Reading to Inspire a Better Story in 2025
To shape New Year’s resolutions, goal setting, and the powerful notion that we can “write a better story,” I’ve benefited greatly from reading and reflecting on these six books. To be clear, these books aren’t necessarily about goal setting; instead, I think they shape the process of determining who we are and what we want to accomplish. I think these six are sufficiently deep while also being actionable (none of these are meant to serve as the magnum opus for the psychology of human achievement).
These books will teach you something new, but more importantly, and to paraphrase 19th century author Samuel Johnson, they remind us of what we already know.
“People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.”
1. The Laws of Lifetime Growth, Dan Sullivan and Catherine Nomura.
This book is probably a one-hour read and is one of the simplest yet most profound frameworks for how to think about living a great life across the lifespan. Sullivan is the founder of The Strategic Coach program, in which he and his coaches introduce thinking tools that powerfully shape the lives of entrepreneurial leaders. I think anyone can benefit from this book.
2. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller.
This book is a memoir, and I think it is perfect for audio consumption (the author serves as the narrator). I listen to the audio version every year on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I promise you will laugh, you will cry, and you will be inspired to write a better story. This is a top 10 book of all time for me.
3. The Earned Life, Marshall Goldsmith.
Marshall Goldsmith is an MBA/PhD and former Tuck business school professor but is best known as an executive coach for CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. I love him as an author because he has the rare discipline to write a book only when he really has something to say (rather than when a publisher is nudging him to write because the last book was a commercial success). I tend to hang on every word that Goldsmith writes. This book is probably better suited for a reader north of forty years of age. I prefer the physical copy of this book as there is a lot to highlight and make notes about (I accidentally ordered the large print version, so I read this in about 16-point font).
4. Chop Wood, Carry Water, Joshua Medcalf.
This book is a parable of a young boy on a journey to become a Samurai warrior. I opted for the audiobook. A short and simple read/listen, this book has become a favorite among athletes, including many college and NFL football teams, as it focuses the reader on the process and who we become. Anyone can benefit from it, but it should probably be mandatory reading for 22-year-old recent college graduates.
5. How Will You Measure Your Life, Clayton Christensen.
Christensen, the GOAT of the Harvard Business School, reflects on the careers and lives of the students he attended Harvard’s MBA program with. After attending 10-year, 20-year, and 25-year class reunions, he analyzes what contributes to these kind, high-character, and high-potential students sometimes leading a great life and sometimes going down in flames (like his classmate, former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling).
6. Essentialism, Greg McKeown.
The mantra of an essentialist is, “Less but better, in every area of our lives.” A powerful framework for thinking about our work, personal lives, and even our exercise. I love the audio version (McKeown serves as the narrator, and he has a British accent).
Final Note: This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of the best books ever written. My two “pet peeves” around book recommendations are:
(1) Asking for a book recommendation, and then a friend/colleague recommends 25 books (give me just a few; I want to benefit from your filter!). In this case, I limited my list to six.
(2) Recommending books that are intentionally highbrow, intellectual fodder that serve to demonstrate how intelligent the person who recommends the book is. In this case, I intentionally omitted The Origins of Cauchy’s Rigorous Calculus.
