2018 was an average year for reading.
On the one hand, I read fewer books. My life circumstances changed so I couldn’t allocate as many hours to reading. (And by “couldn’t,” I mean “chose not to”; there’s always a choice, of course.)
On the other hand, I read better books. (Though not as many as I did in 2017; that was a great year from discovering new “quake books.”). I finished 29 books in 2018, but below are the 10 best books I read.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.”
I’ve followed James Clear’s blog for years. And if you read my newsletter, you know that, like many readers, I waiting a long time for this book. While much of it reuses ideas from his best articles, Clear has woven them together well to write an outstanding book on habit change. One I will return to again and again. (And others, too, given the amount of praise it’s receiving.)
Decisive by Chip & Dan Heath
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“When people have the opportunity to collect information from the world, they are more likely to select information that supports their preexisting attitudes, beliefs, and actions.”
Decisive is the best book I’ve read on decision making. Period. Learning about “the four villains of decision making” helped me uncover several cognitive biases when considering a recent big decision. My favorite exercise is called “the 10/10/10 analysis.” This involves thinking about a decision on three different time frames. Then, asking yourself, “How will you feel about it 10 minutes from now? How about 10 months from now? How about 10 years from now?”
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach for determining where our highest point of contribution lies, then making execution of those things almost effortless.”
Distinguish the vital few tasks from the trivial many. Drop the non-essentials. Remove obstacles so the essential things have a clear, smooth passage. It’s the advice we need, though not the advice we want to hear … And it couldn’t come at a better time. We have more choice than ever before. But we need to know our ONE Thing (more on that below) if we’re to make the highest possible contribution to the things that matter. One I return to again and again.
My Unfinished Business by Dan Kennedy
Key takeaway:
“Anytime you find yourself making a business decision based on fear, fear that decision more than you fear whatever’s scaring you into making it.”
My Unfinished Business is the memoir of Dan Kennedy. At one time, Kennedy was one of American’s highest-paid copywriters. Now, however, he’s semi-retired. But he’s still a super prolific writer so there’s a lot to learn from him when it comes to managing time. (More on that in a moment.) I like that each chapter is a short, autobiographical essay, making it easy to read and skim if need be. (I wasn’t fond of his political musings, but his views on life and business are essential reading.)
No B. S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs by Dan Kennedy
Key takeaway:
“When you say to yourself, ‘It’s only ten minutes,’ you miss the entire point of time. You either take it seriously or you don’t.”
I’ve read several time management books. But there’s something about Kennedy’s writing style that resonates with, that reinforces the importance of managing and valuing time. I enjoyed No B. S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs so much that I wrote an entire article on it. You can read it here.
Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“Negotiation begins with listening, making it about the other people, validating their emotions, and creating enough trust and safety for a real conversation to begin.”
Life is a series of negotiations. Whether you’re buying a car, negotiating a salary, or renegotiating your rent, it’s crucial you have the competitive edge in the discussion. But negotiation is not an act of battle, according to former top FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss. Rather, it’s a process of discovery. And in Never Split the Difference, Voss offers a new, field-tested approach to negotiating for any situation.
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
Key takeaway:
“Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”
I have a rule when it comes to reading. If someone recommends a book, and I’m interested in the subject, I add it to my Amazon wishlist. If two people recommend it, I buy it. But if three people recommend it? I read it immediately. Shoe Dog, as you might guess, is one of those books. Following Knight’s journey from $500 to $30 billion over four decades was fascinating to follow. I couldn’t put it down.
The ONE Thing by Gary Keller
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“Do fewer things for more effect instead of doing more things with side effects.”
Building on the idea of achieving more by doing less, The ONE Thing is like a sequel, of sorts, to Essentialism. Narrow your focus to one thing. Give it all the time it demands. Build success sequentially, one step at a time. A personal highlight is “The Focusing Question.” This involves asking, “What’s the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”
The Power of Moments by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“When people assess an experience, they tend to forget or ignore its length—a phenomenon called ‘duration neglect.’ Instead, they seem to rate the experience based on two key moments: (1) the best or worst moment, known as the ‘peak’; and (2) the ending. Psychologists call it the ‘peak-end rule.’”
I wrote a newsletter in 2018 called, “This is The Best Book I’ve Read This Year.” I wasn’t lying. And I still stand by that subject line, seven months later. The Power of Moments is about why certain brief experiences can jolt us and elevate us and change us. With interesting anecdotes and practical frameworks, it’s everything you expect from the Heath brothers and more.
When by Dan Pink
Print | Audiobook | Book Summary
Key takeaway:
“Our cognitive abilities do not remain static over the course of a day. These daily fluctuations are more extreme than we realize. How we do depends on what we’re doing.”
We all want to know how to do something. We want to know how to lose weight, how to learn a language, how to influence people, and more. But, as Pink explains, it’s not enough to know what to do; you need to know when to do it. Timing, after all, is critical when it comes to making a change. In When, Pink reveals that timing isn’t an art like we think it is; it’s a science we can harness to improve in life and work.
Conclusion
And that’s it! If you enjoyed this page, I recommend reading my other best book lists for 2015, 2016, and 2017. Or, browse my books summaries page for more book recommendations. And if you’re looking for concise notes on many of the books mentioned here, read more about my commonplace book.