Not an definitive list by any means, but here are some books that changed the way I think:
It’s Not About The Bike: My Journey Back to Life – Lance Armstrong
Chronicling the first three Tour de France championships of Lance Armstrong, this book is an intimate and intense back story of the legend himself detailing family life, cancer survivorship and what it takes to be the absolute best in the field. Few have walked the earth with such passion and purpose. It’s more than a biography or a book on cycling, much further than that – it’s a book on potential, on being human, on life, and on going out to get what you’re worth.
How to Win Friends and Influence people – Dale Carnegie
Written in 1937, selling over 15 million copies and still going strong, Dale is doing something right. I firmly believe this book should be a required reading in high school as it would make the world a better place. Dale has a firm grasp on social psychology and on what it means to be a decent person. This book tells the secrets on how to take the path of least resistance and being a master of social situations. If you can’t be bothered on reading the book itself, do yourself a favour and at least check out the cheat sheet.
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose – Tony Hsieh
I admire Tony’s philosophy on running a company with his extreme customer centric focus. It’s not just about the bottom line on profits; it’s about keeping people happy – in the company and outside of the company. One of the most interesting books on corporate culture and management I’ve read in a long time.
Presentation Zen – Garr Reynolds
Perhaps the most eye opening book I’ve ever read on slide design, and presentation philosophy. He advocates simplicity of the message and using slides to accentuate the speaker, not using them as the crutch to avoid the dreaded ‘death by powerpoint’. See any presentation that Steve Jobs does and you’ll see the messages that this book delivers. Being in the moment is a core focus of Presentation Zen. It’s done absolute wonders for me in the classroom and in the boardrooms. Some great follow-up books are Presentation Zen: Design (Garr Reynolds), and Slide:ology (Nancy Duarte).
It’s a collection of anecdotes from the legendary Bruce Lee himself. Did you know he was a philosophy major from the University of Washington and a prolific writer? It’s a great blend on Eastern and Western philosophy on various aspects of life. “The Now is truth. You cannot force the Now.” This book is terrific for multiple revisits. It is some great food for thought.