Books

“While the history books are filled with tales of obsessive, visionary geniuses who remade the world in their image with sheer, almost irrational force, I’ve found that history is also made by individuals who fought their egos at every turn, who eschewed the spotlight, and who put their higher goals above their desire for recognition.” – from the PrologueMany of us insist the main impediment to a full, successful life is the outside world. In fact, the most common enemy lies within: our ego. Early in our careers, it impedes learning and the cultivation of talent. With success, it can blind us to our faults and sow future problems. In failure, it magnifies each blow and makes recovery more difficult. At every stage, ego holds us back.The Ego is the Enemy draws on a vast array of stories and examples, from literature to philosophy to history. We meet fascinating figures like Howard Hughes, Katharine Graham, Bill Belichick, and Eleanor Roosevelt, all of whom reached the highest levels of power and success by conquering their own egos. Their strategies and tactics can be ours as well.But why should we bother fighting ego in an era that glorifies social media, reality TV, and other forms of shameless self-promotion?  Armed with the lessons in this book, as Holiday writes, “you will be less invested in the story you tell about your own specialness, and as a result, you will be liberated to accomplish the world-changing work you’ve set out to achieve.”

In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different?His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from: that is, their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

A former international hostage negotiator for the FBI offers a new, field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations—whether in the boardroom or at home.After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference takes you inside the world of high-stakes negotiations and into Voss’s head, revealing the skills that helped him and his colleagues to succeed where it mattered most: saving lives. In this practical guide, he shares the nine effective principles—counter-intuitive tactics and strategies—you too can use to become more persuasive in both your professional and personal life.Life is a series of negotiations you should be prepared for: buying a car; negotiating a salary; buying a home; renegotiating rent; deliberating with your partner. Taking emotional intelligence and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any discussion.

Beloved by millions, this timeless classic holds the key to all you desire and everything you wish to accomplish. This is the book that reveals the secret to personal wealth. The Success Secrets of the Ancients—An Assured Road to Happiness and Prosperity Countless readers have been helped by the famous “Babylonian parables,” hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. In language as simple as that found in the Bible, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys. Acclaimed as a modern-day classic, this celebrated bestseller offers an understanding of—and a solution to—your personal financial problems that will guide you through a lifetime. This is the book that holds the secrets to keeping your money—and making more. The Richest Man in BabylonRead it and recommend it to loved ones—and get on the road to riches.MORE THAN TWO MILLION BOOKS SOLD

Napoleon Hill wrote this book in 1938, just after publication of his all-time bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. This powerful tale has never been published, considered too controversial by his family and friends.Using his legendary ability to get to the root of human potential, Napoleon Hill digs deep to identify the greatest obstacles we face in reaching personal goals: fear, procrastination, anger, and jealousy, as tools of the Devil. These hidden methods of control can lead us to ruin, and Hill reveals the seven principles of good that will allow us to triumph over them and succeed.Annotated and edited for a contemporary audience by Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Three Feet from Gold co-author Sharon Lechter, this book is profound, powerful, resonant, and rich with insight. 

The Magic of Thinking Big gives you useful methods, not empty promises. Dr. Schwartz presents a carefully designed program for getting the most out of your job, your marriage and family life, and your community. He proves that you don't need to be an intellectual or have innate talent to attain great success and satisfaction, but you do need to learn and understand the habit of thinking and behaving in ways that will get you there.

You don’t need to have been born under a lucky star, or with incredible wealth, or with terrific contacts and connections, or even special skills...but what you do need to succeed in any of your life goals is self-discipline. Unfortunately, most people give in to the two worst enemies of success: they take the path of least resistance (in other words, they’re lazy) and/or they want immediate gratification: they don’t consider the long-term consequences of the actions they take today.No Excuses! shows you how you can achieve success in all three major areas of your life:1. Your personal goals.2. Your business and money goals.3. Your overall happiness.Each of the 21 chapters in this book shows you how to be more disciplined in one aspect of your life, with end-of-chapter exercises to help you apply the “no excuses” approach to your own life. With these guidelines, you can learn how to be more successful in everything you do—instead of wistfully envying others who you think are just “luckier” than you. A little self-discipline goes a long way...so stop making excuses and read this book!

An oldie but goodie. This is a good starter book for people seeking to improve themselves and their life situation. Anthony Robbins is a wonderful motivator and the undisputed master of personal achievement. He will pump you up and get you going on YOUR path! If you want something more complicated, study "Neuro-linguistic Programming". Robbin's uses NLP as the foundation for his own success. I have read all of Anthony Robbins' books and this book was foundational in getting me motivated to write a dream list 12 years ago. In that time I have achieved all of my goals except for traveling around the world. Fortunately, I still have plenty of time left for that. As a result, I would highly recommend this book.

Think and Grow Rich has been called the "Granddaddy of All Motivational Literature." It was the first book to boldly ask, "What makes a winner?" The man who asked and listened for the answer, Napoleon Hill, is now counted in the top ranks of the world's winners himself. The most famous of all teachers of success spent "a fortune and the better part of a lifetime of effort" to produce the "Law of Success" philosophy that forms the basis of his books and that is so powerfully summarized in this one.In the original Think and Grow Rich, published in 1937, Hill draws on stories of Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and other millionaires of his generation to illustrate his principles. In the updated version, Arthur R. Pell, Ph.D., a nationally known author, lecturer, and consultant in human resources management and an expert in applying Hill's thought, deftly interweaves anecdotes of how contemporary millionaires and billionaires, such as Bill Gates, Mary Kay Ash, Dave Thomas, and Sir John Templeton, achieved their wealth. Outmoded or arcane terminology and examples are faithfully refreshed to preclude any stumbling blocks to a new generation of readers.

This is my first time writing a book review so bear with me. I purchased this book a few weeks ago because of the numerous advertisements and people recommending this book to me. I do have to say that I do get sick of reading the same self - help books over and over again because they all say the same thing. Work hard, give it your all and put in 120% effort. Below I am going to list a few different concepts that struck chords with me and discuss them. At the end I will rate the book out of ten. 1) "What matters at first is realizing the capacity to be obsessed". This line really spoke to me because I enjoy getting obsessed with leisure activities like video games, T.V. shows and hanging with friends. I already know I have the capacity to be obsessed, now I must find out how to redirect that obsession towards more positive activities. It seems obvious, but this line helped point out my strength and weakness at the same time, now it is important to apply it to something constructive. 2) "Only you are responsible for your success". I grew up in a neighborhood where many people got nice things handed to them and I wasn't necessarily one of them. Things helped put things into perspective. Once when I get the understanding that I am not some billionaire heir and take responsibility into my own action I can achieve what I set my mind to. 3) "When you are clear on your purpose you will never burn out". I think the reason why many of us face shortcomings our are excited to go home from work is because we aren't truly satisfied with what we are doing. This again is an obvious statement, but why aren't we finding out our purpose? If we find ourselves burning out maybe that activity isn't aligned with our best interests after all. I think that it is crucial that we all take a step and analyze what we are all doing this for. 4) "You know, your dad had his company taken away from him when he took on partners" and "I can't even believe you are thinking about that! It's so expensive to live there and everyone who lives this is crazy" These quotes hurt the core of my spirit because I have heard these two things numerous times. Instead of my family, friends, etc being supportive of me they dished out these two phrases line for line. While these two activities do take on risk, I believe naysayers and people not being supportive of your goals will hinder you from success more than anything else. 5) Personally I have had many haters in my life and I am sure many of you have also. It is important to just cut these people out. I don't see why anyone would let these people's negativity get to you too much. 6) I have friends who participate in drama, gossip, talking bad of others. Grant touched on the point of dominating yourself and not others. This is true in every aspect. Don't worry what others are doing, do your own thing. Respect other people's decisions but don't dwell on what they are doing with their lives. 7) Almost every business and professional help book states you are who you surround yourself with. This book sent a graceful reminder to keep that in check. While I do understand that we need to try to get away from negative people, it is so easy and fun to dwell in the hateful troll basement. This helped me reinforce to surround myself with only the best of the best. 8) Money is a direct correlation of the value you add on society. I have read hundreds of finance books, I am a finance major and I love studying personal finance. There is no need to dwell to much on this topic, but if you want more money, simply find a way to add more value to society.9)"Most know more about the most recent celebrity scandal than they do about their job". Just quit looking at Facebook and social media feeds everyone. Most of it is junk and propaganda. Its so easy to get a dopamine rush scrolling through the feed but 95% of it is garbage and drama that will in no way shape or form improve your life. I appreciated this reminder Grant. 10) The last point I would like to point out is the vacation abundance chapter. This one really hit home with me. He simply stated that if you can't afford to go first class on vacation they you shouldn't be on vacation. I 100% agree with this statement. Our society has this stigma that you need to be on vacation every year, use your PTO and get good deals on trips. What are you going on vacation for? Have you achieved your goals? My parents used to always state that we must operate on a budget, get an affordable rental and make two of our meals on vacation everyday. Why are we on vacation if we can't even afford to eat out in class? I do believe in the concept go big or go home. Celebrate when you have achieved your dreams, not when it is time to use your PTO. Overall I really enjoyed this book. I will rate it at a 9.5/10. It was pretty neat I snap chatted Grant Cardone of me finishing the book and he snapped me back. I don't know if that was someone on his team or actually him but it felt great hearing him congratulate me. Overall I would highly recommend checking this book out. I am sure you will have a few points like I did that help you audit your life and thinking for the better.

You can go after the job you want...and get it! You can take the job you have...and improve it! You can take any situation you're in...and make it work for you!Since its release in 1936, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold more than 15 million copies. Dale Carnegie's first book is a timeless bestseller, packed with rock-solid advice that has carried thousands of now famous people up the ladder of success in their business and personal lives.As relevant as ever before, Dale Carnegie's principles endure, and will help you achieve your maximum potential in the complex and competitive modern age.Learn the six ways to make people like you, the twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking, and the nine ways to change people without arousing resentment.

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. Csikszentmihalyi demonstrates the ways this positive state can be controlled, not just left to chance. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience teaches how, by ordering the information that enters our consciousness, we can discover true happiness, unlock our potential, and greatly improve the quality of our lives.

Personal finance author and lecturer Robert T. Kiyosaki developed his unique economic perspective from two very different influences - his two fathers. This text lays out Kiyosaki's philosophy and his relationship with money.

For more than twenty years, millions of managers in Fortune 500 companies and small businesses nationwide have followed The One Minute Manager's techniques, thus increasing their productivity, job satisfaction, and personal prosperity. These very real results were achieved through learning the management techniques that spell profitability for the organization and its employees.The One Minute Manager is a concise, easily read story that reveals three very practical secrets: One Minute Goals, One Minute Praisings, and One Minute Reprimands. The audio also presents several studies in medicine and the behavioral sciences that clearly explain why these apparently simple methods work so well with so many people. By the audio's end you will know how to apply them to your own situation and enjoy the benefits.

In this eye-opening account, Cal Newport debunks the long-held belief that "follow your passion" is good advice. Not only is the cliché flawed-preexisting passions are rare and have little to do with how most people end up loving their work-but it can also be dangerous, leading to anxiety and chronic job hopping.After making his case against passion, Newport sets out on a quest to discover the reality of how people end up loving what they do. Spending time with organic farmers, venture capitalists, screenwriters, freelance computer programmers, and others who admitted to deriving great satisfaction from their work, Newport uncovers the strategies they used and the pitfalls they avoided in developing their compelling careers.Matching your job to a preexisting passion does not matter, he reveals. Passion comes after you put in the hard work to become excellent at something valuable, not before. In other words, what you do for a living is much less important than how you do it.With a title taken from the comedian Steve Martin, who once said his advice for aspiring entertainers was to "be so good they can't ignore you," Cal Newport's clearly written manifesto is mandatory reading for anyone fretting about what to do with their life, or frustrated by their current job situation and eager to find a fresh new way to take control of their livelihood. He provides an evidence-based blueprint for creating work you love.So Good They Can't Ignore You will change the way we think about our careers, happiness, and the crafting of a remarkable life.

Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has resulted in this highly acclaimed book.You'll learn the six universal principles, how to use them to become a skilled persuader—and how to defend yourself against them. Perfect for people in all walks of life, the principles of Influence will move you toward profound personal change and act as a driving force for your success.

Everyone knows that high IQ is no guarantee of success, happiness, or virtue, but until Emotional Intelligence, we could only guess why. Daniel Goleman's brilliant report from the frontiers of psychology and neuroscience offers startling new insight into our "two minds"—the rational and the emotional—and how they together shape our destiny.Through vivid examples, Goleman delineates the five crucial skills of emotional intelligence, and shows how they determine our success in relationships, work, and even our physical well-being. What emerges is an entirely new way to talk about being smart. The best news is that "emotional literacy" is not fixed early in life. Every parent, every teacher, every business leader, and everyone interested in a more civil society, has a stake in this compelling vision of human possibility.From the Trade Paperback edition.

The Greatest Salesman in the World is a book that serves as a guide to a philosophy of salesmanship, and success, telling the story of Hafid, a poor camel boy who achieves a life of abundance. If Mandino's suggested reading structure is followed, it would take about 10 months to read the book.What you are today is not important... for in this  runaway bestseller you will learn how to change your life by applying the secrets you are about to  discover in the ancient scrolls.