The books that I plan to read again in 2024
The opportunity cost of reading something new is re-reading the best book you’ve ever read. (Farnham Street)
One of my objectives in 2024 is to increase my reading. I want to try and read at least one chapter each week-day to help with my self-development which, in turn, should have a positive impact on my writing.
For the first time, though, I’m going to re-read the best of the best. Those books that I’ve really got something out of in the past, to see how they impact me given how my life has changed over the last few years.
As Jules Verne once said, “We are of the opinion that instead of letting books grow mouldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read.”
So, with that being said, here are five books (in no particular order) that I’ll be re-reading in 2024
1. Atomic Habits- James Clear
I know a lot of people who read this every January without fail.
I can see the benefits of that. Given how we tend to use the new year to re-focus and how important this book has become when it comes to building out good habits, I want to go through this book again to build some solid foundations around my daily behaviour in 2024.
Quote: “With the same habits, you’ll end up with the same results. But with better habits, anything is possible.”
2. The Score Takes Care of Itself — Bill Walsh
It sounds silly to say, but I feel slightly nervous re-reading this book. As a Niners fan, it was one of the first books on performance and leadership that I read and it had a huge impact on me. The nerves come from the book not being as good as I remember it.
Nevertheless, this was the first book that came to mind when I decided that I wanted to re-read books I had previously gone through.
The book talks through Bill Walsh’s values and leadership lessons that turned the San Francisco 49ers from one of the worst franchises in the NFL into one of the league’s legendary dynasties.
I’m starting my own business this year, so this feels like a good time to implement some of his learnings at a foundational level of the business.
Quote: “Nobody will ever come back to you later and say ‘thank you’ for expecting too little of them.”
3. The Obstacle is the Way — Ryan Holiday
Half of last year was spent in hospital thanks to a stroke I suffered at the beginning of 2023. Then, having come out of hospital, I was made redundant.
Given all of that, 2024 seems to be a good time to go back through The Obstacle is the Way — a book that talks through Stoic ways of turning adversity into opportunity.
I want to look back on 2023 and see it as a seminal turning point in my life. I want to see it as the time that I had a serious health condition was the cause of me improving my health, working for myself and on my terms — not as the time when everything started to slide downhill.
Quote: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
4. Essentialism — Greg McKeown
Amazon tells me that I first bought this book back in 2016, which means that it is well deserving of re-read.
The book is about achieving more by doing less. McKeown makes the argument that, rather than trying to have it all, an Essentialist understands where their effort is most valuable and clear about their objectives.
They are then able to prioritise all of their tasks around those objectives, rather than having their work diluted by other people’s requirements or tasks that aren’t going to deliver the biggest bang for their buck.
Quote: “If you don’t prioritise your life, someone else will.”
5. How to take Smart Notes — Sönke Ahrens
I’ve always been relatively good at taking notes (hence read this book the first time) but, as I’ve increased the amount of writing I do, the more I’ve realised that my notes need to be collected and linked reliably for me to increase the value of my writing.
Therefore, I want to re-read this from the point of view of a writer or a content creator to better understand how I can connect my notes more effectively and, therefore, bring greater insight to my writing.
Quote: “The idea is not to collect, but to develop ideas, arguments and discussions.”
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