7 Inspiring Books You Need to Read This Year

How’re your career goals for 2017 going so far? Need a bit of motivation, or inspiration to get the ball rolling? Well, lucky for you I have just the thing! With such an array of books out there all purporting to help you find your purpose or change your life, it can be hard to figure out which ones are worth spending the time (and money) on. We’ve compiled a short list of book recommendations from around the office (and the web) so you don’t have to worry! Here are our career-inspiring book recommendations to get you feeling enthusiastic and ready to make your goals a reality.

1. The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do

By Jeff Goins

If you still struggle to answer the ‘what do you want to do when you grow up?’ question, then this book is for you. Written by a man who managed to quit his job and become a full-time writer by age 30, this book can help you start thinking about your future, your passions, and what your ‘calling’ is.

‘Through personal experience, compelling case studies, and current research on the mysteries of motivation and talent, Jeff shows readers how to find their vocation and what to expect along the way.’

2. Do Over: Rescue Monday, Reinvent Your Work, and Never Get Stuck

By Jon Acuff

Feeling stuck in your job? This book can help you figure out the steps you need to take to get re-motivated, and start thinking about your career afresh. It’s not about making drastic changes, quitting your job, and changing industries. This book is about using techniques in your day-to-day life to take back your career and start feeling good about your work again!

And if you are thinking of a career transition? This book is a must.

‘Jon’s newest book is simultaneously an enjoyable analysis of shifting trends in 21st-century business and the best kind of do-it-yourself/self-help workbook: it was both laugh-out-loud-worthy and a quick read.’

Read more: Some 2017 Career Inspo

3. The Power of a Positive No: Save The Deal Save the Relationship and Still Say No

By William Ury

Many people struggle with saying ‘No’. The word can invite anger and disappointment in the recipient, and has the potential to ruin friendships. Luckily, there is a way to say ‘No’ in a way that bypasses all of this, and lets you feel empowered and decisive in the process. This book aims to help people learn how to embrace a ‘Positive No’, and use it with to co-workers, clients, bosses, or even family members.

In today’s world of high stress and limitless choices, the pressure to give in and say Yes grows greater every day, producing overload and overwork, expanding e-mail and eroding ethics. Never has No been more needed. A Positive No has the power to profoundly transform our lives by enabling us to say Yes to what counts–our own needs, values, and priorities.

4. Chapter One: You Have the Power to Change Stuff

By Daniel Flynn

Ready to start looking at the world anew? This book is for you. (Hey, that rhymed!). If you’re feeling lost, directionless, powerless or a bit useless, this book can help you get inspired and ready to change the world. Written by Thankyou co-founder, Daniel Flynn, this book draws on his experience to show readers how much potential they truly have, and how they too can make a difference.

‘Our world doesn’t need another book, but it does need us to wake up to the realisation that we have the power to change everything. This is a world-first book concept that will stretch you and challenge you in ways books haven’t before.’ (Chapter One, page 9).

Read more: Start Planning Today: How Proactive People Stay On Top

5. Getting There: A Book of Mentors

By Gillian Zoe Segal

Success can be illusive, and everyone has their own journey to achieving it. That doesn’t mean you can’t listen to others who have been where you are now, and learn from their experiences. This book collects 30 personal essays written by people who have found success in their chosen industries. Regardless of where you’

‘In an honest, direct, and engaging way, these role models describe the obstacles they faced, the setbacks they endured, and the vital lessons they learned. They dispense not only essential and practical career advice, but also priceless wisdom applicable to life in general. Getting There is for everyone—from students contemplating their futures to the vast majority of us facing challenges or seeking to reach our potential.’

6. The 4-hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich

By Timothy Ferriss

If you haven’t heard of this book, where have you been? This New York Times bestseller tells readers how they can redefine their work week, have a positive relationship with the whole work/life balance thing, and work more effectively.

‘Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred – life plan – there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times. Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, or just living more and working less, this book is the blueprint.’

Read more: Dealing with Career Setbacks

7. Whatever You Think, Think The Opposite

By Paul Arden

Drawing from a range of sources, this book helps you rediscover what it means to work, the benefits of taking risks, and the power of change. If you’re feeling stuck, uninspired, or unsure of your future, this book can help you rethink your career journey and approach your career and life in a whole new way.

‘Have you ever considered the extraordinary power of making bad decisions, being unreasonable, and taking dangerous, unadvisable risks? Has it ever occurred to you that nothing is more dangerous than playing it safe, or that the straight and narrow path may lead you right off a cliff? Paul Arden has become a global business guru on the strength of such radical insights.’ 

So why not invest some time in broadening your reading horizons and start focusing on achieving your dreams? There’s no time like the present!

Featured image courtesy of Pexels.