Book Recommendations: Inspiration

Reading is an important inspiration practice. There are few problems that someone else hasn't documented and hearing about how other people's approach can be incredibly valuable.

As someone with ADHD – I love to have something in the background and audiobooks have revolutionized the way I accomplish most tasks. Whether I am walking the dog, doing dishes, or folding laundry, often I opt to listen to an audiobook instead of listening to music. Sometimes, I create entire bodies of work while processing information I am learning at the same time.

Here a few of the books that have been instrumental in developing the ways I approach work and improve my emotional intelligence for helping teams.

Malcom Gladwell's Outliers is a great way to battle imposter syndrome. The fact is, "fake it 'til you make it" is a saying for a reason. This book discusses the history, science, and circumstance behind successful people. The facts lead you to understand that there is more to success than you might think.

Whenever someone tells me that they are seeking clarity, I urge them to pick up Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. This book is a 14-week process of self-discovery and exploration of creativity. It is definitely a "trust the process" type of exercise that requires dedication and you don't need to be seeking creative growth to get something out of the book! My biggest takeaway from The Artist's Way is removing habits of self-criticism and listening to yourself.

Priya Parker's The Art of Gathering is a great way to understand application of human-centered design in creating experiences. This book has a holistic approach to creating memorable and meaningful connections through gathering and storytelling.

The first time I read The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni was while I was preparing for my PSM-I certification and consulting for an organization in a major transition with had a highly resistant team. It really helped me focus everyone's energy at the overall goal of the organization – finding stability. What is unique about this book is that it is told in a narrative, which allows the reader to really conceptualize how to implement actionable changes to team dynamics.

Katherine Morgan Schafler's The Perfectionist's Guide to Losing Control may be specific to perfectionist but it really helped me understand the different types of perfectionism and how I could better harness these traits to be a superpower as opposed to a hinderance. It also helped me understand other people, the ways they work, and what they need to perform at their best.

I couldn't stop myself in sharing David Lynch's Catching the Big Fish. If you are a Lynch fan, listen to the audiobook narrated by the director, himself. Yes, it is written to attract people to Transcendental Meditation but it is also a great exploration of intuition and mindfulness, finding clarity on your goals. This might be more entertainment than anything but you'll still walk away with a few new tools.