So, here is the list of books I got through this year - each with a bit of a “report.”
The Leader’s Bookshelf - Stavridis
This is a fantastic read. Alec got it for me at the end of last year. The book is essentially a compilation of research from the top military leaders in the country. They surveyed the leaders and figured out which books these leaders read the most. There are some surprising picks and some others that are no brainers. What I like most about this book is that even though you aren’t reading the books they detail, it gives you some of the gold that the book is known for. Those lessons really carry over and blend with each other as you sift through each book on the list. It certainly gives you a good list of books to snag and learn from (similar to what I’m doing now).
The Talent Code - Coyle
Really interesting book. Coyle does a good job hiding some of the mystery in the book while simply saying: “talent” isn’t created out of luck or happenstance. There are a combination of factors that lead to one being talented - those can be hard work, surrounding culture, sets of expectations, or sheer force of will. To be talented at an elite level is a height that many of us will not reach from a sporting perspective, but you can gather a lot of wisdom understanding some principles in this book. Then, you can look to be super talented at whatever it is you do.
Managing Oneself - Drucker
I read this book about once a year. It’s 50 pages and has great reminders. Peter Drucker is thought of as one of the “forefathers” of business leadership. You are the master of yourself. If you want to be great or you simply want to get better - then you need to fundamentally understand who you are and where you want to go. I recommend this book to anyone trying to cement their place and be of unique value to their work.
The Power of Habit - Duhigg
Probably one of my favorite and most actionable books I read this year. Habits are not created out of thin air, just like the idea of “talent”. They are built and sustained over time - like a snowball rolling downhill. Duhigg does a great job of using real time examples and creating relatability to what he is explaining. He shows us how routine, repetition, and actions turn into seemingly unbreakable habits, and then he shows us how to change them little by little. If you are aiming to work on things like performance, or have health goals for next year, this is a great place to start.
Man’s Search for Meaning - Viktor Frankl
There are really no words for this book. It’s difficult to read but immensely profound. The first half of the book is Frankl’s story in his own words; how he was captured by the Nazi’s and put into a concentration camp. The second half is his professional analysis of his experience and others like it in terms of clinical psychiatry. It depicts such a different time in history. Humans are amazingly capable, resilient, and strong. We all have our battles that we suffer through or from. However, this makes humans equally evil by nature when they choose to be. Pay attention and stand up to evil, if it comes your way.
Total Recall - Schwarzenegger
I had been slowly working through this book for the last few years, but when the lockdown happened and I had a bit more time on my hands, I flew through it. Arnold is one of my heroes - not only because I think most fitpros are inspired by him but also because he is a true renaissance man. Growing up wasn’t easy for him in Austria. He had a strict father but one who he respected immensely. He made his way up in bodybuilding and finally moved to the United States, working many construction jobs, investing in real estate, and basically doing whatever he could do to continue to work toward his dream of winning Mr. Olympia (biggest bodybuilding competition on the face of the Earth). Once he got to the top, winning 7 times, he wanted a new dream. Then, he chased that - becoming a Hollywood movie star. Then, a new dream - becoming a politician and the Governor of California. And so the story goes.
It’s fascinating to me how a person can continue to grow and expand through the years and keep building on an already impactful legacy. Arnold’s continual grind is shown through this book in his own words, and I found his stories about his youth, his movies, politics, and his family really inspirational.
The Six Sigma Revolution - Eckes
Interesting book but also fairly boring at the same time! Written in 2001, even now it’s a little outdated but there are some lessons in here. It is more geared for the professional in a corporate work environment, and has a number of stat driven tools a person can use. The concept of Six Sigma is pretty simple - it’s “a never ending dissatisfaction with current performance.” You are chasing perfection. But, with that said, it’s a mindset shift into thinking that every area can be improved. You can enhance systems, processes, skills, and performance. Problems lie with complacency. When the leadership respects this shift in mindset and can illustrate that to its employees, then the company as a whole is better functioning. When you look at great companies - the ones who are constantly excelling and innovating; then you can understand how greatness begins when everyone is aiming at the same target.
Giftology - Ruhlin
Fun little book about gift giving and relationship building. The actual value of a well thought out gift is potentially priceless. But, it can also help create a bond between you and the person receiving the gift. That can help develop relationships, create connections for new opportunities, and sometimes it’s just a nice thing to do!
Digital Minimalism - Newport
Incredible book. Probably one of the most important you could read; right now. Understanding the way humans interact with technology is vitally important to shaping patterns of behavior and even your thoughts. For example, it goes without saying that this year was full of turmoil; political campaigning, the Coronavirus pandemic, and now the current discussion over vaccines. What if you could take control of what types of information you let yourself around? Limit your social media intake? Develop a better relationship of using these tools? The technological resources we have at our disposal are amazing, but we are still uncovering how to safely use them from a mental health perspective. Newport starts to have this conversation and I think this a unique book that everyone needs to read.
Bored and Brilliant - Zomorodi
Another book in the same vein as Newport’s book. It’s sort of funny because they both cite a lot of the same research and PhD’s who study the topics being discussed. I particularly like this book because being an introvert, it helped me understand why I NEED quiet time in my day. I need to think and turn down my extrovert switch, and when I don’t it impacts me negatively; mood, lethargy, and brain fog. Gotta recharge the batteries! The book also discusses how this detachment from technology or social engagement actually helps drive creativity. Being able to sit and think (almost to boredom) is really helpful for processing and unlocking other layers of the brain.
The Infinite Game - Sinek
This is a classic Simon Sinek book. Similar to Start With Why in many ways but the difference is in the examples he provides. Sinek is a big picture writer, in my opinion. He is very good at helping you understand broad concepts and why they are important for a number of reasons: leadership, direction, vision, purpose, and relationships. The Infinite Game is no different. One powerful story he uses in this book is about the difference between CVS Pharmacy and the rest of the drugstores. I’ll let you read about it, but the point is that if you look at things from the lens of a continual “game” instead of having a stop point, you can see the long term view when making decisions. Solid read, but not a ton of tactical information.
Leading - Ferguson
Great book if you like soccer! I’m an Arsenal supporter but I have no problem picking up the words from one of the greatest coaches the game has ever seen! I learned a bunch from this one and the stories and lessons were fantastic. Sir Alex’s (Manchester United) humble upbringing really shows us how we can really do anything if we take the right steps to get there - and sometimes opportunities fall right at your feet. Common sense strategy, respecting other people, and being honest go a long way.
When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead - Weintraub
Jerry Weintraub is a legend in the entertainment industry. From the stories about Elvis, Bob Dylan, and the other stars he worked with over the years, this is an awesome book and I enjoyed reading it. You get a real sense of what continuous hard work can do for you, especially from someone who grew up in a tough part of NYC. One of my favorite books from this year.
The Mask of Command - Keegan
This one was a doozy. Somewhat difficult to get into but you warm up to Keegan’s writing style. This book outlines four separate military leadership styles, and uses the examples of Alexander the Great (Heroic), the 1st Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley (Anti-Hero), Ulysses S. Grant (Unheroic), and Hitler (False-Heroic). It’s a challenging book, especially if you have no background in military tactics or diplomacy. What I found fascinating are the patterns you can see of behavior in different situations. Humans can be predictable when faced with certain challenges. The other cool part about the book is that it happens in chronological order, so you see all the changes in strategy as well as technology. While many of the tools of operation changed over the years, the lessons from a leadership perspective remain almost unchanged.
Relentless - Grover
For those who watched “The Last Dance” featuring the Chicago Bulls this year, Tim Grover is Jordan’s personal trainer. He also has a whole list of basketball talent that he has worked with over the years. This was an interesting one for me. While I really liked a lot of what Grover has to say about mindset, this book left me thinking a ton about coaching style. More importantly, I felt that you really have to consider who your population is - who you work with. His writing style is honest and at times, sensationalistic. He’ll say stuff in the book that I know is intended well but is just unrealistic. So, many times I’m reading the book going, “point taken, but…”
But, then again you attract a certain person with the words you use. And, that’s probably why he only worked with THE BEST. His attitude is very simple. There is no compromise. You do what you need to do to succeed. If you don’t, you will fail - and that failure is on you. So, to an extent I appreciate the value in this. More people NEED to adopt this mindset. I say this a lot, but when you start rationalizing with yourself about something (exercise, nutrition choices, etc) then you begin to let yourself off the hook. Then, that pattern of thinking starts to take hold over long periods of time. If you can get past Grover’s over the top honesty at times, then you can definitely pick up some valuable pieces of advice in this book.
Directing Fitness - Columbia
Another fitness book about running gyms! This was a short read and had some things worth thinking about!
A Man in Full - Tom Wolfe
So, there is a funny story about this book. I got it from a client about 5 years ago - and for a few years I couldn’t get into it. But, for whatever reason I wanted to try to keep coming back to it, and then finally this year it clicked. For about’ the first ¾ of the book (it’s 700+ pages), I was just wondering where it was going. But, Wolfe basically does all the leg work and builds the backstory in order to develop the characters for the reader. I also for a while just began to think the book was racist and homophobic, but in essence I think Wolfe is doing this on purpose to point out our cultural flaws, especially from places where “old money” exists. But, the further I got into the story the more the book opened up, you start to see the plot unfold and it makes you question a lot of things. Overall, a good read and the final message is an important one.
Learned Optimism - Martin Seligman
I’m about halfway through this one. Seligman is thought of as the first psychologist to really seek out and research positive psychology. If you are not familiar with this term, it is basically the opposite approach to traditional psychological intervention, and it is not simply “think positive,” as the internet influencers will have you believe. Rather than fix “issues,” we are proactively looking to optimize ourselves. That’s the difference.
In this book, Seligman discusses in detail what helplessness is, and how pessimism is one of the root causes of depression. He also discusses what explanatory style is, and how that can shape your pessimism or optimism. Basically, how you explain things happen to you, with you, for you, or against you. Like anything, this becomes a pattern in many people who are experiencing helplessness. This term meaning, a state where hope of change or improvement is gone. You accept your circumstances and don’t try to change them. He goes over a lot of his research studies and as I would imagine, is going to explain how to put it all into action. So far I’m enjoying it - but it can be a bit dry at times!
The Mamba Mentality - Kobe Bryant
Meg actually got this book for me last year. I was reading Bryant’s biography but I had to put it down for a while when he passed away. If you know me I’m a Laker fan and I’ve always appreciated Kobe’s passion for the game and sense of mastery he put into it. This was more of a picture book with some notes from Kobe, but either way it was a fun one to check out.
