Someone once said, “Outside of a dog, books are a man’s best friend.” And both, Rushina, and I, couldn’t agree more. There’s so much to learn from the great minds of not just our generation but also of ages past, that we could fill whole lifetimes reading and learning. The people between the covers of books are companions, and their books enrich our lives in ways we sometimes cannot even fathom. Read something today, and it’s stowed away in the corners of your brain, to be picked up and acted upon whenever needed, maybe today, maybe tomorrow, maybe years from now.
Being avid readers, we want to share with you five books that have added immense value to our lives, be it for our financial well-being, or our overall well-being. We hope you find them valuable, too.
1. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
A few years ago, while reading Steve Jobs: A Biography, I’d made note of a quote that stood out for me. “In the first 30 years of your life, you make your habits. For the last 30 years of your life, your habits make you.”
Habits. Those things that make up everyday life. They’ve always intrigued me. How does the internal body clock work, and what makes it tick? Why is it that some habits are easy to imbibe, while others aren’t? How come not everybody has SIPs, or simply a habit to save some portion of their salary every month? And is there a way to develop, absorb, and even transfer habits from one person to another?
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do and How to Change has answered all that and more. It’s well-researched and un-put-downable. The power of habit – the power of those little tiny things that make up everyday life, yours for the wielding.
Here are the links to this title – Paperback | Audiobook
2. The Start-up of You by Reid Hoffman
Written by the founders of LinkedIn, The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career is a must read to get an insight into how to plan one’s career.
I’ll let an extract do the talking:
“For Ben and me, this book is one of our gifts back to society. We think the tools in this book can improve both your life and society. Sometimes giving back can be simply spreading ideas that matter.
Along the way, the praise from others may make you feel good about yourself, just like companies enjoy press for their philanthropy. But giving back means much more: you enrich the soil for future generations, as prior generations did for you. It’s the right thing to do.
Invest in yourself, invest in your network, and invest in society. When you invest in all three, you have the best shot at reaching your highest professional potential. As important, you also have the best shot at changing the world.“
Get your hands on this book, and learn the why and how of the authors’ life-changing Plan A, Plan B, and Plan Z approach.
Here is a link to this title – Paperback
3. Drive by Daniel H. Pink
Money isn’t the best motivator for great work. High performance and satisfaction, whether at school, work, or at home, stem from something much deeper. Author Daniel H. Pink has spent four decades researching human motivation. His book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, explores the three main elements of true motivation – autonomy, mastery, and purpose. It’s a brilliant read that offers invaluable insights into human behaviour.
So, if you’ve ever struggled with not being motivated enough to go to work on a Monday morning, give this a read. It might help you see your career, and your life, in a new light.
Here is a link to this title – Kindle edition
4. Ikigai by Albert Liebermann and Hector Garcia
The people of Japan believe that everyone has an ikigai – a reason to jump out of bed each morning. A purpose to life. And this purpose needn’t necessarily be a single purpose. It could be more than one!
This book reiterated the idea that having a secondary source of income has an immense, positive impact on your life. Not just monetarily, but also psychologically. Let’s say you monetize a hobby. Doing this adds more meaning to your life, leaving you feeling much more fulfilled and better off than before.
Find out what makes people live well into their 90’s and even beyond 100. And live well – happy and healthy. As Good Reads describes it, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life shows you how to leave urgency behind, find your purpose, nurture friendships and throw yourself into your passions.
Here are the links to this title – Hardcover | Kindle edition
5. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz
Ever wanted to learn the art of negotiating? Author, Chris Voss, is a former international FBI negotiator. Drawing on his vast experience of high-stakes negotiating, he deep-dives into his field-tested approach to a win-win outcome, every single time.
Each lesson is explained in great detail through a hostage situation that he’s tackled during his FBI days. He then relates the situation to everyday life. Right from getting the best price on a new car, to getting the salary you deserve, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It is a roller-coaster ride of a book, that is bound to leave you in awe. And of course, you’ll be super eager to try out all the lessons in your own life, just like I was.
Here are the links to this title – Paperback | Audiobook | Kindle edition
Bonus! Mad Money Journey by Mehrab Irani
A great combination of fact, fiction and finance, Mad Money Journey: A Financial Adventure discusses all the important financial lessons in a subtle, story format. It’s a wonderful introduction to the world of money, and how to best manage it yourself.
Here are the links to this title – Paperback | Kindle edition
Drop in a comment with your thoughts on these gems. I’m eager to hear from you.
