by Owen | Feb 28, 2020 | Articles
We often overlook the value of books. They can be the most valuable source of reflection we have. The framework of experiences and practices they provide is essential to our self-improvement.
But where do we start? There are thousands of books in the self-help section alone. Below I detail the 5 books I recommend to anyone looking to make a change or improve their lives. The list includes a range of topics, from habit development to creativity, to philosophy. I recommend you read all of them and maybe even the deeper recommendations within. I’m sure at least one will have a profound effect on your life and personal progress.
What’s stopping you from writing that story, or auditioning for that part? Who’s that voice in your head telling you your work is no good? Pressfield calls it “Resistance.” As artists, we engage with Resistance every day. This is a profile of that enemy. It is an absolute must-read for anyone invested in making a change in their life. Whether you want to start a business, begin a creative career, or even conquer your lousy diet. The War of Art shows you how to overcome all of this. Its a kick in the ass to be sure. But one we all need
If you enjoy this book, I recommend going right into Pressfield’s follow up: Turning Pro. And, for even more creative energy, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Steal Like and Artist by Austin Kleon.
Life is a lot more like poker than chess. And poker, unlike chess, requires us to make and bet on decisions when we don’t have all of the information. So how do we know the right choice to make? Where in life do we place our bets? This is the central question of Duke’s book: how to make better decisions in the half-blind game of life. Combining her years of championship poker experience with thorough research, Duke reveals the tools and tips we need to be better decision-makers. This book will have value for anyone, regardless of occupation or lifestyle.
If you want to dig more into this topic and its implications, there’s no better place to go than Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking Fast and Slow and Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink.
One of the most challenging things to find in ourselves is our fundamental purpose or clarity. Often times, we don’t know what we are in search of or why we are doing the things we are doing. The result is chaos and an endless fog of disillusionment. This fog clouds every decision we make and every path in front of us. The first and most crucial step to self-improvement is a “why.” This is the subject of Sinek’s book. Drawing on the likes of Apple and Southwest, Sinek dissects the importance of our why and how that inner clarity permeates everything we do. In helping us to find our why, Sinek shows us how to set a course for ourselves. This course informs every decision we make and the practice we put in place. It is the first step in the long journey of creative, entrepreneurial, and personal development.
If you want more, this book is best supported by its companion: Find Your Why.
How often do you get to read the journals of one of the most influential people in the world? The Meditations are just that. Serving as the Emperor of Rome from 161 to 180AD, Aurelius is known as the last of the Five Good Emperors, promoting peace and stability over the greatest empire of all time. His journals give us a window into his life and ruling philosophies. The entries have incredible relevance throughout time, even today. His struggles with desire, depression, and getting out of bed in the morning seem as if we wrote them ourselves. This book will key you into the ancient philosophy of stoicism. This philosophy has been the cornerstone mindset for some of the greatest leaders and creators in history — and it can be the same for you.
If you find yourself drawn to the ideas of Stoicism, It is essential that you also read Seneca the Younger’s Letters from A Stoic and Epictetus’ Enchiridion, or handbook to start. For a look at Stoicism in modern life, I recommend the works of Ryan Holiday: Ego is the Enemy, The Obstacle is the Way, Stillness is the Key, and The Daily Stoic (book and newsletter).
Willpower is overrated. If you’ve ever tried to quit sugar or go to the gym, you know that it’s nearly impossible to simply will yourself into action (or inaction). When we want to kick a bad habit and start a better one, we can’t rely on brute-force alone. In his book, James Clear, easily and accessibly, breaks down the most critical factors in habit development, from research to practice. You’ll learn how to develop intrinsic motivation, bend the enviornment to your favor, and more to crush your bad habits. This is easily one of the most important books in our toolkit.
If you are looking for positive habits to implement with these tools, try out Brendon Buchard’s High-Performance Habits.
Happy Reading!
Hopefully you will find something worth grabbing onto in the pages of these books. Let these books be the steepingstone you need to get started. And don’t forget to keep reading. It’s vital to our progress.
Looking for more book recommendations? Why not sign up for my newsletter. In addition to post updates and exclusive emails, I send out a monthy reading roundup of all of my reads and recommendations for the month.
by Owen | Feb 26, 2020 | Impromptu
On his podcast, Tim Ferriss often asks his high-performing guests to name the most important thing they have bought for less than $100. My answer to this question is a no brainer. Books. Any and all books. Non-fiction, fiction, biography, philosophy — anything I can learn from or enjoy. I spend at least $100 on books every month. My library is the single greatest source of education and reflection I have in my life.
Perhaps it seems a little archaic or expensive to maintain a library. But let’s think about it. The average book costs between $15-$25. And yet, every single book I’ve ever read has been worth vastly more than what I spent on it. Choc full of information, advice, entertainment, and practices, books pay us back in dividends for our entire lives. They are an absolute steal. I’ve bought books for less than $10 that have paid me back magnitudes of order more because of their advice and what that meant for my career. Maintaining a library, reading, and re-reading is a lifelong learning opportunity. It connects you to a community, sparks new ideas, and, if it’s really good, will keep you coming back to it for the rest of your life.
Also, let’s be honest, it’s fun. I know we all like to joke about how we don’t like reading or laugh about how we are “illiterate” (I hear this one a lot in students,), but I promise you, when you find the right book, it will be more entertainment and fun than any iPhone game or Netflix show could ever give you.
So go pick up a book, any book. Start small. Maybe instead of watching youtube before bed, you take 30 minutes to read. I promise that small investment will soon become a mountain of progress for you, no matter what your goals are. The best thing money can buy is a good book.
P.S. If you are looking for book recommendations to get you started, keep an eye out for Friday’s article. Also consider signing up for my newsletter, in addition to post updates and exclusive emails, I send out a monthly reading roundup showcasing all the books I recommend that month.
by Owen | Feb 24, 2020 | Impromptu, Practices, Vocabulary
You wake up with a start. Look at the clock. Shit. You accidentally slept in — and you had the best morning planned too. You were going to go to the gym, spend a few minutes journaling, and eat a healthy breakfast. And now what? You are rushing to the shower, throwing clothes on (whatever is on top of the hamper), and running out the door — probably to Starbucks for a last-ditch hit of caffeine and a breakfast sandwich. The rest of the day, you can’t focus, you’re bleary-eyed and lashing out at co-workers. By the time you get home, you can’t be bothered to do anything but slump on the couch and watch TV before bed. A whole day wasted.
We’ve all had days like this. An extra hour of unintended sleep somehow puts our whole day to hell. But how do we keep something so small from affecting our entire day?
Think back to your bad mornings and rough starts. Those days you were in a rush. What was the one thing you could have done to set yourself up for success or energy? If nothing comes to mind, try thinking of your best days. How did they start? What made you feel the most energetic. The activity that comes to mind is our Daily Linchpin: the one practice that counts for a hundred others and gives us the motivation that carries us all day. This is what we need to prioritize. Some days we won’t be able to everything, but prioritizing our linchpin practice, even a shortened or sloppy version, can make all the difference.
My daily linchpin is exercise. Days, where I can’t go for a run or go to the gym, used to be the worst. I got cranky and depressed. My insecurities ran wild, and I would spend the whole day dragging my feet. Now, however, when I’m in a rush, I prioritize this activity no matter what. Maybe I only have 30 minutes. I’ll go for a quick run. 5 minutes? Stretching and pushups. No matter what, I make sure I start my day off with some exercise. Even though it’s not perfect, prioritizing that single activity can make all the difference in my day.
Find your daily linchpin and stick to it. No matter what. Even if it has to push some less important activities out of the way. And don’t worry if you can’t do it to the best of your ability, or you don’t have as much time as you would like. A little bit goes a long way. Maybe your linchpin is meditation, do a few minutes of deep breathing before you leave. No time to do your three morning pages? Try for one. Whatever your linchpin is, stick to it relentlessly. It can be the difference between our best days and our worst.
by Owen | Feb 23, 2020 | 2019-2020, Weekend Reflections
One of the best self-help books I’ve read thus far. Forleo has managed to add some new perspective to a very crowded genre. The book manages to balance personal testimony (author and reader), style, and actionable practice, and mantra, all without overwhelming the reader. Its the self-help book I wish I had from the beginning, and I will definitely be recommending this to others looking for a place to start or refresh their practice.
What I Missed: Publishing an Article
After all that talk of my writing routine last week, I totally missed publishing an article this week! I beat myself up about it a little, but getting the routine down is going to take time — like anything else. I’m determined to get it out this Friday and get the routine down.
What I’m Getting Back to: Photography
As I get this whole writing thing down, I’m finding I need to round my hobbies out with something visual. Unfortunately, my photography hobby went away as I devoted more and more time to the blog. As with everything, I can waste time thinking about it, or I can do it. So this week I’m hoping to pick up the camera again and get back to the streets.
This Weeks Posts:
by Owen | Feb 19, 2020 | Impromptu
The word authenticity gets thrown around a lot today. Its become the go-to catchword for every artist and entrepreneur. Everyone wants to be authentic, true to one’s self, genuine, transparent. These are all fantastic goals in the face of personal growth and reflection. But is that something we can really work on? More importantly, how do we actually prove we are authentic? Saying you are authentic means nothing if you can’t back it up.
When we think of someone who is authentic. We think of someone who follows through. The person who you can always count on to be themselves and act as themselves in every situation. They live up to promises and show up every day to work hard towards the goals they set for themselves.
What drives change is not authenticity then, but consistency — of person and of action. We know that someone is authentic because they are consistent in who they prove themselves to be. As the marketing guru, Seth Godin says: “We call a brand or a person authentic when they’re consistent, when they act the same way whether or not someone is looking. Someone is authentic when their actions are in alignment with what they promise.”
Authenticity, while a great catchword, is not an actionable goal. Its a definition of something more –a state of character over time. Instead of trying to be authentic, let’s try to be a little more consistent. Be the person you want to be every day, that’s authenticity.
