10 Books, Podcasts, and Videos That Changed My life
Have you ever been asked what your favorite book is? Better yet, what books changed your life?
For me, when I look back at the books or other personal development and business content I’ve consumed over the years, I can identify which ones played a pivotal role in an up-level.
As humans, we have limitless potential, which means we have limitless opportunities for personal growth. I’m always open to learning new concepts and using books, podcasts, and videos to improve or expand on different areas of my life.
Here are 10 books, podcasts, and videos that up-leveled my life, during different parts of my life.
Each resource has something specific that is helpful for anyone looking to work for themselves, gain confidence, get motivated, and find balance!
Books
1. The ONE Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
If you choose one book on this list, make it this one! Whenever I am asked which business/productivity book is my favorite, I always mention The ONE Thing.
Every friend or client that has read this based on my recommendation says they wish they read it earlier.
Using their framework for prioritizing the “ONE” thing completely changed how I work, what I focus on, and helped me get the most important things done.
Forward-moving progress in ONE direction brings you toward your goal faster than trying to make short, random progress in ten different directions.
It sounds simple, and it is, but you need to go through the book to really understand it in my opinion.
2. Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk
REALLY really helpful for marketing in general. Always deliver value first, then pitch. Don’t “yell” or be a stereotypical cheesy car salesman. Whether or not you agree with everything Gary says, the concept of “jabbing” (offering free value) before the “hook” (selling) is 10000% relevant to any type of marketing today…and this definitely includes Pinterest!
3. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
Sometimes called the “digital nomad’s bible,” The 4-Hour Workweek really hammers in the mindset of scaling your time and income so you can do things like travel, learn new languages, and take up new hobbies. I read this years ago when I was working my 8-5 office job and the productivity tips alone were a huge game-changer.
4. How Rich People Think by Steve Siebold
Everyone I know that has achieved massive success in their career or business has worked on improving their “money mindset.”
When you work for yourself, whether it’s on the side or full-time, it can be easy to slip back into an average-thinking mindset and live in scarcity.
Don’t let that happen to you!
This book has 100 mini chapters all about the habits and thought patterns of the wealthy, so you can rewire your actions and subconscious beliefs about money.
Keep in mind that this book will use more extreme comparisons to get the point across (“world-class vs. average-minded”), but this distinction makes it easier to follow.
And if the terms “word-class” vs. “average-minded” trigger you, then this is especially a book for you. Lean into it!
5. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
A #1 New York Times bestseller, this book is “self-help” while also making fun of self-help. It’s funny yet informative and helps you look at ways to improve/understand all areas of your life.
This is great for strengthening your confidence, finding balance in life, working on your money mindset, and working toward your true purpose.
It also happens to be a great “beginner” book if you are interested in spirituality or new age conscious awareness (this, along with a 10-minute speech from Wayne Dyer on YouTube, led to my spiritual awakening in 2017). If you have no idea what the previous two sentences mean, pick up the book - you’ll thank me later!
Podcasts
6. Don’t Keep Your Day Job by Cathy Heller
Cathy’s podcast is really inspiring, especially if you plan to (using her analogy) create a “runway” (side hustle) and then take it full-time.
Start with: “You Won The Lottery! 100th Episode Special” - 1 hour
7. For the Love of Money - Chris Harder
A business podcast all about money mindset! Honestly, every episode is worth a listen.
Start with: “#83 Our Formula to Choose Your Income for Next Year” - 17 minutes
Videos
8. “Hourly vs. Value-Based Pricing For Freelancers” - Julie Stoian (YouTube)
You know how I feel about pricing most freelance work - a flat monthly rate or project-based rate is what I recommend, unless it actually makes sense to charge an hourly rate. This is another example of understanding value-based pricing.
9. “What $5-10k Months Look Like in Business” - Julie Stoian (YouTube)
This goes over the breakdown of scaling your income as a service-based business (ex: freelancing), and how to look at your operating expenses so you can plan your take-home pay. (Note: Remember you have to pay taxes on self-employed income! Taxes vary based on your country/state/etc. My accountant recommends I put aside 20% or so; Julie in the video mentions setting aside 30%. You’ll want to ask an accountant as neither of us are financial advisors but keep this in mind.)
This information was super helpful to me when I was new to freelancing and working on replacing my former full-time job income. Now I’ve scaled past this, but the principles still remain, so if you are at a higher income level you might find some use from it!
10. “I Quit - Best Decision of my Life” - Lost LeBlanc (YouTube)
“There’s nothing as liberating as following your passions. People often think that my decision to leave everything behind was risky, but they often neglect the biggest risk which is not reaching our full potential. Not living a life where we chase the things that ignite us.”
When you’ve built up your freelance income or side hustle and want to go full-time, this is an inspiring video to watch from Christian’s journey.
I remember seeing the notification for this video pop up two days after I quit my old 8-5 job in 2016…talk about timing!
Have you read, listened, or watched any of the above? What is your favorite? Which ones are you inspired to dig into?
Remember: every step, no matter how small, gets you farther than those who don’t walk at all.
Keep moving toward those dreams, friends!
