Want to know one of the habits of the most successful people in the world?
Reading!
That’s because books leave clues to how other people find success.
If you want to be more successful, if you want to start a new project here in midlife, start reading. With hundreds of thousands of books published every year, you can find something on just about any subject matter you wish to learn more about. (Of course, reading should be for fun once in a while too!?)
This is my third year creating my reading lists. If you want even more ideas for great books, take a look at my last two lists too.
What’s your preference: audiobooks or reading books? (Even that could be split into hard cover or paperback vs ebooks.) While I think audiobooks are great for people on the move, I’m a believer in sitting down with a physical book and reading it. There’s something almost meditative about the process.
Between physical books and ebooks, I’m torn.
I love physical books because I can mark them up, highlight my favorite parts, write notes to myself on sticky notes and attach them to the appropriate pages.
With ebooks, I can highlight and make notes too. The best thing about ebooks is I can load them up on my iPad and take an entire library with me anywhere I go.
No matter which type of material you enjoy, the important thing is to read. Fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, biographies, books for fun, books to learn, self help, and pure entertainment. If you want this year to be better than last, make a commitment now to read.
Here’s what I’m reading now:
December
The Ghostwriter by Alessandra Torre
Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown
Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton
The Book of Hope by Jane Goodall
The New Rules of Aging Well by Frank Lipman
November
I Am Invincible by Norma Kamali
Regeneration by Paul Hawken
The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
Falling by TJ Newman
The Power Couple by Alex Berenson
The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton
October
That Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Legacy by Nora Roberts
The Every by Dave Eggers
The Monsanto Papers by Carey Gillam
The 5 Mistakes Every Investor Makes and How To Avoid Them by Peter Mallouk
Killing Sacred Cows by Garrett Gunderson
September
The Therapist by B A Paris
Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand
How To Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan
A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century by Bret Weinstein & Heather Heying
August
While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
July
Animal, Vegetable, Junk by Mark Bittman
Broken by Jenny Lawson
Power Your Profits by Susie Carder
June
An Unfinished Story by Boo Walker
Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams
The Last Flight by Julie Clark
How Stella Learned To Talk by Christina Hunger
May
Own Your Self by Kelly Brogan
The Night Portrait by Laura Morelli
Sark’s new creative companion by SARK
Make Your Creative Dreams Real by SARK
The Death of Money by James Rickards
April
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult
Sanctuary by Emily Rapp Black
The Future of Nutrition by T Colin Campbell
The Guest List by Lucy Foley
The Source by Tara Swart
The Awakening by Nora Roberts
March
Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam
The Secret Life of Pronouns by James Pennebaker
One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline
The Chicken Sisters by KJ Dell’Antonia
How To Prepare for Climate Change by David Pogue
February
This Chair Rocks by Ashton Applewhite
The Middle Finger Project by Ash Ambirge
That Summer In Sicily by Marlena De Blasi
A Time For Mercy by John Grisham
January
Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Listening Path by Julia Cameron
Fascinate by Sally Hogshead
*Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
The Choice by Dr Edith Eva Eger
*Every year, my local community hosts a Read event. They select a book and in January, hand out hundreds of copies in the community to those who want to participate. We have the month of January to read the book, and in February, a couple dozen classes are planned to help dive deeper into the context of the content. Professors from local universities give talks. Presenters even create art activities for families with young children. It’s a great way to learn as a community. The highlight is a talk by the author, which I’m really looking forward to this year. Caste has been an eye-opening read, and I’m looking forward to growing as a person throughout the next month of learning.
What should I read? Have a suggestion? Have a list I should check out? Let me know.