The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
The first thing that grabbed my attention was a statistic that 40% of the actions we take each day aren’t conscious decisions but habits. Wow, really?! And just as intriguing, the fact that we have a tendency to cling to our habits, even outside of common sense. THAT might explain why I add a teaspoon of cookie batter to my yogurt even when I know I don’t need the extra calories, or why I crave the extra piece of pizza. Do you have a desire to change a habit or two? The gem in this book is the list of cue categories that we must recognize and adjust if we want to change our habits.
Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg, Adam Grant
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, wrote this book after the sudden death of her husband. Co-author and psychologist, Adam Grant, offers insight into the resiliency some utilize to overcome hardships. The secret to our growth – during good and bad times – is our mindset. Are you looking to build your resilience and find joy? The authors invite us to start with self-compassion, the sweet spot between self-pity and self-indulgence.
Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
Many of you know I’m a fan of Stoicism and have been diligently working through The Stoic Journal and daily reflections during 2019. This book takes a deeper dive into ego and outlines both its power and shortcomings. I appreciate the business applications that exist beyond just the philosophy of the concept. And the gentle way the author invites the reader to reflect with the use of thought-provoking and inspirational questions. For example: How do you get out of your own head and get an accurate view of your own abilities? In other words – detach and see yourself objectively.
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
And finally, the “secret” to extraordinary results (spoiler alert!) is focusing on only one thing at a time. Talk about something being simple to understand but not easy to implement! In a world where multi-tasking is the norm, the authors make the case that we’d all be better off if didn’t try to do so much at once. As a coach, I loved the reminder that we are 40% more likely to accomplish a goal if we write it down. If we tell someone AND provide updates to that person, we are almost 80% more likely to achieve our goals. Who wants an accountability partner?
-Holly
