A list of my favourite books.
So here’s a list of my favourite books, updated until May 2020.
I’ve categorised them per main subject, although many could be in more categories than one.
I’ll try to update it as much as possible!
Not much of a reader? No time to read?
Blinkist might be what you’re looking for! This platform has hundreds of non-fictional books summarised in audio and reading format! Also great for a refresh of books you’ve read a while ago!
I love it!
Purpose
The Infinite Game
Simon Sinek
One of the most impactful books I’ve ever read. Simon Sinek explains finite and infinite games and the impact on how we play them. Finite games, like football or chess, have known players, fixed rules and a clear endpoint. The winners and losers are easily identified. Infinite games, games with no finish line, like business or politics, or life itself, have players who come and go. The rules of an infinite game are changeable while infinite games have no defined endpoint. There are no winners or losers. Only ahead and behind.
Simon Sinek offers a framework for leading with an infinite mindset. Leaders who embrace an infinite mindset build stronger, more innovative, more inspiring organizations. Ultimately, they are the ones who lead us into the future.
Available via: bol.com
Man’s Search for Meaning
Victor Frankl
A historic book about the author’s experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II. According to Frankl, the way a prisoner imagined the future affected his longevity. As Victor Frankl has a clear life goal on what he still wants to achieve in life: Publish his essay/theory on logotherapy.
Available via: bol.com
Start with Why
Simon Sinek
On of the first books I’ve ever read of Simon Sinek and immediately I felt: I like this guy. Start With Why is a book about why some people and organisations are more inventive, pioneering and successful than others. And why they are able to repeat their success again and again. In business, it doesn't matter what you do, it matters why you do it.
Available via: bol.com
Do Disrupt
Mark Shayler
A little hands-on, interactive book about doing things differently. About having ideas that will change the world. That will at least change your world. It's also about delivering those ideas. It will help you create or refine your business idea and take it from concept to market.
It’s a short book you could read in a couple of hours, but the exercises in there are really valuable and need some thinking.
Available via: bol.com
Personal Development
De Meeste Mensen Deugen
Rutger Bregman
A book that has drastically changed my view of people, my image of mankind. Rutger Bregman tells the story of different images of humanity, and where they originate. From Easter Island to World War I, the book is full of great examples on how human nature is altruistic, shows solidarity, and wants to help.
At time of writing, only available in Dutch, but will soon be published in English as well, under the title “Human Kind”.
Available via: bol.com - Stad Leest
Personality isn't permanent
Psychologist and Bestselling author Benjamin Hardy, PhD, debunks the pervasive myths about personality that prevent us from learningand provides bold strategies for personal transformationIn Personality Isnt Permanent, Dr. Benjamin Hardy draws on psychological research to demolish the popular misconception that personalitya persons consistent attitudes and behaviorsis innate and unchanging. Hardy liberates us from the limiting belief that our true selves are to be discovered, and shows how we can intentionally create our desired selves and achieve amazing goals instead.
Available via: bol.com
Everything is figureoutable
Marie Forleo
Everything is Figureoutable will retrain your brain to think more creatively and positively in the face of setbacks. A book about a positive mindset
Available via: bol.com
Solve for happy
Mo Gawdat
Mo Gawdat, Chief Business Officer at Google's [X], applies his superior logic and problem solving skills to understand how the brain processes joy and sadness-and then he solves for happy.
In 2001 Mo Gawdat realized that despite his incredible success, he was desperately unhappy. A lifelong learner, he attacked the problem as an engineer would: examining all the provable facts and scrupulously applying logic. Eventually, his countless hours of research and science proved successful, and he discovered the equation for permanent happiness.
Available via: bol.com
The happiness equation
Neil Pasricha
Pasricha illustrates how to want nothing, do anything, and have everything. If that sounds like a contradiction, you simply haven't unlocked the 9 Secrets to Happiness. Each secret takes a common ideal, flips it on its head, and casts it in a completely new light.
Available via: bol.com
The monk who sold his Ferrari
Robin Sharma
This book tells the extraordinary story of Julian Mantle, a lawyer forced to confront the spiritual crisis of his out-of-balance life, and the subsequent wisdom that he gains on a life-changing odyssey that enables him to create a life of passion, purpose and peace.
Its written in a style I don’t really love, but the principles are absolutely worth it!
Available via: bol.com
Management
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Steven Covey
This is a classic (first published in 1989!) and has been read by many many people but there’s a reason for it: it’s just really good. It will probably help you achieve more, be conscious about your time, focus on win-win, have better discussions,…
Available via: bol.com
The 4-Hour Work Week
Timothy Ferris
This book kind of changed my life. It has so many good principles and ideas that had a really big impact on how I view entrepreneurship, time management, passion, how to live a rich life (hint, it’s not about the money), live by the 80/20 Pareto principle, and so much more.
Available via: bol.com
Alles wat je aandacht geeft groeit.
Cora Smith
A little book I’ve read years ago about leadership but actually applicable to all levels of your life. The basic principle: the more attention you pay to good things, the more they will show up.
Available via: bol.com
Atomic Habits
James Clear
People think that when you want to change your life, you need to think big. But world-renowned habits expert James Clear has discovered another way. He knows that real change comes from the compound effect of hundreds of small decisions - doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes early, or holding a single short phone call. He calls them atomic habits.
Available via: bol.com
Who not how
Dan Sullivan Dr. Benjamin Hardy
Make a mindset shift that will open the door to explosive growth and limitless possibility in your business and your life - just by asking the right question. 'Who can do this for me?' 'Who is the best in the world at this already?' 'Who knows how to solve this?'
Available via: bol.com
Creativity
Creative Calling
Chase Jarvis
Creativity is a force inside every person that, when unleashed, transforms our lives and delivers vitality to everything we do. Establishing a creative practice is therefore our most valuable and urgent task - as important to our well-being as exercise or nutrition. The good news? Renowned artist, author, and CreativeLive founder, Chase Jarvis, reminds us that creativity isn't a skill - it's a habit available to everyone.
Available via: bol.com
This is marketing
Seth Godin
This books talks about how to market in the 21st century. It’s not about “the masses” but about finding your niche. Thanks to the internet, even a very small niche is potentially big enough to thrive.
Available via: bol.com
We are all weird
Seth Godin
In this little book, Seth explains the fact that the bell curve of the masses is getting flatter and flatter. People have “weird” hobbies, make “weird” choices, but thanks to globalisation and the internet, you can easily find equally weird people all over the world.
Available via: bol.com
World of tomorrow
Utopia for realists
Rutger Bregman
A book about why a Universal Basic Income makes so much sense. Rutger Bregman shows that we can construct a society with visionary ideas that are, in fact, wholly implementable. Every milestone of civilisation - from the end of slavery to the beginning of democracy - was once considered a utopian fantasy. New utopian ideas such as universal basic income and a fifteen-hour work week can become reality in our lifetime.
The dutch version is: Gratis Geld Voor Iedereen
We are the weather
Jonathan Safran Foer
This is a brilliantly fresh and accessible take on climate change and what we can do it about. Jonathan Safran Foer uses his distinctive wit and insight to show that cutting out animal products for just one part of the day is enough to change the world.
Abundance - The Future Is Better Than You Think
Peter Diamandis & Steven Kotler
This book documents how progress in artificial intelligence, robotics, digital manufacturing synthetic biology, and other exponentially growing technologies will enable us to make greater gains in the next two decades than we have in the previous 200 years. We will soon have the ability to meet and exceed the basic needs of every person on the planet. Abundance for all is within our grasp.
Available via: bol.com
