This year I made a goal to read 12 books to keep me motivated every month. The list below includes the most highly rated non-fiction books. Plus some great recommendations from successful professionals. Share a book on your shelf to the comments section below.
"How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie is a great annual read and is especially useful to anyone embarking on a job search! – Marilyn Maslin, Career & Personal Branding Strategist | Resume & LinkedIn Writing Services | HR Consultant
Great list! I’d recommend " Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. A book about success— extraordinary success—and what’s behind it. – Wonuola Scott, Principal Data Transformation Analyst at IHS Rushmore
I read The Personal MBA: A World-Class Business Education in a Single Volume by Josh Kaufman and would recommend it. A book that can become a source of inspiration and personal improvement for the rest of your career. – Eduard Lopez, Experienced Account Manager | 15+ years Developing Teams And Providing Value To Our Customers.
January- Originals: How Non-Conformist Move the World. Adam Grant explores the concept of individuals who go against the grain by reviewing some interesting historical examples that you probably never heard of. This book is very compelling for non-conformists, and for anyone trying to generate new ideas this year.
February-Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Elizabeth Gilbert is one of my absolute favorite authors, and not just due to Eat, Pray, Love. She has a way of exploring topics and presenting them in a way you never thought of before.
March-Ted Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking. Even the idea of public speaking makes my heart want to explode from my chest, and that is why I need put myself in the public speaking realm more than ever. I am hoping this book will provide the guidance and confidence necessary to grow this gut-wrenching skill.
April-Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. Amy Cuddy is a Harvard researcher who has performed numerous studies on body language and how you are perceived based on it. This is a great read before your next big job interview.
May-Drive: The Surprising Trush About What Motivates Us. Daniel Pink applies decades of scientific research to discover what affects our decision making. He dives into the three elements of true motivation—autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
June-Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration. When Pixar came on the scene, it dominated the movie industry. Hear from one of the co-founders, Ed Catmull. A great read for managers looking to inspire creativity and destroy any barriers that get in the way.
July-Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice. A short read, only 138 pages, makes this book the perfect summer read that will hopefully bring you more peace and maybe an ounce of enlightenment.
August-Grit: Passion, Perseverance, and the Science of Success. This book resonates with me because of the author’s hypothesis that what really drives success is not “genius” but a unique combination of passion and long-term perseverance.
September-Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise. If you have not figured it out already from this list, I am obsessed with how psychological research can be applied to everyday life.
October-Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business. The Power of Habit has been one of my favorite books ever; I am hoping Charles Duhigg can do it again in his new book exploring productivity.
November-Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World. We have sooooooo many distractions, and I am hoping this short read will help me stay on task, oh look did I just get a Facebook notification…
December-To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others. If you are part of the 1 in 9 Americans that work in sales, this is a must read!
What books do you recommend for kick-starting your career in 2017?