My Favorite Books of 2017

As a high achiever you know the importance of reading non-fiction books to further your knowledge.

Personally I read between 1-2 books a week on average. Some of you have asked how I’m able to read so many books. I simply make it a priority. Remember, lack of time is seldom an issue, misaligned priorities are.

All you need to do is to cut out some of the non-essentials and you’ll find the time. You can easily read 12-16 books in a year by implementing The Power of 15™.

Below is my list of the top 20 books I read in 2017. Please share some of your favorites in the comment section so we can add new awesome books to our reading list.

PRODUCTIVITY & HIGH PERFORMANCE

The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Wish I would have come across this book when it came out in 2003! A total gem. Much of what is in here has been taught by others so if you’ve been studying productivity and high performance in the last ten years the concepts in this book will be familiar. An absolute must-read for anyone who wants to level up. Be prepared to run out of highlighter!

High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
High performance has traditionally been used for athletes and executives, but thankfully Brendon is now bringing it to a larger audience. Not only that, he spent years researching what makes someone a high performer and what it takes to get and stay there. The results from the multi-year long research even surprised Brendon who’s been in the industry for almost twenty years. This book is a game-changer kind of book! Don’t miss it.

 

SUCCESS MINDSET

Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill & W. Clement Stone
You become what you think about but even more importantly how you look at things. It’s well-known that a positive attitude beats a negative but this book shares some great examples on why having a positive mental attitude takes you further in life.

Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill
If you’ve read Think & Grow Rich you know how your mind can direct your success. In this still slightly controversial book Napoleon Hill is bringing us an interview with the devil where he shows how much of today’s beliefs, norms and more have been created in order to keep us from being free-thinkers. Be prepared on having everything you’ve been told questioned in this book.

How Rich People Think by Steve Siebold
A friend of mine, who’s created a 7-figure coaching business in just a few years, told me about this book being one of her top picks to read for money mindset . When someone who has reached that level recommends a book it goes on my reading list! It’s a very blunt and straightforward kind of read. If you’ve studied money mindset and how wealthy people think you won’t find a lot of new in here but it’s a super refreshing read to help you stay on top of your money mindset.

You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero
Even if you’ve worked on your money mindset you’ll still find everything in this book helpful simply because the way Jen describes things makes you go ‘a-ha’ and connect in ways you may never have before. Plus she’s just down right funny! I recommend this as an audiobook.

Unshakable by Tony Robbins
Hands down the best money and investment book out there! Tony brings us the real deal and doesn’t hold back on what garbage much of the financial industry feeds us on how to manage our money and future. This book is a follow up on his last book but can be read as a standalone.

 

BUSINESS SUCCESS

Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
A client told me about this book and already running my business based on profit first I didn’t see a need to read it. O’boy, was I wrong! Glad I read it. I immediately did a few changes to the way I was running my business and now it runs both more efficient and stronger. This is a must-read if you’re a business owner or thinking of starting a business.

Millionaire Success Habits by Dean Graziosi
By far one of my favorite books. It’s different than most other ‘habit’ books in that it’s written using real life examples instead of just theory. Dean has flushed out these habits over many years and doesn’t fluff anything but brings you the real deal. He’s equally as real in person and someone I highly recommend you follow.

The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman
I read this book a few years ago and it’s truly a gem and a re-read kind of book. It contains so many great tips for business owners and those wanting to advance their career. Easily the best twenty bucks you’ll ever spend. It’s not just about economics but contains productivity and personal growth tips too.

BOLD by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler
Feel as if you can’t keep up with the digital world? Unless you’re a teenager you grew up experiencing things in an analog way, which moved a lot slower than our digital world. Today everything is driven by exponential growth and technologies and in order to keep up we have to shift how we think, what we do and how we operate or we’ll be another Kodak that kept the blinders on too long.

Tools of the Titans by Tim Ferriss
Wow, this book is loaded with so many amazing tips you’ll go back over it many times. It’s also an inspiring book filled with people who are beyond remarkable taking both their lives and businesses to new levels. As a high achiever you’re going to love this book if you haven’t read it already!

Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson
For you who want to build a tribe of followers and get your product and services out there, this is your book. It contains a lot of practical tips you can immediately put into action to help your business grow to new levels. Highly recommended!

 

COMMUNICATION AND UNDERSTANDING SELF & OTHERS

The Power of the Other by Henry Cloud
An interesting book on how much power others have over us and our decisions, even if we think we’re free-thinkers. This book will help you become a better leader, person and friend because after reading this book you’ll have a much greater awareness of how to navigate the land of people.

The Universe Has Your Back by Gabby Bernstein
Feel as if you tend to attract the same things or people into your life? This book talks about how we tend to fight what the universe has laid out for us. Gabby Bernstein’s book talks about the law of attraction and how to stop trying to control everything and instead become one with the universe. It’s a very practical read and much less “out there” than you would expect.

The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama
What a joy to get to spend time virtually with Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. Not only is this a book that fills you with joy but the lessons in here are ones we can all use and implement in our lives. Life’s too short to not live a joyful life! Plus these two men are funny. Total characters! Lots of laughs to be had. I listened to this book and truly enjoyed it.

The Essential Guide to NLP Programming by Tom Hoobyar
If you’ve been in the personal development world for a while you’ve heard or experienced NLP, Neuro-Linguistic Programming. I wanted to find a good basic NLP book I could recommend to others as NLP is a deep topic. This book over-delivers, is very practical and contains exercises that can be done right away no matter your knowledge in the topic.

 

VARIOUS PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT BOOKS

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
This books stands out for sure. The first chapter is a bit heavy on the f-word, almost to the point it makes it hard to read, but once you get through the first chapter it’s an excellent read. Mark Manson brings us a refreshing take on personal development concepts.

Brain Myths Exploded, Lessons from Neuroscience by Great Courses
Neuroscience geeks – this is our kind of book! But even if you’re not into neuroscience this is an excellent listen as you’ll have your beliefs challenged on how the brain works including concepts that society has fed us that no longer stands.

Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin
Unless you live in a cave by yourself and never surrounded by people you’re a leader and role model to someone. Which means you need to think of yourself as such and step up your game. This book will inspire you to demand more of both yourself and others and is said to be the first personal development book ever written.

 

I hope you enjoyed my top 20 list. I can’t wait to hear what some of your favorites are. Some of my 2018 books lined up are: Ray Dalio’s Principles, Tim Ferriss Tribe of Mentors and finally Arianna Huffington’s book Thrive.

*As always I only recommend books, products and services I believe in. Links are affiliate links that go to Amazon, which mean I may receive a small commission from them at no extra expense to you. I appreciate your support to help keep these blog posts going.