Flow
Flow by Mihaily Cszkizentmihalyi is an essential read for anyone studying flow and world-class performers. This classic on the subject is the layman’s terms version of the decades of research that Cszikzentmihalyi did on studying and coining the term of flow state.
This book goes on a deep dive through the subject of happiness and optimal experience which is usually how flow gets defined.
It starts by exploring happiness and how we consciously process the state of happiness and then digs deeper into the state of flow and how it gets produced through various activities.
Ultimately flow requires a challenge be pushed to the limits of the individuals capabilities. Whether it is assembling widgets in a factory and striving to constantly do it a little faster, or free soloing a rock wall that has never been done before. Just about any activity or job can become flow-producing when the right conditions are met.
The Bullet Journal Method
I stumbled upon Bullet Journaling not too long ago which happened to be just in time for the Bullet Journal Method book to be released. Ryder Carrol, the creator of Bullet Journaling (fondly known as BuJo), is one of those thirty-something-year-olds who embodies the sage wisdom of an elder who has already lived a full life. I was captivated by the way he relates his journaling method to be more mindful and intentional with the tasks you do and your daily schedule. He explains it in a way that is a beautiful mix of zen and stoic, operating your notebook like an objective observer.
The Bullet Journal Method is a complete guide to how to put together your own Bullet Journal as well as a dive into the philosophy and science that ties journaling to practices of mindfulness. It is a very nice and fun to read book as it pulls in pages from actual Bullet Journals to showcase different components and examples which makes it feel like a field guide or perhaps like you are reading someone’s private journal. I liked it a lot. It was a fun read with a lot of good productivity advice as well as a very interesting take on mindfulness.
I’ve written previously about my thoughts on how the perfect productivity tool does not exist in an app and so when my timely discovery of BuJo came about I figured I would dive into the world of BuJo and see how it could benefit my organization. Bullet Journaling has been a simple, yet elegant solution to getting thoughts out of my head and onto paper as well as organizing my tasks. While many people seem to think that BuJo is life-changing or revolutionary, I’m fairly confident that anyone who has ever written things down before and kept a journal of their actions will find many similarities between the way they previously did things and Bullet Journaling but putting it altogether as a complete system does provide a lot more benefit to staying organized and intentional with your work.
Braving The Wilderness
Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown follows the track of Brene’s other books and her field of research which is about vulnerability and courage and leads us on the quest to find our true belonging.
BTW shares stories and advice on how you can act with more courage about sharing your vulnerabilities and this is what will ultimately allow people to get out of their own way for success and finding their place of belonging in the world.
Brene has one of the most-watched TED talks, which if you haven’t seen before is worth watching to decide whether this book is something worth checking out for you or not.
I definitely think the message in Braving the Wilderness is a strong one that many people can benefit greatly from by studying through a few times and then some more.
Bird By Bird
Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott
Many successful authors call Bird by Bird the best book on better writing ever written. I loved reading the book. While it leans towards how to better fiction, I think there is plenty for non-fiction writers to take away, especially as it relates to the life and habits of writers.
The main point is that you shouldn't obsess over getting published and just enjoy the process of writing because becoming published is not all that it's cracked out to be but the writing life is if you truly enjoy it.
Lamott is a great writer and will have you laughing and crying with this book. While writers will appreciate the book the most, it's so well written that I think everyone can find something of value in it.
12 Rules For Life
12 Rules For Life: An Antidote To Chaos - Jordan B. Peterson
In the past few years, Dr. Peterson has dramatically come under the interrogation light of the media. I don't invest much time into most sensationalized twaddle, but this story has caught my attention as Dr. Peterson is a professor in the psychology department of my alma mater and a number of my close friends were in his classes and absolutely loved him as a professor.
12 Rules For Life is Peterson's attempt at publishing a book for the general public. I call it an attempt because if you've ever listened to any of the podcasts, lectures, or new stories that Jordan has been a part of, you'll know that he processes each point he makes with a fine-tooth comb and you're extremely unlikely to catch him off-guard or contradicting himself. This book does justice to his logic and it is challenging at times to follow his arguments and how they connect together. For this reason, I was hesitant to consider it a book that deserves a 5/5 from me.
Reviewing the books and the notes you have taken on a book are an essential step in the process and only after this step has been completed can a book be properly judged in a reader's eyes. Upon review, I have determined that this book is worth its weight in gold for the right person, at the right time. The complexity and weaving of narrative into the arguments for each of the 12 rules adds to and does not subtract from, the value of the book. I see it this way now, as this book has offered up an opportunity for virtually every open-minded person to gain something useful from most, if not all, of the 12 rules as they are outlined. The book also takes you on a journey into the deepest Hells of human nature, which is something that very few people offering up guidance on "self-help" are willing to do.
Because of the complexity of the book and the arguments, this is the type of book that grows in value as you read it multiple times, argue with it and create a dialogue, and review it for greater understanding. It is for this challenge inherent in the journey that the book takes you on, just like in life, that it is a book I would recommend everyone to read.
Principles
Principles - Ray Dalio
“Problems are like coal thrown into a locomotive engine because burning them up - inventing and implementing solutions for them - propels us forward. Every problem you find is an opportunity to improve your machine."
Principles is one of the best practical guides on life and management that I've read and one of my favourites in recent memory because of the extreme effort that went into making it as readable as possible.
This feels very much like a modern-day take of Stoic philosophy. Ray's own approach to business and life clearly has been influenced heavily by the Stoics.
The best part of the book is how each principle is clearly displayed as a chapter heading followed by each sub-principle or example subdivided even further to make it simple to pick out whatever information you need to apply in a given moment. This comes into play even more importantly in the second half of the book that's designed to be used as a business and management reference guide for how to handle different situations that are another "one of those."
Engineering The Alpha
Engineering the Alpha is your own guidebook to the hero's journey of improving your health, fitness, and vitality.
If you've accepted the call to action and are now ready to take action to build more muscle, lose fat, and become more alpha, this book is an undeniably great place to begin.
Terry Crews has stated that the diet and nutrition advice in this book has changed his life. How's that for an endorsement?