Non-Fiction

• Atomic Habits — James Clear

  This was my go-to recommendation for ages. Not only did this book change my opinion about habit-building in general, but it made my life better since it’s easy enough to be actionable. The biggest takeaway is how improving by just 1% a day can get you 37x better in a year’s time.

• Deep Work — Cal Newport

  In a world full of distractions, this book is a helpful reminder of how focus matters. It’s a “how-to” guide on getting things done efficiently.

• Show Your Work! — Austin Kleon

  This book kick-started my creator career. I personally believe that everyone should have a creative outlet, and this book can help convince you if you’re on the fence.

• Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life — Franscesc Miralles & Hector Garcia

  “Ikigai” roughly translates to “life’s purpose.” It helps you see that every choice we make every single day has a purpose. A very short, easy read.

• The Way of Nagomi — Ken Mogi

  “Nagomi” is balance and harmony. It’s the umbrella term for Ikigai, Zen and other Japanese philosophies. The chapter about the nagomi of food was particularly eye-opening.

• Never Split The Difference — Chris Voss

  Written by a former FBI lead negotiator. It's essentially a book on communication. Useful for everything from salary discussions to ordering coffee.

• Tiny Experiments — Anne-Laure LeCunff

  The premise is simple: conducting tiny experiments to validate or reject hypotheses about your life. It helped me when I was at a crossroads with medicine.

Fiction

• Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine — Gail Honeyman

  I picked this up out of the blue and was blown away. I couldn’t put it down. Great if you’re looking for “realistic fiction.”

• The Song of Ice and Fire Series — George RR Martin

  So much thought has been put into the world and lore. Anything can happen to anyone, which makes this book feel very real in a weird fantasy-ish way.