Can books change your life? I think so.
Those who know me know I’m a big proponent of reading. Here are 7 of my most recommended books.
1. Mindset: The new psychology of success (Carol Dweck, PhD)
It’s less about ability or talent, and more about the mindset we approach our goals with. Dweck describes the differences between a fixed and growth mindset and shows how the mindset we adopt dramatically influences our life in sports, business, relationships and parenting.
Adopt a growth mindset, and you’ll give yourself permission to practice, fail, tweak and improve. You’ll embrace challenge. You’ll get better and be more self-compassionate.
Adopt a fixed mindset, and you’ll spend your time proving yourself at what you’re already good at. You’ll opt for success over growth. If you’re not great at something right away, you’ll dislike it and avoid it. You’ll see ability is something you have or you don’t. You cannot possibly improve.
BIG IDEA: “Becoming is better than being.”
2. What Happy People Know (Dr. Dan Baker & Cameron Stauth)
This is a book about happiness. But it’s not all flowers and rainbows and messages to “just think positively!” Dr. Baker isn’t a guru; he’s a medical psychologist. He’s worked with real people with real issues and has had his share of hardship himself. He gets it.
Would the following bring you happiness?
- A life of leisure
- Status
- Possessions
- Financial security
- Worldly power
Most of us think so. But Baker explains why this isn’t true. He discusses several other ‘happiness traps’ and shares ‘happiness tools’ like appreciation and personal power that we can use to feel happier in our daily lives.
BIG IDEA: “Happiness isn’t the art of building a trouble-free life. It’s the art of responding well when trouble strikes.”
How To Want What You Have
3. How To Want What You Have (Timothy Miller, PhD)
I’ve always been ambitious. But the danger of ambition is that you postpone happiness until your goal is reached …and then you set another goal and happiness is on hold once again.
As Miller explains, it’s insatiable. We’ll always want more. That being the case, we’d be smart to learn to appreciate the “precious present”. The moment. The little things.
BIG IDEA: This is the precious present, but strangely, sadly, few people know it … People spend their lives honestly believing that they have almost enough of whatever they want. Just a little More will put them over the top; then they will be contented forever. [But] if and when they get More, they are not any happier than they were before, and they still want More.
4. Your Money Or Your Life (Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez)
This is a book that offers a new perspective of money. It is aimed at achieving financial independence, and shows that it might be closer than you think.
If money is something we choose to trade our time and/or energy for, then we pay for money with our time. Using this money = ‘life energy’ comparison, Robin asks us to examine how we’re spending our life.
If we calculate our real hourly wage by considering how much of our expenses occur because of our job (commuting, clothes, escape entertainments, meals, etc), is it still worth it? Is frittering our money (life!) on that “gazingus pin” that offers no real fulfilment really worth it? Or maybe we need less than we think we do.
This book considers values, fulfilment and purpose while outlining practical steps toward financial independence.
BIG IDEA: “Your money or your life. If someone thrust a gun in your ribs and said that sentence, what would you do? Most of us would turn over our wallets. The threat works because we value our lives more than we value our money. Or do we?
5. The War of Art (Steven Pressfield)
In the War of Art, Pressfield describes the ‘Resistance’ we encounter when we’re looking to make a positive change in life.
The justifications in our head, the distractions, the shadow activities and fake addictions, the people who lead us astray. These are all manifestations of Resistance.
If we’re aiming to better ourselves, Resistance is inevitable. It never goes away. But it can be overcome. Procrastination can be beat. Not only does Pressfield personify Resistance in a beautifully relatable way, he also outlines the how to break through it and do what we know we’re capable of.
It’s a short punchy book for anyone struggling to follow though.
BIG IDEA: “The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome. He knows that there is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-free artist.”
Our relationships with other people can have a huge impact on our quality of life. Most of us believe we have great people skills but they get tested when ‘the stakes are high’.
Have you ever fallen out with someone over something ridiculous? Do you struggle to get your point across in difficult or emotionally charged situations? Do you struggle to communicate with your family? Spouse? Boss?
Crucial Conversations teaches us how to stay in dialogue and to remember what’s truly important in our relationships – be it at work or at home. The authors show us how to maintain calm in a heated conversation, and stay focussed on what actually matters. They describe how to make it safe to talk about almost anything, and offer tools we can practice to enhance our quality of life.
BIG IDEA: “Respect is like air. As long as it’s present, nobody thinks about it. But if you take it away, it’s all that people can think about. The instant people perceive disrespect in a conversation, the interaction is no longer about the original purpose – it is now about defending dignity.”
7. Energy Is Everything: Mindset, Nutrition and Exercise for the best version of you (Mike MacDonald)
Yep, I did it. I’m recommending my own book. That’s because, having written it, I’m certain it will help.
At its core it’s a health book. I discuss the behaviour and science surrounding how to eat and exercise. I discuss other things that impact our wellbeing – like sleep, time in nature and community with others.
More than that though, it’s a simple manual for happiness and self-improvement.
I’m not suggesting that we need all aspire to some massive dream, aiming to change the world for millions – or make millions. We can change our world though. We can have stronger, happier energy on a day-to-day basis. We can enjoy a better quality of life and have a positive impact on those around us – be it our children, parents, work-colleagues, friends, or just the everyday people we share our world with. Energy is everything.
BIG IDEA: “The ‘easy life’ is a myth: more likely all we get is complacency, apathy and eventually regret. Expending effort, struggling, failing, and eventually overcoming obstacles on a path towards something valuable to us, is where we find the greatest rewards. Appreciate the journey. You’re in it for the long haul.”
Want to check out the first chapter of my book? Hit the button below and I’ll send it to you for free!
Always Keep Reaching!
Mike
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