All Books of 2019
Each described in one sentence
Life is about constant motion.
It’s ever changing, fluid, unmolded, and always evolving.
Those that stagnate, are still moving. Just backwards, further away from what they desire.
Life is in constant motion, never still.
You are either moving towards or away from your goals, but you are never the same.
In 2019, I read some of the most influential books ever written. I’ve become obsessed with a life’s task and finding harmony in one’s work.
Our work, vocation, or profession consumes most of our time. It is what we are mostly doing, yet it is seldom something we obsess over. We fall into certain pathways and we remain, where we grow stagnant and stop evolving. Stagnation leads to regression. Our desire to excel cedes. We become regulated to distraction and we live for the weekend.
2019 taught me the value of the process. The daily, consistent rhythm of work is where I found fulfillment. Even weekends, which are about more work, more creativity, more output, more learning, and more growth.
Nothing stands still when your goal is excellence.
How to Fight a Hydra by Josh Kaufman: Life is like fighting a hydra, you have to keep making adjustments, learning, adapting, till you eventually become skilled enough to win against multiple deadly heads.
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer: memory is a skill that can be learned using ancient techniques.
Relentless by Julian Edelman: reps x reps x reps can overcome pure physical talent.
Art Matters by Neil Gaiman: art is everywhere and everyone can approach what they do as an artist.
World’s Fittest Book by Ross Edgely: you can maintain a low body fat, look well-built, and still pursue endurance events if you are smart about how you train and eat.
The Business of the 21st Century by Robert Kiyosaki: the goal is passive income, where you make money work for you.
Poke the Box by Seth Godin: to succeed in business, you need to keep starting.
The Alter Ego Effect by Todd Herman: you can transform yourself by first changing who you are in your mind — as you act, you become.
Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss: even the world’s best doers, creators, and business innovators look to mentors to help elevate them even further.
Leaders: Myth and Reality by General (Ret.) McChrystal: leaders are those that act with conviction.
Getting Things Done by David Allen: to-do lists are not practical unless you identify a next action and a time/place to complete that action.
The 40 Laws of the Alpha Male by Sean Lysaght: to standout as a man in today’s soft society, you must fight back with a set of laws that encapsulate the true nature of what it takes to be a man.
The 50th Law by 50 Cent and Robert Greene: to become powerful adopt this mindset: Fear Nothing.
Mind Gym by Gary Mack: the more you work on the inside (mental training) the more it will show on the outside.
Total Recall: My Unbelievable True Life Story by Arnold Schwarzenegger: a day has 24 hours — how much of it are you using to progress?
Fitness Confidential by Vinnie Tortorich: No Sugar, No Grains.
FitPro’s Guide to Starting Your Career by Jonathan Goodman: fitness is more about self-efficacy than anything else.
The Miracle Equation by Hal Erod: Unwavering Faith + Extraordinary Effort= Miracle Equation
The Art of Work by Jeff Goins: find your calling and make it your vocation.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain: the process of mastery is never ending.
Go Long by Jerry Rice: “The only way I knew how to do anything was to outwork, outperform, and outplay everyone else.” — Jerry Rice
Be Obsessed or Be Average by Grant Cardone: break free of society’s shackle and nurture your obsessions, or else fall in line and be average.
Grit by Angela Duckworth: embrace the Hard Thing Rule: always be working to get better at something.
Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare. — Angela Duckworth
NSCA’s Fundamentals of Personal Training: the emotional connection to one’s body is often overlooked by fitness trainers, yet it is the most important aspect of success in training.
If you’re interested in learning about more books, check out the Outwork Book Club at the High-Performance Lifestyle publication.
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