Nine books to motivate your Monday
The formation of habits. The critical nature of constructive conversations. The courage to dare greatly. I love books for their ability to speak truth into our lives, right where we are. Whenever you’re looking for extra motivation to help build a business you’re proud and a life you love, little can compare with a good book.
I hope the following titles, from personal growth to business growth, help inspire you to pause for the moments that help you nurture and build your best life.
Summaries below are from the publishers.
How to build better habits
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Distilling vast amounts of information into engrossing narratives that take us from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble to sidelines of the NFL to the front lines of the civil rights movement, Duhigg presents a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential. At its core, The Power of Habit contains an exhilarating argument: The key to exercising regularly, losing weight, being more productive and achieving success is understanding how habits work.
How to own the hours in your week
I Know How She Does It by Laura Vanderkam
What if balancing work and family is actually not as hard as it’s made out to be? What if all those tragic anecdotes ignore the women who quietly but consistently do just fine with the juggle? Instead of relying on scattered stories, time management expert Laura Vanderkam set out to add hard data to the debate. She collected hour-by-hour time logs from 1,001 days in the lives of women who make at least $100,000 a year. And she found some surprising patterns in how these women spend the 168 hours that every one of us has each week.
How to find yourself
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
Much more than simple principles and platitudes, the book takes readers on an inspiring spiritual journey to find their true and deepest self and reach the ultimate in personal growth and spirituality: the discovery of truth and light.
How to define true success
Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Ariana Huffington
Our relentless pursuit of the two traditional metrics of success—money and power—has led to an epidemic of burnout and stress-related illnesses, and an erosion in the quality of our relationships, family life and, ironically, our careers. In being connected to the world 24/7, we're losing our connection to what truly matters. Our current definition of success is, as "Thrive" shows, literally killing us. We need a new way forward.
How to be bold
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
In "Daring Greatly," Dr. Brown challenges everything we think we know about vulnerability. Based on twelve years of research, she argues that vulnerability is not weakness, but rather our clearest path to courage, engagement and meaningful connection.
How to be a better communicator
Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler
This book gives you the tools to prepare for high-stakes conversations, transform anger and hurt feelings into powerful dialogue and make it safe to talk about almost anything. Get unstuck with best practice skills for high-stakes interactions.
How to change everything
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religions and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.
How to be a better businessperson
How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In by Jim Collins
Amidst the desolate landscape of fallen great companies, Jim Collins began to wonder: How do the mighty fall? Can decline be detected early and avoided? How far can a company fall before the path toward doom becomes inevitable and unshakable? How can companies reverse course" "How the Mighty Fall" confronts these questions, offering leaders the well-founded hope that they can learn how to stave off decline and, if they find themselves falling, reverse their course.
How to be vulnerable
Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick Lencioni
Lencioni illustrates the principles of inspiring client loyalty through a fascinating business fable. He explains the theory of vulnerability in depth and presents concrete steps for putting it to work in any organization. The book offers a key resource for gaining a competitive advantage in tough times, shows why the quality of vulnerability is so important in business and includes ideas for inspiring customer and client loyalty.
Want even more reading? Check out the list I shared on National Book Day.