I love to read.
I started reading vigorously 5 years ago-I didn’t grow up a reader.
Once I started reading, my life changed. Changed forever. Reading has transformed me, my family, and frankly all aspects of my life. EVERYTHING I have done over the past few years would not have been possible without my trust into and pursuit of ideas written by people through words.
So I’ve decided to put together a reading list. I must warn you, it’s not like ones you’ve seen before.
While making this list, it got long—real quick. Then I stopped.
Why do reading lists tend by long? Do they need to be? Long lists, separates by categories and Yada, Yada, Yada. I’m not doing that. Instead I’m making a list and I’m making it short.
If you don’t have a reading habit, creating a giant reading list isn’t going to get you there. But looking at a small list and maybe picking one book that you a take with you forever is a true milestone.
My encouragement is that you look at this list, pick one book, read it, and let it transform you in 2024. No sense in reading dozens of books if the content doesn’t remain engraved in your heart and mind.
And remember that if you buy off more than you can chew, it’s ok to stop. I once read, can’t remember where, that if you read a book, and become bored or feel like you e received what you wanted or needed from it, move to the next one. You can always come back when you’re ready to received the rest. There’s no shame in that.
Enough yappin. Here’s the list:
1 - I Hear You: The Surprisingly Simple Skill Behind Extraordinary Relationships by Michael Sorenson
I actually read this one in 2022 and had the opportunity to speak with the author. What an insightful person and what an amazing book!
Relationships are at the core of everything we do. They are at work, at home, with friends. Literally all aspects of our lives depend on our ability to understand, manage and maintain relationships. This book here, is crucial for figuring out how to do exactly this. It’s a short but impactful read that gives you the right amount and in the right time without unnecessary fluff. Seriously go get this, it will change your relationships.
2- Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life by Luke Burgis
You know how you love to eat at that restaurant? Or buy those specific shoes? What if it wasn’t because YOU want them but because people around you want them? This is because of mimetic desire and Luke Burgis does an incredible job at diving deep into the psychology of why we want what we want and how we can stop ourselves from becoming just another person in the crowd. This is a great book for understanding how easy we can lose griot of our own choices and choose erroneously because of our environment.
That’s it. Start there. No need to go crazy.
But, if there is one thing you must focus on, it’s absorbing these two books profoundly.
Happy reading!