I started out 2018 with the goal of publishing a review of every book I read each month. That happened a grand total of two times. Truth be told, I just fell off the wagon. While I’ve been diligently reading, I haven’t been putting fingers to keyboard and reviewing the books as I go.
So this post is meant to play catch-up on some of my favorites so far this year. This is not an exhaustive list of the books I’ve read but rather just some noteworthy takeaways thus far.
Mass Persuasion Method
by Bushra Azhar
This book was a quick read, focusing on the psychology of persuasion when it comes to sales and copywriting. The eight “switches” Bushra outlines shouldn’t be anything new to people who have marketed themselves online for any length of time. However I appreciated the reminder of each of them along with some clear and original examples of how to use them. She also talks a lot about offers, bonuses and the things that are holding you back from making that sale. Not only does Bushra give you the ideas, she also gives you the language to use to turn those ho-hum offers into a sale.
Deep Work
by Cal Newport
If you’re a science and research nerd, this book is for you. While it’s a bit on the long side for the message it delivers, the message is clear: Cut out distractions. Batch your days for better productivity. Learn how to be bored (as in, stop turning to your phone while standing in the grocery line). Stop doing work that doesn’t matter. The real-life examples throughout the book were interesting, especially since I recognized many of the organizations mentioned. As a whole, the book made me question my addiction to technology and opened up conversations between me and my teen daughter about her incessant phone use. If only to get un-hooked from social media, I highly recommend this book!
The Perfect Day Formula
by Craig Ballantyne
Everyone wants to create the perfect day, right? You want to get more done and cross things off your to-do list, especially the most important things. Often these get pushed aside because urgent tasks come up. Or you forget. There are so many books about how to conquer your day, but I liked the simplicity of this theory: Do the most important things first and have a plan in place before you call it a day. Of course there’s more to it than that, but this girl needs simple, actionable steps that don’t require loads of technology or extra work. Because that’s where I get lost in the weeds. Tired of not making an impact? Give this book a try!
Claim Your Power
by Mastin Kipp
What a powerful book about identifying and defining your purpose. This book was a little “woo” for me, but it still completely changed my mindset about business and life. It helps you to identify what’s holding you back and how to stop getting in your own way. It’s meant to be read in 40 back-to-back days and includes actionable questions and tasks to help you really internalize the information. While I haven’t gone back to the book since I read it, I can see myself going through the process at the beginning of each year in an effort to continue growing. There are Bible verses throughout, which I skipped.
If none of these books really float your boat, check out some of my favorite business books of all time!
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