100 books like If Life Is a Game, These Are the Rules

Certainty is a black-or-white concept, either zero or hundred percent; uncertainty is something between zero and hundred percent, and this grayness is a difficult concept. In the context of dealing with uncertainty and making better decisions, I find Annie Duke’s use of poker in Thinking in Bets clever for two reasons: (1) People can engage with the concept that winning or losing in a poker game is neither exact science nor pure luck. (2) Given that poker games are so different from our everyday reality, there is no danger that people would expect decision recipes for dummies. 

The Millionaire Mind is a non-fiction book that provides a detailed analysis of the traits and characteristics of millionaires in the United States.

From the outside looking in or from what we are taught you understand that wealth was passed down and most rich people came from money or are extremely smart. Based on reading this book, I understand that it is a false narrative and in fact almost 95% of millionaires are self-made and were B & C students in college.

This book is what helped me actually change my beliefs on becoming a millionaire and made it a reality. Understanding that most millionaires were just like me but looked different and had similar backgrounds, I just followed the steps that they did and achieved the same goal.

This book will actually help you become a millionaire or at least help you understand it’s possible for anyone who applies… show more.

Here is a book that I found to be highly engaging. The Greek philospher Plato was quoted as saying that "you can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." If so, he has offered us a valid rationale for taking a stroll with someone whom we've just encountered, versus meeting at, say, a restaurant. The authors discuss one study where up to 90% of 5-year-olds tested as being highly creative. Yet by age 7, this figure declines 10%, and then declines to 2% after age 8. Hence, creativity seemingly declines as structured education begins.

Creativity involves the pressure to 'keep up' along with a bombardment of information. The accelerating pace of environmental damage is symptomatic of damage to the human spirit. One centurion said, “I lived my life" so that I would exceed age 100. For nearly all of his life,… show more.

It is easier to say what the ‘new, new thing’ is not than to say what it is. It is not necessarily a new invention. It is not necessarily a new idea – most everything has been considered by someone, at some point. The author explains that the new, new thing is a notion, poised to be taken seriously in the marketplace. It is an item that is a tiny push away from general acceptance and when it gets that push, will change the world.

In 1921, Thorsted Veblen predicted that engineers would one day rule the U.S. economy. He argued that the economy was premised on technology and that engineers (in today’s terms, ‘computer science majors’) were the only ones who understood how technology worked. So, inevitably they would use their superior knowledge to seize power from the financiers, captains of industry, and other business elites.

New growth theory… show more.

Brian Tracy was one of my early mentors. He taught me the keys to success and happiness. He changed my life and gave me the personal development bug. He has studied all types of successful people and has written over eighty books. I love this book because charm is a big part of being charismatic. This book gives you more confidence by building trust and using that innate charm to be more likable and win the support of others.

When we come to understand that successful people truly are just ordinary people, just like ourselves, who simply refused to give up on their dreams, it can provide us with the inspiration and motivation to push ourselves that little bit more, to reach higher and succeed too.

Nothing is quite as motivational as reading about the success stories of other people just like you; people who have set out to achieve some big goal, have overcome seemingly impossible obstacles, and have come through against the odds. This book is jam-packed with such stories and is a real pleasure to read.

Dumplin’ charmed me from the first sentence. The beauty pageant culture, which seems at times both earnest and absurd, is the perfect setting for a book starring a sassy, smart, daring heroine who won’t be sidelined because of a little thing like size. I adore the band of misfits Dumplin’ gathers around her, the amazing drag queens, the homage to Dolly Parton, and the triumphant, realistic, hopeful ending. 

I recommend this book to many of my clients because you create your life based on your perceived self-concept about who you are in the world. If you don’t feel good about who you are it’s hard to build a good life. This book is great because it applies the well-researched principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy to overcoming the inner critic and building a positive view of one’s self, creating the much-needed platform for transforming your life.

For the teen reader who likes a bit of a scare, Anya’s Ghost tells the story of Anya, a teenager of Russian descent who wants nothing more than to fit in at her American high school.

Ah, to be blonde and popular! While walking home through the park, Anya falls into a deep hole and discovers a set of bones. Freaky! And a ghost. Double Freaky!

The ghost seems nice enough but Anya doesn’t want to set off on some quest to find a murderer or anything. She just wants to go home, get a hot shower, and be normal. The ghost tags along when Anya is rescued and tries to help Anya fit in.

It’s good – until it’s not, and Anya does have to solve some mysteries to get rid of the ghost and save the people around her. Anya’s Ghost is just scary and spooky enough to… show more.

I recommend this book as it offers a compelling journey of resilience and healing in the face of trauma. Todd’s narrative resonates deeply with themes explored in my true crime memoir, such as overcoming adversity and finding strength in the midst of challenges.

Through his candid storytelling and insights, Todd's book inspires and empowers readers, encouraging them to embrace their own journey toward healing and triumph.