crafting a brand narrative that customers can't resist.

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin

"Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us" is a thought-provoking book by Seth Godin that explores the power of tribes, or groups of people connected by a shared interest or idea, in the modern world. Godin argues that the internet and social media have made it easier than ever for individuals to form and lead tribes, enabling change and innovation. The book encourages readers to embrace their potential as leaders, emphasizing the importance of challenging the status quo, empowering others, and nurturing a sense of belonging within their tribes. By fostering a strong sense of connection and shared purpose, leaders can inspire their tribe members to take action and make a difference in the world.

One Million Followers, Updated Edition: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days by Brendan Kane

"One Million Followers: How I Built a Massive Social Following in 30 Days" by Brendan Kane is a no-nonsense, action-packed guide for anyone looking to dominate the social media game. In this powerful book, Kane reveals the secrets behind his incredible success in amassing one million Facebook followers in just 30 days. Here's a breakdown of the core strategies and tips he shares:

Embrace a growth mindset: To conquer the social media landscape, you need a relentless attitude and a thirst for learning. Stay adaptable and be prepared to evolve with the ever-changing digital world.
Create killer content: Captivate your target audience by crafting top-notch, engaging content. Experiment with different formats, headlines, and visuals to find out what works best for your followers.
Master the algorithms: Get a firm grasp on social media algorithms to maximize your organic reach and engagement. Post consistently, interact with your followers, and utilize platform-specific features to supercharge your visibility.
Unleash the power of paid advertising: Don't shy away from using paid advertising and growth hacking techniques to amplify your content and skyrocket your reach. Optimize your ad campaigns for maximum ROI and watch your followers multiply.
Forge strategic partnerships: Team up with influencers, industry leaders, and complementary brands to create content that benefits both parties. Collaborations and partnerships can expand your reach and help you grow your followers exponentially.
Build an unstoppable brand: Be authentic and transparent to create a strong, memorable brand identity. Showcase your unique personality, values, and mission through your content and interactions with followers.
Measure, adjust, and conquer: Keep an eye on key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics tools to gauge the success of your social media efforts. Continuously review and fine-tune your strategies based on data and feedback.
In "One Million Followers," Brendan Kane provides a straightforward, step-by-step blueprint for achieving lightning-fast social media growth. With a combination of content creation, optimization, advertising, collaborations, and data-driven analysis, this book is your ultimate weapon for winning the social media battle.

I love content marketing. Content marketing is a beacon of strength and value in the ever-evolving digital landscape. By wielding this mighty tool, we not only lay siege to the hearts and minds of our audience but also take pride in infusing the world with knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration. Content marketing transcends mere profit-seeking, for it is through our carefully crafted content that we enrich the lives of others, and fortify our brands.

Published by Ken in Book Recommendations

Tags: book recommendations, books, show your work

July 9, 2022 — Comments are off for this post.

The Best Books About Life

These books have helped me create a framework for approaching life.

Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller

Hero on a Mission is a book written by Donald Miller, a best-selling author and business coach. In the book, Miller discusses the importance of finding and pursuing your "mission" in life, or the work that gives your life meaning and purpose.

Miller argues that too often, people get caught up in the "rat race" of working hard just to make a living, rather than finding work that truly matters to them. He encourages readers to take a step back and think about what they are truly passionate about, and how they can turn that passion into a meaningful career or business.

Miller provides practical guidance and tools for finding your mission, including how to discover your unique strengths and skills, how to create a vision for your future, and how to take action to bring your vision to life. He also covers topics such as how to overcome fear and self-doubt, how to build a supportive network of like-minded individuals, and how to create a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Overall, Hero on a Mission is a inspiring and thought-provoking book that provides valuable insights and strategies for anyone looking to find their purpose and pursue their passions in life.

Miller also argues at different times in our lives we are all playing one of four roles. We are playing the role of the Hero, the Guide, the Victim, or the Villain. We want to move away from our tendency to stay rooted in victimhood. Not only to become the hero of our own story but to play the guide in the story of others.

Stories can be fun to write and fun to live, but the good ones take work. Whether we like it or not, the lives we live are stories. Our lives have a beginning, middle, and end, and inside those three acts we play many roles.
Donald Miller, Hero on a Mission

Hero on a Mission asks you to start by looking at your death. Specifically your eulogy. What kind of eulogy do you want? Who do you want to be there? What relationships do you want to have had? In other words what kind of life do you want to have lived.

I am writing my story and I alone have the responsibility to shape it into something meaningful.
Donald Miller, Hero on a Mission

The book then dives into how this plays out in our daily lives. Focusing on activities that contribute to the story we want to live out.

Check out more of my book highlights on GoodReads.com

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Man's Search for Meaning is a book written by Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist. In the book, Frankl discusses his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps and how he used the principles of logotherapy, a type of psychotherapy he developed, to find meaning and purpose in the midst of extreme suffering and adversity.

Frankl argues that the search for meaning is a fundamental human need, and that finding meaning in life is essential for mental health and well-being. In contrast, Sigmund Freud argued that our greatest human need was pleasure and that humans operated from that premise. Frankl's anti-thesis was meaning. He discusses how to find meaning in three main ways: through work and achievement, through love and relationships, and through suffering and hardship.

Frankl also discusses how the concept of meaning can be applied to everyday life, and how it can help individuals cope with challenges and setbacks. He provides practical guidance and tools for finding meaning in life, including how to set goals and pursue your passions, how to cultivate a positive attitude and mindset, and how to find meaning in relationships and community.

Man's Search for Meaning is a powerful and thought-provoking book that provides valuable insights and strategies for finding meaning and purpose in life, especially in times of adversity. It is one of the books I am most likely to recommend to friends.

12 Rules for Life By Jordan Peterson

12 Rules for Life is a book written by Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist and professor. In the book, Peterson discusses a set of 12 principles for living a fulfilling and meaningful life.

The 12 rules are:

Stand up straight with your shoulders back.
Treat yourself like you would someone you are responsible for helping.
Make at least one thing better every single place you go.
Compare yourself with who you were yesterday, not with who someone else is today.
Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.
Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.
Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).
Tell the truth, or, at least, don’t lie.
Assume that the person you are listening to might know something you don’t.
Be Precise in your speech.
Try to make one room in your house as beautiful as possible.
Pet a cat when you encounter one on the street.

In this book, he provides twelve profound and practical principles for how to live a meaningful life, from setting your house in order before criticizing others to comparing yourself to who you were yesterday, not someone else today. Happiness is not the goal, he shows us. Instead we must search for meaning, not for its own sake, but as a defense against the suffering that is always a part of our existence.

Drawing on vivid examples from his clinical practice and personal life, cutting-edge psychology and philosophy, and lessons from humanity's oldest myths and stories, Dr. Peterson takes the reader on an intellectual journey like no other. Gripping, thought-provoking and deeply rewarding, 12 Rules for Life offers an antidote to the chaos in our lives: eternal truths applied to our modern problems.
From the books insert

Throughout the book, Peterson provides practical guidance and tools for applying these principles to your life, as well as stories and examples from his own experiences and those of his clients. He covers a wide range of topics, including psychology, philosophy, religion, and politics, and he challenges readers to take responsibility for their own lives and make positive changes.

It's practical and makes you think positively about life and how you might want to move through it. I highly recommend it.

The Official Boy Scout Handbook

This is not a joke. I recommend a pre-1980 copy of the boy scout handbook.

Check out this introduction:

Your Life as a Scout

Today you are an American boy. Before long you will be an American man. It is important to America and to yourself that you become a citizen of fine character, physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Boy Scouting will help you become that kind of citizen. But also, Scouting will give you fellowship and fun.

Yes, it's fun to be a Boy Scout! It's fun to go hiking and camping with your best friends . . . to swim, to dive, to paddle a canoe, to wield an ax ... to follow the footsteps of the pioneers who led the way through the wilderness to stare into the glowing embers of a campfire and dream of the wonders of the life that is in store for you…

It is fun also to learn to walk noiselessly through the woods, to stalk close to a grazing deer without being noticed . .. to bring a bird close to you by imitating its call. It is fun to find your way cross-country by map and compass ... to make a meal when you are hungry . . . to take a safe swim when you are hot ... to make yourself comfortable for the night in a tent or under the stars. In Scouting you become an outdoorsman.

But Scouting is far more than fun in the outdoors, hiking, and camping. Scouting is a way of life. Scouting is growing into responsible manhood, learning to be of service to others.

The Scout Oath and the Scout Law are your guides to citizenship. They tell you what is expected of a Scout. They point out your duties. The Scout motto is "Be Prepared"-prepared to take care of yourself and to help people in need. The Scout slogan is "Do a Good Turn Daily." Together, the motto and slogan spell out your ability and your willingness to serve.

Your life as a Scout will make you strong and self-reliant. You will learn Scoutcraft skills that will benefit you as you grow. In time, you will develop skills of leadership as well.

So pitch in! Swing into action! In your patrol and your troop you will have some of the best times of your life.

The Official Boy Scout Handbook is a comprehensive guidebook for Boy Scouts, published by the Boy Scouts of America. The 1979 edition of the handbook is the 11th edition of the handbook, and it covers a wide range of topics related to scouting and outdoor skills.

The handbook is divided into several sections, including:

The Scout Oath, Scout Law, and Scout motto and slogan
The Scout spirit and Scout purposes
Scout ranks and advancement
Scout skills, including outdoor skills, first aid, personal fitness, and citizenship
Scoutcraft skills, including camping, cooking, and survival skills
Scout leadership and teamwork
Scout service and community involvement

Throughout the handbook, there are illustrations and photographs that help guide Scouts through the various activities and skills covered. Classic seventies illustrations. There are also chapters on Scout history and the Scout movement, as well as resources for Scout leaders and parents.

The Official Boy Scout Handbook is a valuable resource for men, and it provides a wealth of information and guidance on outdoor skills, and personal development. Ebay is a great source for older versions.

Published by Ken in Book Recommendations

Tags: book recommendations, books, life books, meaning, reading

July 7, 2022 — Comments are off for this post.

The Best Books About Business

These books are some of the most transformative and helpful in regard to how I approach work and life.

Business Made Simple by Donald Miller

Business Made Simple is a book written by Donald Miller, a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and business coach. In the book, Miller provides practical guidance and advice for business owners and entrepreneurs on how to grow and succeed in their businesses.

The book is divided into three main sections:

Building a Story
Building a Team
Building a Movement.

In the first section, Miller discusses the importance of storytelling in business and how to craft a compelling narrative that will help you connect with your customers and build a strong brand. He also covers how to identify and target your ideal customer, as well as how to create a marketing plan and sales funnel.

In the second section, Miller focuses on building a strong team and creating a culture of excellence within your organization. He discusses how to hire the right people, how to motivate and retain top talent, and how to develop effective leadership skills.

Finally, in the third section, Miller talks about how to turn your business into a movement and create a passionate community of customers and supporters. He covers topics such as how to create a customer experience that stands out, how to build a loyal following, and how to use social media to connect with your audience and create a movement.

Overall, Business Made Simple is a comprehensive and practical guide that provides valuable insights and strategies for anyone looking to start or grow a business.

Business Made Simple is one of my very favorite Business Books I have read. It identifies a framework for the crucial elements for helping a business as well as a driven employee to survive and thrive. I would recommend this book to almost any employee or business owner.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits is a book written by James Clear, a productivity expert and best-selling author. In the book, Clear discusses the concept of "atomic habits," or small and incremental changes to your daily routine that can have a significant impact on your overall success and happiness.

Clear argues that the key to lasting change is not about motivation or willpower, but about building good habits and breaking bad ones. He provides a four-step framework for building good habits and breaking bad ones:

Cue
Craving
Response
Reward

By understanding how these elements work together, you can create a positive feedback loop that reinforces good habits and breaks bad ones.

Clear also covers topics such as how to create an identity that aligns with your goals, how to use visualization and other mental strategies to stay motivated, and how to create an environment that supports your habits.

Atomic Habits is a super practical and actionable guide that provides insights and strategies for building good habits, breaking bad ones, and achieving lasting change in your personal and professional life.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't Hardcover by Jim Collins

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't is a book written by Jim Collins, a management consultant and business researcher. In the book, Collins and his team of researchers set out to identify the characteristics that distinguish great companies from good ones.

To do this, Collins and his team conducted a comprehensive study of 1,435 companies over a period of 35 years. They identified 11 companies that made the leap from good to great, and compared them to a control group of similar companies that did not make the leap.

The key findings of the study were that great companies:

Have a clear, compelling vision and set of values that are embraced by all employees.
Have strong, visionary leadership that is able to inspire and align the efforts of the team towards a common goal.
Focus on a few key priorities and ruthlessly eliminate distractions and activities that do not contribute to the company's mission.
Build a culture of discipline and accountability, with a focus on continuous improvement and learning.
Invest in the development of their people, and create an environment where employees are able to take risks and learn from their mistakes.

One thing I love about this book, is that it was clear that the researchers wanted to challenge their own assumptions. For example: They recognized that there is a cultural narrative that says that a great company needs a charismatic leader. Their bias was that this was not the case. That a great company could evolve without that. And while that was certainly not the only essential ingredient of a great company, it was one of them.