I love to read, and I'm a genius at seizing moments throughout the day to grab a few sentences here or a couple paragraphs there, whether I'm standing in line or walking to my car. My phone and the Amazon Kindle app are a godsend, because an entire library is always in my pocket and just a swipe away.
By my count, I read 26 books this past year. (Not bad!)
I read 10 novels -- consisting of some military fiction and several entertaining movie tie-ins -- but none of them made my "favorite list" for the year.
The other 16 books I read were non-fiction, spanning topics in personal development, spirituality, business, military history, and creative writing. Four of them really stood out that I thought I'd share, in case you're looking for your next good read.
Here are the four gems from my library this year:
I recommend you read these books, and here's why...
How to Be an Imperfectionist by Stephen Guise
Those of us who care a lot, and have high standards, can easily fall into the trap of perfectionism. Perfectionism often leads to delay, distraction, and inaction on the things we really care about. We're afraid to take action, pursue our dreams, and put ourselves out there, either because we're afraid it might not be perfect, or we know it won't be perfect and so we never start. Perfectionism can also make life really stressful, because we perfectionists often work so hard to keep everything together, and to make sure everything always goes "just right."
I've struggled with this unfortunate condition myself, and I have read a few books about it over the years. This is by far the best book on the subject that I've come across. There is so much deep insight here about perfectionism, how it works in different forms, and the (well-intentioned) psychology that drives it. Even more valuable, Guise provides excellent, simple techniques for moving past it in its various forms.
For example, one technique that I've used a lot is to decide to be content with smaller steps and any kind of progress, rather than expecting perfect steps and ideal conditions. Here's how this works: If you are afraid to give a presentation because you worry that it might not be stellar, for instance, simply lower the bar. Decide that standing up and doing it at all is a win, particularly if giving presentations is a challenge for you. Sounds simple, but it is very powerful.
There are many other excellent techniques that are easy to implement, but rather than explaining them, it's best for you to just buy the book and read it. If you're a perfectionist, you will finish this book with a commitment to living the freer, more satisfying life of an imperfectionist.
The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks
All I can say is, "Wow!" Hendricks has pulled back the curtain to reveal one of the most powerful and invisible psychological forces that limits our potential as human beings, and creates unnecessary conflict, drama, difficulties, and even illnesses and accidents in our lives. He calls it the Upper Limit Problem.
His thesis is that we all have an inner thermostat that defines how good inside we're comfortable feeling, and how good we're comfortable with our life becoming. And that whenever a success or a blessing comes our way that takes us too high above that subconscious comfort level, we will take action to bring it back down to where we are comfortable (which is not where our full potential lies, of course). We may start an argument, we may have sudden financial problems, we might start worrying and obsessing about something, or we might even get sick or hurt. One clue to this pattern is to notice whether these things occur soon after something good happens.
Most of us, Hendricks argues, stay in our Zone of Competence, where we're comfortable. We dream of reaching our "Zone of Genius", but whenever we try, something always seems to bring us back down. That, he points out, is the Upper Limit Problem at work. Hendricks highlights the common ways that the Upper Limit Problem shows up in our lives, and recommends specific actions to short-circuit it, by ultimately expanding our tolerance for goodness in our lives, and using the troublesome symptoms as guideposts on the way to our Zone of Genius.
He starts the book with three questions to challenge the reader, which I'll share with you here:
This book is a real eye-opener to how our subconscious patterns work, why we struggle to fulfill the potential we know is there, and how to break through to that next level of happiness, fulfillment, and contribution. I recommend you buy it and read it to take your life to that next level. I found it to be profound.
The Way of the SEAL by Mark Divine
Hooyah! Commander Mark Divine, a former Navy SEAL, is founder of SEALFit, a company that trains special operations aspirants and others to reach their peak physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness. Elite military operators are known for their professionalism, commitment, focus, organizational skills, tolerance for discomfort, and physical and emotional control. That's because these are the folks who sneak straight into the teeth of the enemy, get the job done, and get back out without any casualties (usually), and often without even being seen. Imagine if you could apply a Navy SEAL's level of clarity, commitment, and focus to your life and to your life's purpose. Divine's book, The Way of the SEAL, provides that very framework.
Through 9 specific principles, Divine shows you how to get clear about your life mission and purpose, how to plan that mission thoroughly and systematically, and then how to execute that plan with commitment and efficiency, in the style that a Navy SEAL would approach a combat mission.
I loved the book enough to buy the video course that goes with it, and although the video course was outrageously expensive, I love reinforcing the principles in new ways that help me integrate these practices into my life. I've used Divine's techniques to bring greater clarity, focus, and commitment to my life this past year, and I like his cheerful, motivating tone.
Not everybody grooves to the style of a military viewpoint on management or personal development, but I love the sense of order, clarity and commitment Divine brings to the subject. If you want to learn how to "earn your Trident every day," as Divine says, get the book and put his techniques into practice. I can vouch for it...this is good stuff!
Nine Day Novel: How to Use Story Structure to Write Your Novel Faster by Stephen Windsor
This is a delightful, short book with a specific plan on how to write a novel in 9 days. Now that's pretty extreme, and it is a serious 9-day marathon, but I've written most of my first-draft novels in 30 days, so I can personally attest that it certainly can be done. The 9 days isn't even that important...you can spread it out over whatever period makes sense. The real value of the book is in the powerful simplicity of story structure that Windsor lays out for you to follow.
A novel is made up of so many elements, including plot, character, setting, dialogue, conflict, and theme (among others). I think of the plot, or story structure, as the scaffolding that the whole work hangs on. When the scaffolding is in place, then you can paint in and layer the character, the settings, the dialogue and conflict to create a rich blend of experience, and (hopefully) a good story. By following the classic, driving narrative structure that Windsor provides, you have the foundation you need to carry all the other elements of the story.
Whatever the subject may be, I'm a big fan of understanding the discipline's fundamentals, and of applying the 80/20 principle: What 20% of the information about this subject area will give me 80% of the results I'm after? This is the key 20%. This short book will give you a powerful story structure to follow that ensures the story's momentum, and frees you to focus on the other elements that make a good tale.
If you've wanted to write a novel and get it done quick, or if you've wanted a fast education on story structure that will serve you well for years to come, buy Windsor's book and put the practices to work!
So that's my roundup -- my favorite books for 2015.
What was your favorite read this year?
Post it in the comments below, so we can find some more gems for 2016!
By my count, I read 26 books this past year. (Not bad!)
I read 10 novels -- consisting of some military fiction and several entertaining movie tie-ins -- but none of them made my "favorite list" for the year.
The other 16 books I read were non-fiction, spanning topics in personal development, spirituality, business, military history, and creative writing. Four of them really stood out that I thought I'd share, in case you're looking for your next good read.
Here are the four gems from my library this year:
- How to Be an Imperfectionist by Stephen Guise
- The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks
- The Way of the SEAL by Mark Divine
- Nine Day Novel: How to Use Story Structure to Write Your Novel Faster by Stephen Windsor
I recommend you read these books, and here's why...
How to Be an Imperfectionist by Stephen Guise
Those of us who care a lot, and have high standards, can easily fall into the trap of perfectionism. Perfectionism often leads to delay, distraction, and inaction on the things we really care about. We're afraid to take action, pursue our dreams, and put ourselves out there, either because we're afraid it might not be perfect, or we know it won't be perfect and so we never start. Perfectionism can also make life really stressful, because we perfectionists often work so hard to keep everything together, and to make sure everything always goes "just right."
I've struggled with this unfortunate condition myself, and I have read a few books about it over the years. This is by far the best book on the subject that I've come across. There is so much deep insight here about perfectionism, how it works in different forms, and the (well-intentioned) psychology that drives it. Even more valuable, Guise provides excellent, simple techniques for moving past it in its various forms.
For example, one technique that I've used a lot is to decide to be content with smaller steps and any kind of progress, rather than expecting perfect steps and ideal conditions. Here's how this works: If you are afraid to give a presentation because you worry that it might not be stellar, for instance, simply lower the bar. Decide that standing up and doing it at all is a win, particularly if giving presentations is a challenge for you. Sounds simple, but it is very powerful.
There are many other excellent techniques that are easy to implement, but rather than explaining them, it's best for you to just buy the book and read it. If you're a perfectionist, you will finish this book with a commitment to living the freer, more satisfying life of an imperfectionist.
The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level by Gay Hendricks
All I can say is, "Wow!" Hendricks has pulled back the curtain to reveal one of the most powerful and invisible psychological forces that limits our potential as human beings, and creates unnecessary conflict, drama, difficulties, and even illnesses and accidents in our lives. He calls it the Upper Limit Problem.
His thesis is that we all have an inner thermostat that defines how good inside we're comfortable feeling, and how good we're comfortable with our life becoming. And that whenever a success or a blessing comes our way that takes us too high above that subconscious comfort level, we will take action to bring it back down to where we are comfortable (which is not where our full potential lies, of course). We may start an argument, we may have sudden financial problems, we might start worrying and obsessing about something, or we might even get sick or hurt. One clue to this pattern is to notice whether these things occur soon after something good happens.
Most of us, Hendricks argues, stay in our Zone of Competence, where we're comfortable. We dream of reaching our "Zone of Genius", but whenever we try, something always seems to bring us back down. That, he points out, is the Upper Limit Problem at work. Hendricks highlights the common ways that the Upper Limit Problem shows up in our lives, and recommends specific actions to short-circuit it, by ultimately expanding our tolerance for goodness in our lives, and using the troublesome symptoms as guideposts on the way to our Zone of Genius.
He starts the book with three questions to challenge the reader, which I'll share with you here:
- Are you willing to increase the amount of time every day that you feel good inside?
- Are you willing to increase the amount of time that your whole life is going well?
- Are you willing to feel good inside, and have your life go well, all the time?
This book is a real eye-opener to how our subconscious patterns work, why we struggle to fulfill the potential we know is there, and how to break through to that next level of happiness, fulfillment, and contribution. I recommend you buy it and read it to take your life to that next level. I found it to be profound.
The Way of the SEAL by Mark Divine
Hooyah! Commander Mark Divine, a former Navy SEAL, is founder of SEALFit, a company that trains special operations aspirants and others to reach their peak physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness. Elite military operators are known for their professionalism, commitment, focus, organizational skills, tolerance for discomfort, and physical and emotional control. That's because these are the folks who sneak straight into the teeth of the enemy, get the job done, and get back out without any casualties (usually), and often without even being seen. Imagine if you could apply a Navy SEAL's level of clarity, commitment, and focus to your life and to your life's purpose. Divine's book, The Way of the SEAL, provides that very framework.
Through 9 specific principles, Divine shows you how to get clear about your life mission and purpose, how to plan that mission thoroughly and systematically, and then how to execute that plan with commitment and efficiency, in the style that a Navy SEAL would approach a combat mission.
I loved the book enough to buy the video course that goes with it, and although the video course was outrageously expensive, I love reinforcing the principles in new ways that help me integrate these practices into my life. I've used Divine's techniques to bring greater clarity, focus, and commitment to my life this past year, and I like his cheerful, motivating tone.
Not everybody grooves to the style of a military viewpoint on management or personal development, but I love the sense of order, clarity and commitment Divine brings to the subject. If you want to learn how to "earn your Trident every day," as Divine says, get the book and put his techniques into practice. I can vouch for it...this is good stuff!
Nine Day Novel: How to Use Story Structure to Write Your Novel Faster by Stephen Windsor
This is a delightful, short book with a specific plan on how to write a novel in 9 days. Now that's pretty extreme, and it is a serious 9-day marathon, but I've written most of my first-draft novels in 30 days, so I can personally attest that it certainly can be done. The 9 days isn't even that important...you can spread it out over whatever period makes sense. The real value of the book is in the powerful simplicity of story structure that Windsor lays out for you to follow.
A novel is made up of so many elements, including plot, character, setting, dialogue, conflict, and theme (among others). I think of the plot, or story structure, as the scaffolding that the whole work hangs on. When the scaffolding is in place, then you can paint in and layer the character, the settings, the dialogue and conflict to create a rich blend of experience, and (hopefully) a good story. By following the classic, driving narrative structure that Windsor provides, you have the foundation you need to carry all the other elements of the story.
Whatever the subject may be, I'm a big fan of understanding the discipline's fundamentals, and of applying the 80/20 principle: What 20% of the information about this subject area will give me 80% of the results I'm after? This is the key 20%. This short book will give you a powerful story structure to follow that ensures the story's momentum, and frees you to focus on the other elements that make a good tale.
If you've wanted to write a novel and get it done quick, or if you've wanted a fast education on story structure that will serve you well for years to come, buy Windsor's book and put the practices to work!
So that's my roundup -- my favorite books for 2015.
What was your favorite read this year?
Post it in the comments below, so we can find some more gems for 2016!