The greatest way to increase your value to yourself and others is through reading.
You could just stop reading this post now and go grab a book to read instead.
But I am going to drop some new reading knowledge on you that is worth 90 seconds of attention.
Why Should You Read?
Bill Gates reads about 50 books a year. Or about a book each week.
Warren Buffett famously reads about 500 pages per day.
Lin-Manuel Miranda bought the book Hamilton to read on vacation in Mexico.
So read books that expand your thinking and your knowledge base.
Read to understand how things work.
Read for inspiration, motivation, and all the other great ations.
Read to understand how successful people became successful.
Read about what worked in the past in your field of expertise.
And read to learn what is changing in your field, so you can surf that change, rather than get pummeled by it.
Read to improve your writing and expand your vocabulary.
Read to develop your focus and your patience for long-term goals.
But most importantly…
Read To Separate Yourself From The Pack.
Despite all of the mental nutrition and long-term success that sprouts from reading, a new study just released by researchers at the University of Florida and University College London (which sounds like the fakest British school name ever) found that reading for pleasure among Americans has declined by 40% over the past two decades.
In 2004, 28% of Americans said they read for fun.
In 2023, only 16% said they read because they wanted to.
It is not lost on me, or the researchers, that Facebook launched in 2004 and the iPhone was released in 2007. Together, social media and smart phones may be accomplices, killing reading softly, like Roberta Flack or the Fugees.
This all means that people who read books have a greater competitive advantage now than ever before.
However, this is massively skewed by the avid readers.
In fact, estimates reveal that between 25-46% of adults READ NO BOOKS each year.
And the median number of books read annually by adults is only about 4. That’s how much the average person hates paper cuts.
Which means there are fewer and fewer people after the pot of gold at the end of the Reading Rainbow.
There are fewer people who are willing to do the slow, steady, yet transformational work of knowledge gain through reading. While others are settling for bite-sized bits of video, podcasts, and tweetable wisdom served by algorithms, readers are accumulating broad and deep knowledge that helps make them more capable, valuable and irreplaceable.
The new study also revealed that those who do read for fun are spending more time doing so. Because while haters gonna hate, readers gonna read.
And in the era of artificial intelligence, it is the humans who can contribute more than the machines that will be in greatest demand.
Key Takeaway
Now more than ever, reading is your great competitive advantage. Your self-directed education makes you a valuable and irreplaceable resource. It improves your thinking. Which drives smarter decisions and actions. And it draws other people to you who want to tap into what you know.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Reading is better for you than you know. Yes, reading is a great way to learn things. That’s why I read Judy Blume novels in middle school. But that’s only part of the benefit. Just as importantly, reading is mental exercise that helps you maintain your mental strength and fitness. Which means that reading can help prevent your brain from getting any softer and flabbier than it already is.
One of the most important reasons to read books is that reading for long periods of time is hard. Reading is a grind. And not the kind R. Kelly sang about. Reading is not something you can rush through. It is slow, deliberate, unrushable work. Reading is something you have to do at a walking pace. And walking a great distance takes time and steady effort. That slow, steady effort is how things get done. It is how learning happens. It is how knowledge gets accumulated. It is how brains and the humans that walk them around transform into better versions.
Remember, success, like reading, is slow. So is growth. And wisdom accumulation.
Reading helps you develop your patient pursuit of greatness. Word by word, day by day, you learn to stay with your self-improvement tasks.
If you hired someone else to read for you, which is essentially what you do when you listen to an audiobook, your pace is basically the same. You just read with your ears, rather than your eyes. Which means there really isn’t a way around the pedestrian pace of reading. There is no hack, other than hacking your way through a book like a slow, steady walk from Hackensack to Hacksaw Ridge.
It is often said that the average CEO reads a very above-average number of books each year. That number has been reported to be as high as 5 or 6 books per month, or 60 books per year. The question is, do CEOs start to read a lot once they become CEOs? Or do people who have trained themselves to slowly and steadily accumulate knowledge through reading become CEOs? The answer should be clear.
Brain coach and speed-reading expert Jim Kwik breaks it down like this:
“I went to Amazon and looked at the medium average number of words per book, and it came out to about 64,000 words. So let’s say the average person reads 200 words per minute. We’re talking about 320 minutes to get through a book, which is about 45 minutes a day, to read a book per week. That makes it a little more realistic.”
-Jim Kwik
Have you ever thought about reading in terms of distance? I have. Because I am curious, like George. If all those lines you read in an average book were laid out in a straight line, on the earth, you would read for half a mile. This is according to my calculations of width per line (4 inches) multiplied by number of lines per page (27) multiplied by pages in book (263). Then I converted the inches into miles. Because I read on American roads. And always on the right side.
That steady mental march along mile after mile of words laid out in books improves you along the journey. As you travel that great literary distance, you pick up new words and expand your vocabulary. You gain new knowledge. You learn about people and places and things. (Oh, my!) You improve your understanding of people, history and problems. That’s why reading creates such a valuable adventure.
As you read, you collect knowledge to draw upon to create new and novel products, services, and art. You collect tools that can be used to solve problems. And you accumulate best practices and all the things that people before you learned in much harder ways than reading.
Strengthening your reading muscles helps you develop mental stamina to focus on all kinds of tasks longer. Reading helps you write for longer stretches. It helps you sit still and quiet. (And if I can sit still and quiet, you can too.)
By learning to read books, you become better at reading reports, studies, and briefings. All of which help make you smarter and more informed. And if you ever find yourself in court and they try to throw the book at you, being able to read that book is highly beneficial to you and your lawyer.
But patiently reading books also helps you learn to read the world. Including nature, people, weather, and art. You learn to slow down and pick up on clues all around you. You learn to slowly and patiently observe how the world works and how humans and animals feel. You notice the health of plants. And countless quiet signs and signals from the universe.
So put down your phone and your other electronics. (After you finish this post.) Find books on bestseller lists. Find the greatest books you haven’t read. They get you on track for developing those very valuable reading muscles that will improve your life.
Key Takeaway
Dedicate time to the slow, deliberate process of reading. It helps train your brain to work at its most effective pace. It teaches you patience and rewards you with a steady, long-term return on your invested time. It strengthens your focus and task stamina. And it provides a road map to reach your most important long-term goals.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
If you want to have a great year of growth, create a great year of reading. That’s because the books you read change you. They change your thinking and your expectations. They increase the number of tools, tips and tricks you can tap into. They alter your perspective and add to your experience, knowledge and wisdom. They increase your inspiration and motivation and various other forms of ation.
I keep a reading log of the books I read each year. I try to add 2 to 4 books per month to the list. I am extremely happy with both the quality and quantity of books I have read over the first 2 months of 2025. Which means I can’t just keep these to myself. So here are the books I have read this year, in the order I read them.
This is a good book full of stories about good people doing the right thing. Even when it was really hard or unpopular. Holiday says that of all the books he has written, this is the one he most wants his kids to read. I agree. It’s a top shelf book. (If being on the top shelf was a good thing in books, like it is in hard liquor. But being top shelf in books may mean inappropriate for kids, or short adults. And that’s not what I mean.)
I learned about this super book because my wife Dawn is reading it with her Mahjong Crew, Laura, Maria and Molly. The title of the book intrigued me. So I listened to the audio version on a road trip. It was full of good lessons, examples, tips and tricks about communication, persuasion and deepening relationships. A highlight was an analysis of the difference between the way that happy and unhappily married couples fight. And yes, they both fight, and they fight about the same things. But the subtle difference in the way they fight makes a huge difference. I am supercurious to know who at this point in the paragraph has decided that they don’t need better communications skills. I superrecommend.
Wow! Not only did this book open my eyes to one of the great figures in world history, it reminded me of how little I know about world history that takes place outside of the United States or Western Europe. Khan’s is the ultimate rags to riches story. He was a brutal warrior and conqueror, but an open-minded and inclusive leader who ruled over a larger empire than any other conqueror on the planet. It was also interesting to note that he changed his name a couple of times. Kinda like Yvette Marie Stevens, who you now know as Chaka Khan. It must be a Khan thing. Another Top Shelf book.
I saw this book on the list of 100 most important books of the 21st Century. And I knew it had recently been turned into a motion picture. Both of which are good indicators that it’s a worthwhile read. This short book, about 114 pages, was as well written as any book I have read. Packed with imagery-evoking description, but easy to digest, the book flew by like Maverick and Goose buzzing the control tower. For three quarters of the book I wondered where we were going to land. Then, like a good Seinfeld episode, all the pieces came together in a real wow in the last quarter. And I learned about another dark corner of history I knew nothing about. Everyone in your household should read this.
I re-read this helpful management guide for the first time in several years. I love how it simplifies management into a few very simple steps that are easy to understand and implement. A great read for any manager of other humans. Including parents, coaches and parole officers.
When I dug deeper into Keegan’s body of work, Foster surfaced as another fan favorite. It was another quick and enjoyable read. Descriptive. Simple. With interesting situations hiding in the shadows throughout. And a great reminder how different people are. And how much influence we can all have on another human’s experience. Spoiler alert: the book is not about the guys who invented the banana dessert. It’s a good read.
I couldn’t get enough of this book. I discovered it during the NFL playoffs, when A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles was spotted on the sideline reading the book during a game. I immediately ordered the book to see what might be so valuable that you would keep in next to the Gatorade during a competition. I quickly found out. The book is a must read for athletes and coaches. It introduces a healthier and more empowering way to think about competition and performance than I had ever heard before. And I have been a highly involved is athletics as an athlete and a coach for a large part of my life. I can’t wait for the sequel, Outer Excellence, to help me with my hair, nail and skin care routine, and to teach me how to dress snazzy. This gets my top shelf AA rating.
I read a lot, and am always looking for the graduate level books on the subjects I care most about. This was definitely a graduate-level book on the powerful transformation of markets, industries, growth and relationships. As soon as I finished the book, I wanted to begin again, like Poor Old Michael Finnegan. I don’t remember the last time I dog-eared so many pages in a book or noted so many sections. I found this book incredibly inspiring and empowering. Perhaps one of my all-time top 10 books. I recommend this for business and economics geeks. And for people with deep passions. And anyone who wants to know how the world really works.
Key Takeaway
Books are powerful tools for self-improvement. I am amazed by how much I have added to my body of knowledge in the past 2 months alone. Make sure to constantly seek out great and important books that increase your knowledge, expand your view, and add to your skills and decision-making abilities. Remember, life is short. So read the good books first. And remember that short books are great for building your reading muscles.
If you have read some great books you think that I would enjoy, please send them my way. I can be reached at adam@theweaponry.com or 614-256-2850.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
It’s that time of year again. My inbox is full of Black Friday promotional emails. Everyone is offering discounts to get you to spend your hard-earned money with them in their final push to profitability for the 2024 fiscal year. And these great deals have many salivating like Pavlov’s poodles on a pile of bull pizzles.
But I have already picked up the best bargains available this week. And you can too.
Yesterday, I drove to my local Goodwill store with a load of donations. I dropped off 5 boxes of clothes, shoes, toys and other odds and ends that have outstayed their usefulness in The Albrecht Home. (You ever notice it is always the odds and ends that go, and never the evens and middles?)
After dropping my load in the drive-through, I parked my Expedition and walked into the store. I didn’t browse. I headed directly to my usual destination at the far back corner of the store. There, between the obsolete records and DVDs, I found my favorite treasure hunt honey hole: the Goodwill used bookshelves.
I scanned every shelf, looking for discount gold. I found 5 books, each for sale for between $1.99 and $2.99 that I had to have. I made my way back to the cashier counter and paid for my collection. But I felt like I stole them. Because I only paid $14. And that included rounding up for charity.
For that $14 I got:
Driven by Donald Driver: From this book, I will learn a lifetime of lessons from one of the greatest football players of all time. I expected to be entertained, educated and inspired by a man who went from homeless to Super Bowl and Dancing With The Stars champion. How much would you pay to hear him share his best life lessons? I bet it’s more than $2.99.
Ziglar On Selling by Zig Ziglar:Double Z is known as the greatest authority on selling ever. (In fact, he sold me on that designation.) And in case you didn’t realize, we humans are all selling all the time.) I expect I will pick up lessons from this book that will help translate to millions of dollars of revenue from my businesses, books and speaking engagements. All for $2.99.
Built to Last by James C. Collins and Jerry Porras. From this book, I know I will learn successful habits of visionary companies. Not only because it says so on the cover, but because I have already read this book. But that was before I owned The Weaponry. Now I will reread this great business book with a new perspective that will help my business thrive long into the future. Which is worth far more than the $1.99 I paid.
How To Read Literature Like A Professor, A lively and entertaining guide to reading between the lines by Thomas ‘Bananas’ Foster: This New York Times Bestseller is sure to help me get more out of my reading and understanding of the most important books ever written. And I expect that Foster will have more interesting insights to share with me than when kids used to hold up their 3 middle fingers and tell me to read between the lines. Understanding the deeper meanings of great literature seems like a steal for just $1.99.
John Adams by David McCullough This epic biography of one of America’s Founding Fathers is sure to deliver great inspiration and historical insights. I will learn more about the grit and determination of those charged with creating and fighting for this great nation. And I might finally learn what was up with those powdered wigs. Plus, buying a 750-page hardcover book for just $2.99 means I got more value in burnable paper than I paid for. And that’s before you factor in a full squid’s worth of ink.
Key Takeaway
As you look for bargains this week, don’t overlook books. Books at any price offer immense value. But on sale, or at second-hand-discounts they provide the best return on investment you will ever find.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Earlier this week I started two new books. The physical book I cracked is Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. At The Weaponry, we know that excellent customer service is one of the 3 key ingredients of our success. (Along with great creative ideas and a fun experience for everyone involved.) So a book about the extremities of hospitality is a valuable, insightful and motivating read for me. Especially once I realized it wasn’t about being hospitalized for no reason.
The other book I began this week as an audiobook is The Obstacle Is The Way, by Ryan Holiday. The basic premise of this book is that the obstacles you face are the keys to your own greatness. They are motivating, instructional and strengthening stimuli. Like dumbells, barbells and unloading groceries from Costco.
My Book Buzz
With these two new books stimulating my brain this week, I found my internal fire burning hotter than usual. My energy and enthusiasm for my work, life and personal projects are elevated. Which is exciting for someone with a high baseline of enthusiasm.
Just as the world reaches for mugs of coffee, cups of tea and cans of Red Bull in the morning to kickstart the day, diving into a good book can elevate your energy for life. Reading the right books, articles and blog posts is like filling your car with fuel, charging your phone with electricity, and filling your body with good food. Reading can provide a great rush. Yet it’s much better for you than cocaine, heroin or ecstasy. Which is why librarians live so long.
Slam A Book When You Need A Boost
If you could use a kick of motivation, inspiration, or any other -ation, grab a book. It’s amazing how energizing they can be.
Biographies offer insights into the habits, actions and mindsets of highly successful people. They are like sitting down with successful people and having them share their secrets with you. What you’ll often find is that these people are much more like you than you thought. They just took more action, bigger risks or worked longer at their objective. Reading biographies inspires you to live a life that should be biographized. Or is it biographisized? (Or does that mean you are living a life that is the size of a bio graph?)
Business books offer insights into the processes, cultures, values and philosophies of great companies. These books are loaded with things you and your organization can adopt. Which is exciting and motivating. Because while it takes a lot of effort to be Apple, it’s easy to apply new ideas that help your business stop operating like a rotten tomato.
Self Improvement books share valuable techniques, mindsets and reminders that you can apply to your own life.Self-emprovement books are highly valuable because they help you become a better person today than you were yesterday. Which is the greatest aim in life. Plus, these books provide inspiring examples of those who have improved themselves and achieved great things using the golden advice found in the book. #Midas #Rumpelstiltskin #RayKroc
History books share the greatest success stories of humankind. They share how greatness was accomplished, how oppression was overcome, how ingenuity led to innovations and inventions that changed the world. Because humans are amazing creatures. So read your history. Or herstory. Or theirstory.
Fictional literature is full of inspirational stories of people who faced challenges, setbacks and difficult situations and overcame them. From boy wizards to old men and the sea, we can learn something empowering from them all. Plus, these books usually have a lot more dirty words and often contain descriptions of naughty acts. Both of which are more fun to read about than Six Sigma methodology.
Key Takeaway
Reading is a powerful and underrated source of inspiration, motivation and enthusiasm. Reading reminds you of the power of action. It reminds you that there are solutions to challenging problems. Books introduce you to mentors, coaches and cheerleaders in written form. So if you want to attack the day tomorrow with more zeal, read something great today.
If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I love to read. Like most people, I was born highly uneducated. Reading has become an instrumental part of my master plan to overcome my early shortcomings. I love to learn and to become inspired. And if you are reading this I expect you do too.
I like reading classic literature because it makes me feel worldly. I liked reading the first three Harry Potter books because they made me feel magical. But then I realized my time is too scarce to read four more books about a fanciful wizard boy.
Today I read a lot of books on self-improvement, business, and biographies. I also read healthy portions of magazines like Fast Companyand Inc. because I find them both creatively stimulating and educational. Plus I like the pictures.
Several years ago I read an interesting quote from Charlie “Tremendous” Jones that said, “You are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet.” And this reading about reading encouraged Adam “Ordinary” Albrecht to read even more.
But there is also a potential danger in reading. And not just the threat of papercuts and eye strain. I have found that too much reading can lead to too little doing. If I fill all of my time with learning and inspiration I leave no time for action. Like the career student who seems to know everything but does nothing.
If you find that you are reading and learning, but not actually putting your learnings into action, follow this simple rule of thumb that influences my reading today:
Read just enough to learn something new and become inspired. Then act on it.
This simple rule has helped me accomplish more. I’ve wasted less time. And I’m more excited about my work.
I think of reading now like a pregame speech. One that I listen to just long enough to become properly motivated. And as soon as I am lathered up I jump to work, acting on the inspiration.
That’s when I start writing, planning, structuring, detailing, calling, creating, wizarding or potioning. When I have one hour available, instead of one hour of reading, I can do 10 or 15 minutes of reading. Then I can spend the rest of the hour implementing. Which means that the return on that one hour is significantly higher than it would be from reading alone.
I use my reading to prompt action. This approach has been vital to my experience as an entrepreneur and Founder of The Weaponry. It has empowered me to author What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? and my current writing projects. And it is the driving force that has inspired more than 960 blog posts. Because reading is not the goal. It is just the beginning.
Key Takeaway
Reading is a great way to learn and grow. But putting your new knowledge into action is far more valuable. For the next week, I encourage you to read enough each day to want to do something new and exciting. Then do it. Then repeat the process. And let me know how it works for you.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Some people are Sneakerheads. Others are Deadheads. I am a Bookhead. I collect books. I organize them. And I display them. As a result, I always have unread books in my home. So at the start of 2023, I collected 12 physical books from my personal library as my reading list for the year. It was interesting to look at the mini-library and know that I was expected to plow through the stack over the course of the year.
Having a stack of 12 books also gave me a defined list to choose from each month. It allowed me to decide if I was going to take on something big and meaty or smaller and lighter each month. Then I also decided to read 12 audiobooks that were random and unplanned. Or what I call Nick Cannon-style.
Like disciples, eggs, and donuts, my books come in twelves.
So I am back with a new stack of 24 books in ’24. (Which is wicked symmetrical.) This time I went a step further and predetermined both the Let’s Get Physical books and the Big Audio Dynamite books. Here are the lists, and why I chose each title.
My 12 Let’s Get Physical Books
The Innovators Dilemma by Clayton M Christensen:
Because I enjoy a good dilemma. Which sounds like a contraction of Dali Lama.
This book is the foundation of economics. Plus I dig authors named Adam.
My 12 Big Audio Dynamite Books
This week I discovered that Spotify Premium allows you to listen to audiobooks. This is a total game-changer. Because I love audiobooks, but the library app I use to listen to them limits my time with each title. And I often have long wait times to listen to popular titles. So I am expecting 2024 to be my best year of audiobooks ever, both in terms of quantity and quality. Here are the books in my audio library.
This title is so silly I have to hear the story behind it. Plus, I get a lot of great book recommendations from Ryan Holiday, whose name I always say like Madonna would. I expect all of his books to be good too.
I want to be useful. I would also like to have as many useful tools for life as I have dwarfs.
Key Takeaway
Reading is an important part of your self-improvement plan. Your self-directed education adds to your world knowledge, increases creativity, and enhances both your vocabulary and writing skills. Create a reading habit that works for you. Start small. And once you recognize how much it helps you will naturally find ways to read more.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this list, please share it with them.
One of the most important things I do each year is read. It is the primary source of my self-directed education. Reading not only makes you smarter, but it also increases creativity and vocabulary. It provides an endless source of insight and inspiration. And when you read you are ensuring that all those trees and little ink bugs didn’t die in vain.
I set a goal at the beginning of 2023 to read 12 physical books and 12 audiobooks. I also did something new this year. I gathered the 12 physical books I wanted to read into a stack before the year started. This gave me a visual goal and a library to choose from each month. The results were interesting. Of the 12 books in my 2023 stack, I started 11 but only finished 7 of them. Waa-waa…
Here is my original stack for 2023. I started all by Work Happy. I finished 7 of the 12.
However, in total I read 41 books, far exceding my goal. I have read that the average CEO reads 52 books a year. Which means I am below average. But I’m guessing the average CEO doesn’t also coach youth football and high school track, so cut me some squash.
One of the keys to my larger reading total this year was adding shorter books into the mix. These are books of about 60 to 150 pages. I find that these books are no less valuable than the longer books, but they have less filling, and taste great.
Here are the 41 books I read in 2023 year, in chronological order. (I find chrono to be among the most logical.) 8 of these books are rated AA, which is the highest rating on the Adam Albrecht reading scale. Everyone should read these.
Adam Albrecht’s 2023 Reading List.
Factfulness was my first book of 2023 and one of the best.
Factfulness by Hans Rosling: I loved this book. It is a fact-based, data-based look at the world. And it is full of charts that show how the world is steadily getting better for everyone on nearly every measure. It is a great read for everyone except those who truly want to believe the world is bad and getting worse. I wrote a full review of this book you can read here.Rating. AA
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: This is an inspirational parable about finding your personal legacy and how the whole universe is trying to help you get what you want in life. I first read this right before I started my entrepreneurial journey. I don’t know if I would have become an entrepreneur without it. (I may have become a shepherd.) Everyone should read this book. Rating AA
The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle: This book is a guide to enlightenment. It is deep. Like ocean-deep. It teaches you how to avoid pain and suffering by living in the now. I really enjoyed it. Because I am deep. Like Johnny Deep.
The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz: This is a great shorter book about how to make and keep agreements, and commitments. It provides a short and simple code of conduct that has the power to transform your life. Plus I learned about Toltec wisdom. I was surprised to learn it is not the technology they use at toll booths. (But it should be.)
Guide Coaching by Stacy Sollenberger, Monique Honaman and Ellen Dotts: Written by my friends Stacy Sollenberger and Monique Honaman, this book teaches you how to be a great leader by coaching your people. Which is different from mentoring, advising, or dictating. It’s short and valuable. Like a Leprechaun.
Man’s Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl: This is a book about finding meaning and purpose in difficult times. Frankl shares his story as a Nazi concentration camp prisoner. It is a remarkable book on psychological thought. It is both heavy and inspirational at the same time. Like the Buddha.
The 12-week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington. This book teaches how to shorten your goals and working timeframes to 12 weeks to get more done. The 12-week time frame keeps goals in mind and the pressure on yourself and your team. Whereas a 12-month year can have too much dead time. It’s a very good idea.
Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody This is a light and entertaining book about a boy’s experience growing up on a ranch in Colorado. Since Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder is my favorite book of all time I really enjoyed this. It made me feel like a kid again.
Night by Elie Wiesel: This book won the Nobel Peace Prize. It is short and powerful, like Man’s Search for Meaning. Wiesel also shares his account of his Nazi concentration camp experience. Spoiler alert: it was horrible. But there are important lessons to be learned.
I listened to this thought-provoking audio book on Spring Break And it made me want to quit my job and spend all of my money.
Die With Zero by Bill Perkins Perkins proposes an interesting life philosophy to spend all of your money during your lifetime. The crux of the philosophy is that you shouldn’t spend any of your precious time working for money you won’t need. More importantly, it opened my eyes to the limitation of spending your money past a certain age when you can no longer do things that cost a lot. This book will really make you think.,
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey This book was more than alright, alright, alright. I listened to it as an audiobook and highly recommend that format because you get to hear McConaughey bring the book to life. It is both autobiographical and philosophical. It is definitely interesting and inspirational.
It’s Your Ship by Captain Michael Abrashoff Captain Abrashoff tells the story of taking command of a terrible ship and turning it into the model of ship-ness for all of the military to envy. There are great lessons that can be applied to any organization, team, or business. The book provides a reminder that great leaders can effect great change. And that we all need to get our ship together.
The Power Of One More by Ed Mylett: I have listened to the Ed Mylett podcast for years. His book has more of the same good content including life lessons and philosophies on success and overcoming adversity.
I loved this little book about the power of timing. I think about it all the time. Even when I’m using thyme.
When by Daniel Pink This book is about the scientific facts, secrets and finding of perfect timing. There’s a lot more to getting the timing right than you thought. I found the insights fascinating. And I would read anything Daniel Pink wrote.
Living on a Smileby Jo Ann Herold: Jo Ann is a fellow Ripples Media author, like me. Her book reflects on her life and career and the positive influences she’s had along the way.
The Conquering Creative by William Warren: William is also a fellow Ripples Media author. He shares his personal story of young William as an art school student who became afraid to pursue a career as an artist. But after a few years in a corporate job, he decided to follow his passion and create a creative career. He now leads a thriving creative business. He shares tips and tricks to help other creatives do the same. As a creative-turned-entrepreneur myself, I endorse this book as a great how-to.
Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark Winters: This book is about the power unleashed when great visionary leaders team up with great operational leaders. It creates Rocket Fuel. Elton John would find it useful.
Think Againby Adam Grant: Grant shares interesting insights about the power of rethinking what you thought you knew. It is about being open to new information. And about how the world is actually filled with complicated dilemmas rather than rights and wrongs. It’s a great book to read during an election year. Oh looky, we’re in an election year!
Mentoring 101 by John C Maxwell: The great leadership expert Maxwell shares insights into mentoring, which is a specific kind of leadership. Hence, the title.
How Successful People Thinkby John C. Maxwell: Here Maxwell shares collections of commonalities among successful people. He shares the importance of big-picture thinking, creative thinking, and shared thinking to shape your life for the better.
There’s a reason this book was a #1 National Best Seller. (Because it sold the best in the nation.)
Devil In The White City by Erik Larson: This book is amazing! I have owned it for a long time and heard how good it is. But only read it this year. It is about the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The book tells the true story of how the fair happened against all odds, and about the serial killer who preyed on those coming to Chicago. (Note that preyed is very different than prayed.) This is Rated AA
You Get The Agency You Deserve by Jared Belsky: Jared is another Ripples Media author. He has led multiple advertising agencies and shares lessons about how great clients get great work out of their agencies, how bad clients get bad work, and how anyone can become a great client and get great work from their agency.
I knew nothing about the history of the Comanches. This book was a reminder of the very narrow accounts of American history most of us know.
Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne: This is a fascinating book about the rise and fall of the Comanche Indians, the badest Indian tribe of them all. And the last to be conquered in America. It is a great book that teaches real history that goes far beyond what we learned in school. Rated AA
Grit by Angela Duckworth: Duckworth shares her important work on the power of grit on success and achievement. This is important stuff to know. And surprisingly, there’s no sandpaper.
Molly’s Game by Molly Bloom. The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World. I had seen the movie. The book is better. The story is incredible. And Bloom is a force that could probably do anything she set out to do. Rated AA
Check out the dudes who endorse this book on the cover. You probably don’t need to read my endorsement below. Just click the link and buy it.
Principles by Ray Dalio: Dalio is one of the richest dudes on the planet. He made his money through the hedge fund he created, Bridgewater Associates. More impressively, Dalio has amassed a broad range of important principles to be applied to life and work to be most successful. I loved this book and all the great knowledge it shares. Rated AA
Year Of Yes by Shonda Rhimes: Shonda Rhimes (No relation to LeAnn) is the creator of such cultural hits as Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. After a pivotal moment in her life, she decides to say Yes! to everything for a year. The book is the story of what happened as a result. Also, Rhimes went to college at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire, where I went to high school. So I dug all of the hometown talk in this book. If you are a no-sayer, check this book out. (And also read it.)
Wake Up Happy by Michael Strahan: This is a biography of the NFL football star and TV show host. He shares his unique journey to the NFL. And how he got all of his TV opportunities, despite some speaking challenges.
Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne: This is a great business strategy book that maps out how to create Blue Oceans, areas without direct competitors, and avoid Red Oceans, highly competitive spaces that turn into bloodbaths. That just went dark, huh? This is a great business book. It’s underwhelming if you are reading it to learn about great beaches.
The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink. Pink writes insightful, data-backed gems about how looking backward moves us forward. He inspires us all to learn from the past to create a better future. I really enjoyed this book and don’t regret reading it at all. Nor do I regret not getting any tattoos. If you are thinking about getting some new ink I suggest you read this first.
First, Break All The Rules by Marcus Buckingham: Another great business book, this book dives into what really separates great managers from everyone else. Studies have shown that they have a fundamentally different way of getting the best out of their people and the roles they fill.
Killers of The Flower Moon by David Grann: Now a hit movie starring guys from Meet the Fockers and The Wolf of Wall Street, this book is about the Osage Indians, a rash of unexplained murders, and the birth of the FBI. The book is great, and a real eye-opener to a chapter of American History I knew nothing about. The book is great if you like to read about murder or history. There is less about flowers and moons than you might have guessed based on the title.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck by Mark Manson: I guess this book was about the power of not giving an F. The title was the best part of the book. I didn’t get it. Based on ratings and reviews, other people really liked it. But it was the only book I read last year that I didn’t enjoy or wouldn’t recommend. Maybe it’s because I am not subtle. And because I do give an F.
Years ago, my friend David Grzelak told me he read these books with his kids and loved them. This has been on my to-read list ever since. Turns out this book was much easier to read than the name Grzelak.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: I loved this book! This was one of the few fiction books I read this year. I had seen the movie, and the book was even better. It was highly entertaining and thought-provoking. It reminded me of Running Man with Arnold. But with a young lady hero leading a fight to the death, and fighting against the evils of the society she lives in. I was hungry for more Hunger Games, so I got the other 3 books in the series for Christmas. Rated AA
The Journey of the Crescent Penny by Curt Reynolds: My friend Curt wrote this interesting little book about a misprinted penny, and what happens to each of the people who receive the penny. The ending provided a total surprise, and I hope Curt writes a sequel because I have to know what happens next.
This story is crazy! Which is why it has been turned into multiple shows.
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe. This book tells the story of the Sackler family dynasty. The family dynasty is based on riches made off of pain medication. The Sacklers and their little business, Purdue Pharma, created Oxycontin, and the opioid crisis. This is a fascinating book on how money corrupts. Rated AA
Kobe by Nelson Pena: This book is about the life and legend of Kobe Bryant. It provides lessons we can all learn from the unique and obsessed approach Kobe brought to everything he did. I found it interesting. I have had a challenge with the Kobe hero worship since his incident at that Colorado hotel. But this book helped me see why others like him so much.
Influence by Robert Cialdini: This book provides a highly scientific explanation of the various forms of influence and how we can use them both personally and professionally. There is a lot that can be applied to marketing, advertising and sales, which are all areas of Cialdini’s specialty as a college professor. The book was dense with information and insights, like a serious college textbook. Expect to learn a lot from reading this. But don’t expect to read this tome in a weekend.
Originalsby Adam Grant: This book dives into what sets truly original thinkers apart. It all starts with rejecting the most commonly held approaches and assumptions and exploring better options. The book dives into who has done this well and how you can apply their approaches to your life.
Key Takeaway
I am a fundamentally different person today than I was a year ago because of these 41 books. Create your own stack of books to read to help you learn and grow in 2024. Share what you like with the rest of us. It’s how we all get better together.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
I set a goal this year of reading 24 new books. As we are nearing Memorial Day Weekend I am already on pace to read nearly 40 books. Half of those books are physical books, half are audiobooks, and unlike in past years, none are coloring books.
Like a wiley old prospector, I have struck gold with my recent book choices. I have discovered valuable reads exposing me to new ideas that I can use to live a better life. Interestingly, my last 3 books have all been based on the concept of time. Like Morris Day’s band.
When by Daniel Pink
I would read anything written by Daniel Pink. Even his grocery shopping list. He offers great insights into how humans operate. When is no exception. In this fascinating deep dive on timing Pink (the author, not the aerobatic rockstar) exposes the importance of when things happen. He reveals the well-documented worst part of the day for humans, so you will know the worst time to have surgery or defuse a bomb. He shares the peak times for divorce filings, and why. He reveals when you are most likely to run your first marathon. There is even a tutorial on the most effective timing for naps and how long it takes coffee to kick in. I learned about the life-long impact of starting your career during a recession, and how to restart anything when you are struggling. Plus, he shares the interesting effect of midpoints. You also learn what the ideal score is for your favorite team at halftime. There are a lot of great nuggets in this book. I encourage you to read it next.
A Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy
This book is crammed with 366 days worth of profound wisdom. Tolstoy collected valuable insights, quotes, and verses from throughout his life to share in this amazing tome. There is one page dedicated to each day of the year, including February 29th. With each page you read you feel as if you are being mentored by a wise old sage. Like Yoda. Only taller. And Tolstoy’s words are all in the right order. The book’s brief sentences and paragraphs of wisdom are dense with life lessons and truisms from great philosophers, leaders, authors, poets and religious books. Each day follows a singular theme. This is a great nightstand book, if you have a nightstand. If you are not typically a reader but wish you were, this book allows you to get your recommended daily allowance of new wisdom in a single nutrient-dense page.
Die With Zero by Bill Perkins
This book is not about Coke Zero. It’s a thought-provoking book on the relationship between time and money. Perkins’ basic philosophy is that we should hit the grave with no money in our bank account or in the coffee cans buried in the backyard. (Those stupid K-Cups are no good for burying money.) Instead, we should spend our money, while alive on experiences that make our lives richer. These experiences turn into memories. And memories are the real wealth of life that money can help you buy. Perkins believes that any time you spend working to earn money past the amount you can spend in your lifetime is wasting your life on work. It’s a fascinating and compelling philosophy. Two of the great takeaways from the book are that you shouldn’t save your money just in case you need long-term medical care at the end and that beyond a certain age you will have a hard time spending your money because your physical ability to do things that cost money diminish with age. Read this book while you still can.
Kris Barger loves gifting this book to grads and showing off how many books she can hold at once.
Bonus Book
If you have a high school or college graduate in your life, consider giving them my book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? It offers 80 Important life lessons the universe is trying to share with you. Each chapter is short, funny and packed with wisdom. Like my Mom. The book has been a very popular graduation gift since it was first published. If you live near Milwaukee or plan ahead a little I am happy to sign the book for you.
Key Takeaway
Read great books. Build your personal library. It is the best and easiest way to gain wisdom, insights and perspective that will improve your life.
Reading is great for you. It is like exercise for your brain. At the beginning of the year, people often make a commitment to read more. The percentage of people who want to read more is even higher among people who are inclined to read a blog post about reading more. And while I am no mind reader, I’m guessing you are among them.
We are now in the first week of April. And a check of my book log (which resembles a book a lot more than a log) reveals that I have completed 11 new books in 2023. At this pace, I will complete 40 new books this year. (Which means I am at least moderately proficient in both reading and math.)
At the beginning of the year, I set out to read 24 books. My literary diet is made up of 12 physical books and 12 audiobooks in 12 months. Or one of each every month. And I have done a good job of keeping pace.
But Wait. There’s More!
I have discovered a fun new way to pack at least one extra book into each month. In addition to my full-sized book each month of between 200 and 350 pages I am also adding a great shorter book. These short books range between 80 and 150 pages. While I use the term ‘short book’, the books are usually of average height. So I should probably call them thin books. But I won’t.
I have found there are a lot of great shorter books. They are quick reads packed with a lot of wisdom. And because of their length, they offer more enjoyment than work. I think of them as my monthly dessert books. Yet without the calories. Or chocolate sauce.
If you want to start reading, or read more and faster, look into adding great short books to your bookshelf, or audio queue.
Short books are enjoyable to read. They make you feel productive. Fill a shelf at home with them and you will find yourself revisiting them frequently.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
Adam Albrecht Blog 