Best Reads of 2018
read some great books this year, fiction & non-fiction, and thought I'd share a few that stood out to me and really made an impact. These books made a difference in big and small ways in my life and business, and I've shared a bit about that in this post.
Also, check out the books on my reading list for 2019! I'd love to hear what YOU are reading or looking forward to reading as well. Share in the comments below!
The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod
For anyone thinking about making New Year Resolutions, this is your book.This book is a fantastic kick-start for anyone who needs a motivation boost, or for anyone looking for a tool kit to uplevel in any area of their life. Hal talks about his road to recovery after a traumatic event and the habits he perfected to maximize his mindset and his time, ultimately leading to his unprecedented success. While it's an incredibly inspiring story, it's a how-to manual to make transformative life changes that will develop you into the successful, confident, healthy, best YOU that you can be. Personally, I experienced a major breakthrough moment in my own business; an "a-ha" moment that significantly changed the trajectory of my long-term success and I partly attribute that experience to reading this book.
Here's an excerpt from the book:
"...to create the levels of personal, professional and financial success you desire, you must first dedicate time each day to becoming the person you need to be, one who is qualified and capable of consistently attracting, creating, and sustaining the level of success you want."
RocketFuel, by Gino Wickman & Mark C. Winters
A recommendation to me from another successful woman business owner, RocketFuel explores the necessary, yet not always easy relationship between Visionary Leaders and their Integrator counterparts. I am an integrator who has built her business on implementation of visions set by others, so this book really resonated with me. It unpacks the unique traits of each individual then explains how the two must work harmoniously to achieve a common goal: the Visionary is the idea generator, the big picture thinker, and the Integrator integrates the major functions and runs the day-to-day.
Here's an excerpt from the book:
"You will learn to utilize this partnership the right way to free yourself up, maximize your potential, and achieve everything you want from your business."
The 5 Second Rule, by Mel Robbins
Learning how to self-motivate is a life skill and this book will tap into your willpower, confidence, and self-limiting habits. As entrepreneurs, we MUST be self-motivated. The paradox of freedom and discipline is developed over time and The 5 Second Rule is a great manual to refine this area of your life. Within the framework of your daily habits making up the total sum of your life, this book will help you really DO the things you WANT to be doing, rather than letting fear, doubt, or mis-managed time get in your way.
Here's an excerpt from the book:
"At the heart of everyday courage is a choice. Five seconds at a time you make a decision to do, say, or pursue what's truly important to you. That's why there's such a tight bond between courage and confidence."
This Is Marketing, by Seth Godin
As Marketers, Seth and I share a fundamental belief: that marketing is a tool to serve a specific market by providing the products, and services that that will improve their quality of life at the right time and in the right way (my words, not his). This Is Marketing unpacks this philosophy in such a great way; marketing as an act of service rather than selling and spammy tactics. Every small business owner needs to read this book because every small business owner knows that marketing is vital to the success of their business. This book explains how to do it right - authentically, honestly, and with integrity.
Here's an excerpt from the book:
"What your customer's want from you is for you to care enough to change them. To create tension that leads to forward motion. To exert emotional labor that will open them up to what's possible. And if you need to charge alot to pull that off, it's still a bargain."
These were some great books that resonated with me this year, and substantially helped me develop myself personally and professionally.
Here are a few that I'm looking forward to reading in 2019:
Girl, Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis
I literally need to stop apologizing. My executive coach pointed it out to me in a lovingly, kick-in-the-butt kind of way. I never noticed that I do it, but I literally apologize for everything, all the time. Totally unnecessary, completely fixable.
4 Hour Work Week, by Timothy Ferriss
It's an older book (published in 2009), but certainly one that should be on my bookshelf.
I'm in a constant state of improvement and I'm sure this book will have some great tools to maximize my productivity. Also, Tim Ferriss has a great podcast.
What are YOU looking forward to reading? What have you read this year that has made an impact in your business or in your development? I'd love to know!!