My favorite books that will change your life

Why are we passionate about this?

We are thrilled to present this carefully curated book list. As passionate advocates for leadership, self-mastery, and health and well-being, we have handpicked these titles to inspire and empower individuals on their journey toward personal and professional growth. Each book within this collection resonates with principles that we believe are pivotal for fostering resilience, achieving self-mastery, and maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Whether you're seeking leadership insights, self-help guidance, or ways to enhance your overall well-being, these books offer a diverse range of perspectives and actionable strategies. We hope this collection becomes a valuable resource for you on your path to personal excellence. – Colleen Callander & Shannah Kennedy. 


We wrote...

Elevate: Unlock Your Extraordinary Potential

By Shannah Kennedy, Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander,

Book cover of Elevate: Unlock Your Extraordinary Potential

What is our book about?

Elevate: Unlock Your Extraordinary Potential is a transformative guide that empowers readers to reach new heights in both personal and professional realms. The authors leverage their extensive experience in business and coaching to provide actionable strategies for achieving balance, focus, and success. The book combines practical advice with inspirational anecdotes, encouraging individuals to tap into their innate potential. Colleen and Shannah advocate for holistic well-being, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and intentional living. Elevate serves as a guide for those seeking fulfillment, offering a roadmap to unlock and leverage their extraordinary capabilities in all aspects of life.

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The books we picked & why

Book cover of How to Do the Work: Recognize Your Patterns, Heal from Your Past, and Create Your Self

Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander Why did I love this book?

This book is a fabulous read, as I am incredibly interested and passionate about understanding spirituality and psychology for leadership and living in the modern day. I also love a book that invites the reader to reflect and delve into self-awareness, which is the most powerful way we find our base and can begin to work with our own internal narratives and behaviours.

As a high-performing human being, this book highlights again the incredible importance of mindfulness, with practical tools for healing in this fast-paced world we live in. I can never get enough of this practice, and this book was a great and empowering read for me, adding to my own personal roadmap for life.

By Nicole LePera,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked How to Do the Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'My favourite Instagram account in the world.' Dr Rangan Chatterjee

'If LePera's Instagram feed is full of aha moments illuminating the inner workings of your psyche, the revelations in the book are more like a full firework display.' Red magazine

'This book is a must-read for anyone on a path of personal growth.' GABBY BERNSTEIN, author of number one New York Times bestsellers Super Attractor and The Universe Has Your Back

'The book I wish I had read in my twenties.' ELIZABETH DAY, author of How to Fail

'How to…


Book cover of The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal

Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander Why did I love this book?

This book took me by surprise; it is an eye-opening epic read highlighting the importance of energy, not just time, as an area that is most important to focus on and master.

As a previous sufferer of burnout, it taught me that, unlike time, energy is finite and pivotal for peak performance. This book took me on a journey and framework where I could practically think about my life in terms of energy (rather than just time) and maximise this in the areas of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health; just superb.

I also loved the concept, which we are never taught, that recovery is just as important as performance and to think more like an athlete in my everyday life. Energy is everything to me, so I found this book truly transformative!

Book cover of Culture Fix: How to Create a Great Place to Work

Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander Why did I love this book?

In reading this book, I found a dynamic guide to revolutionising organisational culture, something I am very passionate about.

Drawing on his extensive experience, Colin Ellis provides a compelling blueprint for crafting positive workplace environments. Departing from conventional management literature, the book combines humor with practical insights. It underscores the significance of leadership, communication, and collaboration in nurturing a thriving culture.

Through engaging anecdotes and real-world examples, he demystifies the process of cultural change, catering to leaders at all levels. Culture Fix provided invaluable takeaways and actionable strategies to foster a workplace where innovation and collaboration thrive.

Colin's passionate and personable writing style transforms this book into an enjoyable and informative read.

By Colin D. Ellis,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Culture Fix as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The playbook for building a great culture

*Australian Business Book Awards Book Of The Year Finalist 2020*

Culture is the key to success for every organisation, but what do great cultures do and what makes them successful? In Culture Fix, author Colin D Ellis shows you how to change the way you do things and create a winning culture that will keep your organisation relevant today and into the future.
No matter your business, industry or country, your culture's success depends on the emotional intelligence and engagement of people within it. Whether you're a CEO, a manager, or a team…


Book cover of 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos

Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander Why did I love this book?

I loved this book. It was a thought-provoking guide to navigating life's challenges and complexities. I especially loved the way Jordan Peterson drew on psychology, philosophy, and personal anecdotes to impart practical principles for finding meaning and purpose.

Each rule serves as a roadmap for self-improvement, urging you to confront challenges, take responsibility, and strive for a meaningful existence. Jordan Peterson's insights are both profound and accessible, providing me with a framework for personal growth in a world often marked by chaos.

Whether exploring the nature of truth or the importance of standing tall, this book is a compelling and enriching read.

By Jordan B. Peterson,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked 12 Rules for Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Penguin presents the CD edition of 12 Rules for Life written and read by Jordan B. Peterson

Jordan Peterson's work as a clinical psychologist has reshaped the modern understanding of personality, and now he has become one of the world's most popular public thinkers, with his lectures on topics ranging from the Bible to romantic relationships drawing tens of millions of viewers. In an era of polarizing politics, echo chambers and trigger warnings, his startling message about the value of personal responsibility and the dangers of ideology has resonated around the world.

In this book, he combines ancient wisdom with…


Book cover of The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life.

Shannah Kennedy and Colleen Callander Why did I love this book?

This book is one of my favorites. It is a transformative journey to unlock peak performance and personal mastery.

Robin Sharma's compelling narrative weaves together a powerful tale, intricately linking the essence of discipline and early rising to success. The book's 5 am formula isn't just a wake-up call; it's a blueprint for incredible life changes. Robin Sharma's insights, backed by practical strategies, create a roadmap for heightened productivity and well-being.

Embracing the 5 am routine has been a game-changer, fostering focus and setting the tone for my day. This is more than a book; it's a lifestyle manifesto for success.

By Robin Sharma,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The 5AM Club as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5am Club concept over twenty years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity.

      Now, in this life-changing book, handcrafted by the author over a rigorous four-year period, you will discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness and feelings of aliveness.

      Through an enchanting—and often amusing—story about two struggling strangers who meet an eccentric tycoon who becomes their secret…


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Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

By Gabrielle Robinson,

Book cover of Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

Gabrielle Robinson Author Of Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Retired english professor

Gabrielle's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Gabrielle found her grandfather’s diaries after her mother’s death, only to discover that he had been a Nazi. Born in Berlin in 1942, she and her mother fled the city in 1945, but Api, the one surviving male member of her family, stayed behind to work as a doctor in a city 90% destroyed.

Gabrielle retraces Api’s steps in the Berlin of the 21st century, torn between her love for the man who gave her the happiest years of her childhood and trying to come to terms with his Nazi membership, German guilt, and political responsibility.

Api's Berlin Diaries: My Quest to Understand My Grandfather's Nazi Past

By Gabrielle Robinson,

What is this book about?

"This is not a book I will forget any time soon."
Story Circle Book Reviews

Moving and provocative, Api's Berlin Diaries offers a personal perspective on the fall of Berlin 1945 and the far-reaching aftershocks of the Third Reich.

After her mother's death, Robinson was thrilled to find her beloved grandfather's war diaries-only to discover that he had been a Nazi.

The award-winning memoir shows Api, a doctor in Berlin, desperately trying to help the wounded in cellars without water or light. He himself was reduced to anxiety and despair, the daily diary his main refuge. As Robinson retraces Api's…


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