1. How to make friends & influence people by Dale Carnegie
This book written by Dale Carnegie is a classic. The title is cheesy but I read it already 3 times. It’s a book everyone should read at least once. Ignore the title, or the fact that it’s marketed as a self-help book, just get it and read it. (if you haven’t already)
2. The Hard Thing about Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
The business lessons and leadership lessons might not be completely new to you, but Ben’s writing style is entertaining. It’s also a great reminder that even people such as Ben go through phases of extreme self-doubt.
3. Creativity Inc by Ed Catmull
Ed Catmull is one of the founders of Pixar. I just finished this book and loved the mix of candid management lessons combined with insights into the inner workings of Pixar and it’s founding story.
4. The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday
This book is a fairly short and simple introduction to stoicism. I personally love the concept of stoicism and originally got introduced to it by this book. If you don’t know about it yet, have a quick look here
5. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Followed by Nr.4 this book by Marcus Aurelius is essentially everything you need to know about stoicism by one of the worlds greatest leaders & thinkers. However, if you’re new to stoicism make sure to read the book by Ryan Holiday first. Meditations can seem a bit tedious if you’re either unfamiliar with stoicism or not into it at all.
6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Another classic, but what I love about it is how simple and blunt it’s written. The Alchemist seems to be loved by many people as everyone is able to interpret it in their own way. The story of the alchemist is simple but thought provoking. I assume you already read it, but if not please do. The great thing about The Alchemist is that, although we read the same book, we experienced two different journeys.
7. #GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso
You don’t have to be a girl to read this book. #GIRLBOSS is a powerful book written by NastyGal’s founder & CEO Sophia Amoruso. I’m personally very inspired by Sophia’s story and how she built NastyGal from selling vintage clothes on eBay into a striving $100 million+ fashion brand. You will probably finish this book within one go, it’s absolutely inspiring and entertaining.
8. The Art Of Choosing by Sheena Lyengar
A book written about why and how we make decisions based on our culture, religion or our general environment. As a designer myself it’s critical to understand why and what influences other people to make decisions so we can design around it. This book is packed with research and insights but might seem a little all over the place at some point as a clear narrative is missing. However, you will enjoy the load of research and learnings this book provides.
Your’s truly,
Tobias
