Even though we are slowly inching our way towards the Sunday of Summer (a.k.a August), there is still plenty of time to get that dose of summer reading in! Carving out time for self-improvement, expanding your knowledge and activating your motivation will empower you for the last quarter of the year—which, for many, is the busiest time for any entrepreneur! So grab a coffee, head to your favourite reading nook and get ready to uplevel in new and exciting ways with these must-have business reads!
Here are a few books The Jilly Academy Team has devoured over the past year and highly recommend for your inquiring minds!
Top 5 Favourite Summer Business Reads
1. Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention by Johann Hari
In the U.S, research has shown that teenagers can only focus on one task for 65 seconds and office workers only for THREE MINUTES. That’s it! Stolen Focus dives DEEP into the research behind the demise of our attention span AND how you can combat this collapse—all while being presented in an easy-to-read storytelling format. We also recommend the podcast on Super Soul Conversations between Oprah and the author, Johann, to complement your reading enjoyment!
2. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
“Do whatever brings you to life, then follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.” This is just one of the powerful messages in Big Magic, where one of our favourite authors of all time, Elizabeth Gilbert, challenges us to bring forth the jewels, creativity and MAGIC within us to live an amplified life. If you want to feel ultra-inspired and ready to tackle your creative work, then this is the book for you!
3. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
This New York Times bestselling book is a must-read for any entrepreneur, as Duckworth explores how grit—a combination of passion and long-term perseverance—is the true determinant of success. Grit offers heavily researched insights on the ability to achieve and how if we get knocked down, our inner will power and GRIT is what will keep us going and bring us to that next level of achievement. Oh, and if you need a quick dosage of inspiration, we also recommend checking out her famous TED Talk!
4. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
Let’s be honest, the business landscape is ever-evolving, so sometimes the best way to hold steady during the storminess that is entrepreneurship is going back to the basics! This book, originally published in 1989, presents rock solid advice on how to be effective and achieve goals—both personally and professionally—by aligning to what he refers to as “true north” timeless principles. This book has been read and celebrated by millions of people over the last 30+ years, and a great foundational book to build confidence for any business owner!
5. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
The life work of Nobel-Prize winning psychologist, Daniel Kahneman, this book’s main thesis explores how our brain functions in two systems: 1) fast, instinctive and emotional and 2) slower, more deliberate and more logical. Warning: this is a rich and super dense book that will really work your brain power (get an extra coffee ready!), but an outstanding read that will showcase how the two systems of our brain are in battle to control our behaviour and actions (leading to errors in memory, judgment and decision-making) and how to apply this knowledge to real-life situations.
There you have it! We can’t wait for you to dive in to these must reads for fuelling your entrepreneurial heart! You can also check out more of Team Jilly’s office library by clicking HERE! If these reads get you inspired and ready to continue building out your passion and making it a full-time gig, make sure to check out The Jilly Academy to gain a step by step guide on how to bring your business dreams into reality!
Xo
Team Jilly
