Reading is one of those activities I love, but when I was a kid I absolutely hated it. Is it the same for you too? The number one reason I love reading now is that I get to spend time with some amazing thinkers and completely change my perspective of what’s possible in life.
This year I set a goal to read 24 books before the end of the year, and thanks to Michael Hyatt’s Best Year Ever course, I’m almost there. Even three years ago, this would have been a stretch.
But the five books below have changed how I think about life, manage time, set goals, and take action on what’s important. They’re so awesome, it’d be wrong of me not to give them away. Here are the top five life-changing books of 2016 and how they can help you.
Essentialism
This book is first because it reminded me to really focus on what matters most. Greg McKeown does a great job at explaining the importance of being an Essentialist.
One of the major highlights in this book that had the biggest impact on my 2016 was his notion that “every time you say yes to something you are saying no to something else.”
After that, I had this realization that I had to start saying no to things just to protect my time. It was time to put all this productivity I write about into action and really focus on my family and the one or two projects that needed my immediate attention. This book will help you gain clarity on what’s most important.
[shareable cite=”Greg McKewon”]Every time you say yes to something you are saying no to something else.[/shareable]
Living Forward
I started 2016 with a goal to make this my best year ever. In order to do this, I knew I’d have to take some big steps and start looking at life in new ways.
I’d done some life planning before, but it had been vague and never really got me anywhere.
Then, Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy released Living Forward. This book helped me pause, reflect on what’s important, and create a detailed plan for what I want life to be and how to achieve it.
It’s a quick read, but it gets at the core of what it means to take charge of your life and stop being like a rudderless ship. It helped me achieve perspective and keep my eyes on what I really knew was possible.
[button href=’https://robbymiles.com/giveaways/10x-productivity-giveaway/’ primary=’true’ centered=’true’ newwindow=’false’]Enter the Giveaway for a Chance to WIN All 5 Books[/button]
5AM Miracle
I know the title is scary to some people. But, don’t let it distract you from what this book really contains and how it can change your life next year. You don’t have to get up at 5AM, but it does help :-).
Once you get past the idea of getting up early, Jeff Sanders does an amazing job taking you through a step-by-step process to help you reach your grandest goals (or the goals you set after reading Living Forward). That’s what’s happened for me and my path to becoming a Nozbe Ambassador.
Not only is this book easily readable, it is also fun. After each short lesson, Jeff has added actionable worksheets and templates to help you take action right away. No more procrastination or not knowing what action to take.
Getting Things Done
I’ll admit right out of the gate that this book is long-winded. But…the ideas that David Allen shares can have a dramatic impact on your overall productivity.
Nozbe is based on David’s GTD methodology. You can collect tasks in your inbox, assign projects, and due dates, and even batch certain tasks.
The two best pieces of advice in this book are the GTD flowchart and the weekly review. I see this book as more of a desk resource instead of being a page turner.
Deep Work
To round out this powerhouse of productivity, Cal Newport shares some incredible insight into how focus impacts our ability to complete meaningful work.
Cal is a total computer geek and professor, but his work in psychology and productivity is what sets him apart.
In this book, he discusses how deep work is a skill that lets us quickly master new information and produce better results in less time. He explains that all the distractions in our life keep us from living a life of meaning and accomplishing amazing results.
He not only shares the “why,” but the “how” when it comes to doing deep work.
Want a Chance to Win All These Books?
Like I said at the beginning, it would be wrong of me not to share the books that had such an incredible impact on my 2016.
In an effort to help you make 2017 your best year ever, I’m giving my readers a chance to win all five of these books. You heard me right. I’m giving them away.
Click below for a chance to take charge of your life in 2017 and 10X your productivity.
[button href=’https://robbymiles.com/giveaways/10x-productivity-giveaway/’ primary=’true’ centered=’true’ newwindow=’false’]Enter the Giveaway for a Chance to WIN All 5 Books[/button]
