My favorite reads of 2022

An old professor used to say, “A reader is a leader; and a leader is a reader.”

In my youthful cynicism, I rolled my eyes. 

Now I know he was right.

Reading and leading (a business or anything else—even yourself) go hand-in-hand. We need stories and insights and inspiration to become the best versions of ourselves.

I saw a guy on Twitter bragging that he read 100 books in 2022! 

Guess I'm a slacker. I only read 20. Most were worth the effort.

Three were outstanding. I commend them to you

1. David and Goliath

Here Malcolm Gladwell answers the question, “Why do some people succeed even when the deck is stacked against them?”)

A world-class storyteller, Gladwell pulls you in and makes you care. As business owners, that’s a skill we could all stand to develop.

2. Soundtracks

Jon Acuff is a funny guy who shares important ideas in a clear, memorable way.

Here he takes aim at the untrue messages we tell ourselves all day every day... and shows how they keep us from the life we want!

(He also offers simple, practical tips for replacing these messed-up mental “soundtracks.”)

3. MIndset

Carol Dweck, a social psychologist at Stanford University uses reams of research and hundreds of stories to show how a “growth mindset” leads to greater success and joy in life than the “fixed mindset” that so many of us tend to embrace.

Easily my favorite book of the year ... the one I’ll think about the longest.

If I’d only won that billion-dollar Powerball a few weeks back, I’d send you a copy. Alas, I did not. But you should still get your hands on this book. It will rock you (in a good way).

Here’s to more reading and better leading in 2023!