John Maxwell is one of the top leadership trainers in the world. Through his company they have trained millions of leaders around the world. He has also written around 80 books on personal development and leadership. He is also a voracious reader and learner. Every month he reaches out to someone and takes him or her to lunch so he can ask him or her a series of questions to help him learn and grow. One of the questions he asks is, “What have you read that I should read?”

I love that question and will often ask it of people in conversation. I get some great book recommendations and my list of books stacked up virtually in my Kindle app is continually growing. Some might see it as an expense to be continually buying books. I see it as an investment in my learning, my growth and my development. I read a while ago that being surrounded by unread books helps to remind you of how much you still have to learn. I love the constant reminder. 

My dad used to ask me, “Are you reading for work, or pleasure?” My answer was, “It is the same thing for me.” I read predominantly non-fiction books and derive great pleasure from my reading and from striving to connect the dots between what I am learning and what I already know. I am currently going through James Kwik’s Kwik Reader program to increase my reading speed, comprehension and retention so I can ideally make a bigger dent in the unread books in my stack.

Sport and performance psychologist Michael Gervais suggests the three areas we can seek to improve are Mind, Body and Craft. I buy books to help me in all those areas. There are times however, when my brain needs a break from the non-fiction and I have 5 or 6 go to fictions writers whose books I have on standby. 

As of the end of June I have read 22 non-fiction books and one fiction book. Of the 22 non-fiction books below are 8 that I would highly recommend.  They are in the order I read them, not in order of preference. You will notice there are two on sleep. The more I read on sleep, the more I have come to believe it is the one factor that is consistent in having the greatest impact on Mind, Body and Craft. Unfortunately, getting by on just a few hours of sleep is still talked about as a badge of honor in too many organizations and professions. 

Recommended Books:

• Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
• Sleep by Nick Littlehales
• Mastery by Robert Greene
• Mindful Responder by Crawford Coates
• Tribes by Seth Godin
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• Never Stop Learning by Bradley Staats
• Genius Foods by Max Lugavere

The fiction book was Run Away by Harlan Coben. Coben has become one of my go to fiction writers along with David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, Brad Thor, Barry Eisler, and Lee Child.

I am currently reading So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport, which will be on my recommended reading list, and Redemption by David Baldacci. 

Note: If you read just 10 minutes a day, every day of the year, you will read between 9 and 10 non-fiction books every year. 

What’s Important Now? What have you read that I should read? Send me the names and authors of one or two books you think I should read. 

Take care.

Brian Willis

www.lifesmostpowerfulquestion.com

www.winningmindtraining.com

Maximizing human potential through Life's Most Powerful Question - What's Important Now?

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