Deep Work by Cal Newport
Deep Work is a great book that focuses on the importance of focusing intently on the task at hand. I have been reading Cal’s blog, Study Hacks, for years and have bought and read all of his books. Deep Work is my favorite because of its emphasis on the importance of locking yourself away from distractions to get your most important, brain-intensive work done.
One of the key parts for me was when Cal discussed deliberate practice and how it is essential to mastering new skills and learning complex concepts. If you find yourself distracted and only doing the easy work and not getting the major stuff done, Deep Work is a great resource to get you on the right path.
If you are looking for more information on Deep Work, check it out on Amazon at the link below:
4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
This book is in pretty much everyone’s list of productivity books. The 4-Hour Workweek is a great book that shows the value of thinking outside of the box in terms of how we view our careers. Many people get hung up on the title but the real focus of the book is doing what you love and how to maximize your time doing what is important as efficiently as possible.
Tim does a great job telling his story and it is really cool to see how he views life and problems that come along. The book really, to me, is a book on the value and applicability of lateral thinking. As Tim says in the book, there are always more options than the obvious ones.
To learn more about the 4-Hour Workweek or to pick up a copy, click the Amazon link below:
4-Hour Work Week – Tim Ferriss
Remote – Office Not Required by 37Signals
Remote – Office Not Required is a book that helped me when I started working from home regularly. It was written by the founders of 37Signals, the creators of Basecamp. The book delves into the value and trend of the workforce moving from traditional office work to performing those tasks remotely. I read this book when I first started working from home and it really helped me make the transition.
For more information on Remote – No Office Required by 37 Signals, click the Amazon link below:
Remote – No Office Required by 37 Signals Book
Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Awaken the Giant Within is a book that I have read several times whenever I felt like I wasn’t living the life I wanted to be. This book has a ton of insight on why we do the things we do. It also focuses on how to get ourselves to find out what we really want and why we want it. The why is very important as it provides the fuel to get ourselves to take action and push forward consistently. I really enjoyed the structured program the book provided and it really helped me get on the right track consistently.
To learn more about Awaken the Giant Within, click the Amazon link below:
Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
I found this book to be very inspirational. Chris really does a great job telling his (and others) story and this book is a testament to finding your creative ability and independence. The idea of the book, to me, is that it is easy to fall into a pre-defined, set path that can be restrictive and not what you really want. Through the stories in this book, you can see how the best path for you may not be the most obvious or expected one.
To check out The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau, click the link below:
The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Atomic Habits by James Clear is a recent read of mine (ok, I actually listened to the audiobook, don’t judge me) that reinforces the idea that tiny things you do consistently dictate your life. The author provides several interesting techniques to get you to start a good habit or break a bad one. My favorite technique was doing a very small action as a habit, like read the first page of a book every day. This gets you in the habit of reading while simultaneously lowers the mental bar of entry.
To learn more about Atomic Habits, visit the Amazon link below:
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
The Last Lecture is the talk Randy Pausch gave in 2007 called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy had pancreatic cancer that was terminal. The impact of this talk is palpable given his condition at the time. The talk was really for his children and what he wanted them to know about him and how he lived his life. The talk provides perspective on what is important. The talk was taped and is available to watch on YouTube.
To pick up The Last Lecture, click the link below:
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Linchpin by Seth Godin
Most of us work for someone else. It is natural to want to be good at your job and want to be recognized for doing so. Linchpin is a great book that walks you through techniques you can use to make you indispensable to your company. The ability to differentiate yourself positively from your co-workers can enable your career and allow you to achieve more.
To learn more about Linchpin, click the Amazon link below:
Linchpin – Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin
Work Energy by Jim Harmer
Work Energy, by Jim Harmer from Income School, is a book detailing how Jim built his company and the trials and tribulations he went through as well as the key decisions and thought processes he used to push through and achieve his dream. Jim’s story is earnest and there was a central theme of resiliency, belief, and action that are framed by his life experiences. This is a great pickup for people starting their own businesses and are facing challenges.
Work Energy is available on Amazon at the link below:
Work Energy – Finish What You Start and Fearlessly Take On Any Goal by Jim Harmer
