It may be my sense of curiosity, or studying people’s behavior with their money, or a deep desire to learn and grow each day. I do not know; human behavior is complicated. Each of us is complex with our own stories. I think that is why I love reading books so much. It is a chance for me to get out of my head and experience someone else’s story from their perspective.
I’m updating my suggested readings list based on books I have read and, in some cases, re-read. Here are some of my favorites that you may enjoy. All prior book suggestions can be found on the blog here.
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins. Mel’s approach of “let them, let me” is channeling your energy and actions into inputs you control. So much of life is out of our control; her approach is welcoming and spot on to carrying less worry and regret as we go through our day.
Billion Dollar Lessons by Paul Carroll & Chunka Mui. It’s fascinating to learn about large public companies and their leadership teams taking gigantic missteps with devastating financial outcomes. Many of these lessons can be right-sized and applied to better decision making by individual investors.
The Art of Resilience by Ross Edgley. Ross chronicles his swim around England (the entire country) including the mental and physical challenges he faced. The preparation, execution, and reflections after his swim are priceless.
Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. It can be alarming to know we only have a certain number of weeks left in our lives. This book grabbed my attention at once and elevated my awareness of where I am spending my time.
Range by David Epstein. So, maybe we don’t have to be specialists in our work but instead think and function as generalists. Harnessing the ability and perspective in broad interests so you can apply your skills in variety of ways gives you an advantage over specialists.
1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin. An incredible detailed account about the panic of 1929 and the following years after all the exuberance of the 1920s. This book, to me, had an eerie similarity to the Great Financial Crisis of 2007-2009. In the end it’s always human behavior that gets us over our skis and into trouble. Some things will never change.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. Resistance is real and keeps us from being our authentic self and getting our projects completed. All we really need to do is just do the work.
Endure by Alex Hutchinson. Athletes in all sports will find the book intriguing. Learning more about how resilient our body can be when pushed to our limits in competitions. Taking a scientific approach to human performance and backing it up with research explains the unexplainable.
The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel. There are no right or wrong ways to spending your money. It truly is an art based on your values, time, and what captures your attention. I believe the key to sustainability and happiness is revealed through ongoing planning.
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. Doing great things requires slowing down and building in more time than you think is necessary for an important project. In our hurried way of life, Cal breaks down the benefits of purposely working at a natural pace to avoid burning out.
