Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner
RATING: 10/10
NPR Journalist Eric Weiner searches across the globe for what makes the happiest countries happy and unhappy countries unhappy. A great book for thinking outside America’s metrics for success.
So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport
RATING: 10/10
This book ditches conventional career advice of “follow your passion / dreams / calling,” in favor of working right, building up career capital (skills), and cashing them in for greater opportunities. In other words, passion comes as a result of a strong work ethic.
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
RATING: 10/10
The go-to book on learning how to be more vulnerable and deal with shame. Yes, it’s self-helpy, but also a book that cut deep to the heart of my problems in life and the defensive mechanisms I use. A great book for dealing with emotional insecurity.
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams
RATING: 10/10
Unconventional strategies from the creator of Dilbert for success in life from career, relationships, diet, fitness, and more. The big idea, ditch goals, embrace systems.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
RATING: 9/10
Aldous Huxley’s classic work on the Dystopian future of the world. Written in 1932, his predictions from Prescription Drugs, Genetic Engineering, and the Loss of Reading books still makes this novel relevant today.
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
RATING: 9/10
How to benefit from risk and uncertainty (Black Swan events) by making yourself what Taleb calls Antifragile. A great book espousing the virtues of partaking in opportunities with more upside than downside, becoming a doer versus academic theorizer, and living a simple, but robust life. The book is a lot to take in and feels rant-y, but has deeply altered my thinking.
Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel
RATING: 8/10
Mating in Captivity explores one sexual relationship to themselves and within a relationship. Explores sex as separate from intimacy and covers erotic intelligence. A very provocative book with the changing attitudes about sexuality.
Small Giants: Companies that Choose to Be Great Instead of Big by Bo Burlingham
RATING: 8/10
A Book that profiles companies that choose to remain small, despite the external pressures to become big. I found this book most useful for an alternate angle on what it means to be an entrepreneur and how you can create happiness for yourself & the world through entrepreneurship without losing your mojo.
The Undefeated Mind by Alex Lickerman
RATING: 7/10
Written by a Therapist, this book utilizes principles in Nichiren Buddhism & common therapy principles for dealing with anxiety and fear. Many common principles if you’ve read other self-help books. I’ve found myself skimming several chapters. I’ve found the author’s personal experience the most helpful of all advice in the book.
ReModel: Create mental models to improve your life by Joshua Spodek
RATING: 7/10
A book about challenging your beliefs. Most helpful tip, beliefs are helpful to the extent they help you. Contrarian advice and interesting mental frameworks.