Hands up, where are my fellow bookworms? Ah, there you are!
You’ll know by now that reading a massive part of my life and I’m lucky to be in a position where I can take what I’ve read and put it into action. It can sound cheesy, but the truth is that some of the authors I’m going to mention here have taught me so much of what I’ve needed to get me where I am today. They’ve shown me how to re-frame my ideas about life; reminded me how to stick to my own path; given me strength in the most challenging times and allowed me to break free from the unhelpful internal mind chatter that was stopping me from taking the brave steps I needed to take.
I wrote this blog to share with you some of the most valuable business books I have consumed this year and WHY they could be good for you too.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Great for: making a long-lasting commitment to change
I’ll start with an old favourite, and a book I know a lot of people have taken inspiration from and the most-ever-quoted author on social media – Atomic Habits by James Clear. I’ve read this book several times now and each time I’ve got something new from it. It’s encouraged me to monitor and record my progress in the areas I wanted to improve and create a system in my life that supported those goals. The subject of behaviour change is a well-trodden topic, but James Clear manages to pull in his ideas and backs them with science, distilling really complex topics so they are easy to digest. This is an essential read for anyone who knows they need to make changes to reach their untapped potential but isn’t sure where to start.
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Great for: those who always have too many plates spinning
In a year when I have been stretched further than ever before, this book came to me at just the right time. Subtitled ‘The Disciplined Pursuit of Less’, McKeown draws on experience and insight from working with leaders of some of the most innovative organisations in the world. It’s not productivity advice you’re getting with Greg’s book. He’s not showing how to get more done in less time. His message is about how stripping our lives back to what is absolutely essential and defining what really matters to us, can help us reclaim control of our choices on how we spend our time and energy, therefore giving us the time and space to work on the right things. As a working mum with two small children, I needed this advice and clarity more than ever in the first three years of my business. It’s allowed me to cut out the non-essential ‘work’ I was making for myself. It’s quite a revealing read and I highly recommend it.
The One Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan
Great for: those who have one important goal but struggle to focus
We’re all guilty of this – being so easily distracted by the day to day that we don’t focus and spend time on the one goal which is essential to us getting the life and success we want. Entrepreneur Gary Keller gives solid advice on how to firstly determine your goal and how to then move towards it by re-framing behaviours such as willpower and discipline. I’ve found this book really helpful at times when I’ve needed to level up my business and progress in my ambitions with Latchgate. It’s helped me build momentum towards my goals and cut out some of the things that bring unnecessary stress.
Oversubscribed by Daniel Priestley
Great for: entrepreneurs looking to scale
Entrepreneur and bestselling author Daniel Priestley shares his practical tips and inspirational examples in this must-read business strategy book. This one was instrumental in my plans to becoming an operations consultant – I needed to know I would have a constant pipeline of clients and even a wait list for my services when I launched. I learned the tactics and strategies Daniel used to grow his own loyal customer base, and although it requires two read-throughs to absorb some of the nuanced messages, it is well worth the time invested.
Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke
Great for: those who have accepted that WFH is here to stay
This book is a bit different to the others, but I had to include it for its surreal and hilarious depiction of our ‘new normal’ work lives. It’s a quick but timely read about a PR agency and the employee’s escapades, relationships and general work banter, all told in the format of the company’s Slack chat messages. Anyone who spends a lot of time on Slack or similar messaging channels will be gripped from page one. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable satire of online work life, and a bit of light relief from the other more serious business books for when you need a lift and a laugh, which we all do time-to-time.
I’d love to hear what your top 5 business reads are so I can add them to my 2022 list! What’s the most inspiring and motivating business book you have read? Drop me a comment below and let me know what they are. Thanks for reading!
