1. Systemantics: How Systems Work and Especially How They Fail - John Gall
I was blown away when I read this book (affiliate link). From large experience of system thinking, the late great John Gall presents clear axioms and implications about how complex systems (don't) work. Since our bodies, our lives, careers, and life are complex systems, this book is highly relevant to you. Examples of these axioms are
The System Always Kicks Back
People In Systems Do Not Do What The System Says They Are Doing
A Complex System That Works Is Invariably Found To Have Evolved From A Simple System That Worked (Gall's law)
A Complex System Designed From Scratch Never Works And Cannnot Be Made To Work. You Have To Start Over, Beginning With A Working Simple System
Some action steps you can do after reading this include:
Try to avoid complex systems to mitigate unintended side-effects
Evolve it, rather than implement one prepackaged
2. Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu
This 2400-year-old book (affiliate link) offers the deepest wisdom I've ever come across so far. You have to read/listen to it to grasp the full essence, but the main point is this:
Do your work and afterward completely let go. Accept life as it is without your involvement and you will get everything.
3. $100M Offers: How to Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No - Alex Hormozi
The ultra-successful entrepreneur Alex Hormozi is CEO of Acquisition.com, a company investment firm. In his 20s, he took home more in a year ($100+) than the CEOs of McDonald's, IKEA, Ford, Motorola, and Yahoo combined! In this book (affiliate link) he shows you how he did it and how you can design valuable offers. I got a completely new understanding of value after finishing it.
4. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success - Carol S. Dweck
With the right mindset, you can break through the limiting beliefs and become what you want. In this book (affiliate link) Dweck outlines with vivid stories the destructive fixed mindset vs the constructive growth mindset. She illustrates those two in action in various domains. The growth mindset is similar to personal antifragility (read more here).
5. Good Anxiety: Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion - Wendy Suzuki
As I wrote here, anxiety is the root symptom of negative emotions but can be solved. I got major inspiration from this book (affiliate link). Suzuki outlines anxiety from all angles and how you can redirect this heightened body arousal to good work. If you are an anxious person, this is for you.
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