As you may know, I love to read and I am always keeping an eye out for a new (or old) book to add to my library. Books have overall made such a huge impression on my life. I learn so much from the varying perspectives presented and from the plethora of knowledge they often provide.
Over the years, I have come across new titles in many ways. Such instances include while reading the newspaper, watching the news, taking a gander through Chapters, receiving a recommendation from others, getting “you may also like” notifications from Amazon/Audible, etc.
There are some books that have made a monumental impact on my life that I often refer back to. There are other books that I only take one or two things away from. Nonetheless, there is seldom a time when I regret giving a book a try.
I would like to share a few books with you that I have read recently that I believe are worth a read (or two).
Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity, by Peter Attia I received this book as a birthday gift from my wife, Natalie. It has really made me think about my health and how I view the importance of longevity. Peter emphasized it is not about how long you live, its more about how long you can live a great quality of life for. To live a great quality of life, we must be proactive and take good care of our physical and mental health. He explains that in instances such as getting hit by a car, getting diagnosed with cancer, or having a heart attack, we innately would get immediate medical help. Peter believes that we should not only be prioritizing our health when faced with these urgent issues. We should be prioritizing and caring for our health daily and getting support to be the healthiest we can be to mitigate and reduce the chances of us experiencing major health issues.
Train (your Brain) Like an Olympian, by Jean François Ménard and Marie Malchelosse Jean Francois was a keynote speaker at a conference I attended back in March. He is a mental performance coach and supports Olympians, sports teams, and corporations. JF shares how to overcome negative self-talk and instead have a constructive mindset. He also shares how to recover quickly and learn from setbacks, be comfortable with the uncomfortable, manage stress levels, and how to remain confident to perform using the best of our abilities in life and at our workplace. JF’s approach and techniques has helped me put my internal thoughts and self-talk into perspective. Something that has really resonated with me from this book is: “Fear is nothing more than a story we tell ourselves. Since it refers to a future event, there’s nothing that guarantees that it will actually happen. Yet we still convince ourselves to believe our fears. In the end, it’s only as intense as we make it.” As humans, our internal thoughts and self-talk can greatly influence what we do and how we show up for ourselves however, those thoughts only have as much control as we allow.
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown In today’s society, we are often faced with too many decisions, social pressures, and the idea that “you can have it all” that leads us to lose sight of what truly matters to us. Greg McKeown shares his experience where he found himself saying yes to nonessential commitments to please others that were ultimately distracting him from achieving his goals and focusing on what he cares most about. McKeown started to “do less but better” and his mission has become to shed light on how we can make better and selective choices that help us tap into more of our potential. This book taught me: “a systematic way to discern what is important, eliminate what is not, and make doing the essential as effortless as possible.” As McKeown framed it, this book helps you declutter your life like a professional organizer can organize your closet. I have also subscribed to McKeown’s weekly newsletter called “1-Minute Wednesday” that I have really enjoyed reading and is worth checking out.
The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, by Robert Waldinger & Marc Schulz Harvard University initiated a longitudinal study on happiness where they interviewed hundreds of participants and multiple generations year after year for their entire adulthood. In fact, it is the longest scientific study of happiness ever conducted. Through recounting and analyzing the personal experiences of the participants, Waldinger and Schulz concluded that relationships and human connection is the leading determinant of what makes life fulfilling and meaningful. Waldinger and Schulz emphasized that its never too late to strengthen your relationships you already have and it is also never too late to establish new ones. Although our upbringings and past life experiences can have a major impact on our lives, we can alter our life projection by prioritizing relationships and putting less focus on things that are commonly mistaken to provide us happiness including material items, social status, and money. As Waldinger and Schulz wrote: “One of the things this research shows is that a key to motivating change is recognizing the difference between where we are and where we would like to be.”
The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin I was watching an episode of 60 minutes where Rick Rubin was being interviewed. I was inspired by Rubin’s immense passion and his philosophical analysis of the nature of creativity. Creativity is often considered to be an isolated skill of artists however, it is a skill that can be honed and utilized by us all. Rick emphasized: “Creativity is not a rare ability. It is not difficult to access. Creativity is a fundamental aspect of being human. It’s our birthright. And it’s for all of us.” Within this book, Rubin shared 78 different reflections on the meaning of being an artist and creator and provided an understanding of how to operate as an artist in this world. Our life is one big art piece and you are the artist; using your creativity you can make it into anything you would like!
I would love to hear your thoughts on these books and if you have any book recommendations I should add to my list. Please feel free to reach out.
“How will you replace your current income in retirement?”™ - Jim Seyers