34 Books to Change Your Thinking

Over the years, I've noticed how the quality of my thinking is directly impacted by the variety and quality of my reading.

This is a list of 34 books I keep coming back to in order to find inspiration and challenge my thinking. Both personally and professionally, because let's be honest, it's all life.

Siddhartha

by Herman Hesse

The journey of a young man finding the guilty pleasures of life, then realising where true joy lies.

Feck Perfuction

by James Victore

Dangerous ideas on the business of life. Where I turn for creative confidence.

Who Better Than You

by Will Packer

The best produced audiobook I've ever listened to. Also, you get a serious dose of self-belief. Listen if you can.

New Happy

by Stephanie Harrison

A view of what happiness means post-capitalism. This is the most profound transformation I think we can strive for to change the course of people and planet. Happy people don't exploit.

Tiny Habits

by BJ Fogg

A simple way to understand human behaviour.

Alchemy

by Rory Sutherland

Magic exists.

The Power of Mattering

by Zach Mercurio

Every leader should read this. If your people don't feel significant, they act insignificant.

Yearbook 1

by Hiut Denim Co.

An old marketing director showed my a copy of this once. It transformed what brand marketing is for me. 2000 copies were printed in 2012 — it's rare AF. It took me 6 years to find a copy. It arrived yesterday.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying

by Marie Kondo

In 2015, reading this book cover to cover, hungover on the sofa, changed the course of my life. It was the start my journey towards challenging capitalist, extractive, consumption-based culture.

Voluntary Simplicity

by Duane Elgin

I read this after Marie Kondo. It's a manifesto for living life in balance with the planet.

Tiny Experiments

by Anne-Laure Le Cunff

One of the most practical books around. Anne-Laure helps you adopt an experimental mindset. A bit like what we do in the Cult of Curiosity.

Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

by Shunryu Suzuki

Find your own inner wisdom. It's the most powerful guide you have.

Do Present

by Mark Shayler

This will help you speak from your heart. Mark's workshop is also fantastic.

Do Disrupt

by Mark Shayler

To create something new, you must break the old.

$100M Offers

by Alex Hormozi

Learn the art of making an offer people can’t refuse. A must for anyone who sells anything.

The Infinite Game

by Simon Sinek

Simon brought James Carse’s idea to life for the 21st Century. He applied it to business, but I say we need to apply it to sustainability too.

A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters

by Dan Nelken

This book is always at arms length. It's saved me a few times.

No Bullshit Strategy

by Alex M H Smith

I also keep this in reach. A toolkit to creating value in the world.

Clear Thinking

by Shane Parrish

Clarity creates focus. Focus creates results.

Stories Sell

by Matt Dicks

This was the first time I understood the art of storytelling. His story The Spoon of Power is a delight.

Do Open

by David Hieatt

A newsletter is permission to chat to another human. David show's you how to do that intentionally.

Do Purpose

by David Hieatt

A manifesto for acting in service of something bigger than a pay cheque.

Do Conversation

by Robert Poynton

I wish everyone read this. We'd all have such brilliant conversations.

The Choice Factory

by Richard Shotton

Behavioural science, simplified.

The Art of Gathering

by Priya Parker

Every gathering needs a purpose. Priya shows you how and much more.

Citizens

by Jon Alexander

Don’t like the book, but the idea is vital to a more democratic world.

The Courage to be Disliked

by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

Stop living to please others and ignoring your own needs.

Get Together

by Bailey Richardson, Kevin Huynh & Kai Elmer Sotto

Learn how to build a community with your people. If you run community events, read this.

Who Not How

by Dan Sullivan

The question every founder must ask. Eventually.

The One Thing

by Gary Keller

You can only do one thing at a time. Make sure it’s the right thing.

Slow Productivity

by Cal Newport

Do fewer things, at a natural pace, and obsess over quality.

The Tools

by Phil Stutz

Simple tools to overcome challenges.

Degrowth

Edited by Giacomo D'Alisa, Federico Demaria, Giorgos Kallis

A vocabulary for a new era. The ideas in this book will change society. It's just a matter of when.