The best books to inspire personal growth and success

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been motivated to be the best version of myself for as long as I can remember and that has included reading a ton of books, pushing my own limits on what I was capable of (Ironman triathlons and a cross-country bicycle ride), tapping into my own creativity as well as taking it to the next step and sharing what I have learned through my own books and TEDx presentation. I believe we have so much more inside of us than we realize and I love to share and see others reach their goals and dreams.  


I wrote...

Habits for Success: Inspired Ideas to Help You Soar (Habits of Successful People)

By G. Brian Benson,

Book cover of Habits for Success: Inspired Ideas to Help You Soar (Habits of Successful People)

What is my book about?

Habits for Success is the perfect blueprint to help you realize a life of progress, purpose, and fulfillment.

Successful habits for an authentic life. Habits for Success was written creatively, consciously, and with heart. Using his own growth process, triumphs, and hero’s journey, author G. Brian Benson weaves authenticity and vulnerability into his habits, ideas, and stories to entertain and inspire you. Increase your self-awareness and manifest your dreams. Habits for Success is written in layman's terms but with an incredible amount of depth, enabling you to reach new levels of understanding and growth. It is a wonderful mix of heart, informative ideas, and entertaining journey―a self-help book that doesn’t feel like one. The insights shared and the tools provided are tailored for life-long success.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur

G. Brian Benson Why did I love this book?

This book is packed with a lot of wisdom and it just made me feel good reading it. It doesn’t matter if you are an entrepreneur, artist, or someone trying to figure out your path, you will enjoy this book! Derek does an outstanding job simplifying the lessons through his life and business experience, which I as a reader could easily relate to.

By Derek Sivers,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Anything You Want as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'I love this book! If you want a true manifesto, a guidebook with clear signposts, and a fun ride you'll return to again and again, you have it here in this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did' Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek

The iconic manifesto on lessons learned while becoming an entrepreneur

------------------------------------------------------------------

You don't need a visionary master plan, loads of funding or a brilliant team to start a business.

When Derek Sivers started CD Baby, he wasn't planning on building a major business. He was a successful independent musician who just…


Book cover of I Was Right on Time

G. Brian Benson Why did I love this book?

This book is wonderful. While it isn’t your typical self-improvement book, reading it made me want to be a better person. Buck O’Neil’s attitude is amazing despite all of the hardships he endured. He is an inspiration to everyone. No matter where we are or when we are born, we are all  "right on time,” and hopefully striving to serve a purpose for a greater good. A good attitude and lots of gratitude are so important for our self-awareness journey and Buck had it in truckloads. Please read this book. 

By Buck O'Neil, Steve Wulf, David Conrads

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Was Right on Time as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From Babe Ruth to Bo Jackson, from Cool Papa Bell to Lou Brock, Buck O'Neil has seen it all. As a first baseman and then manager of the legendary Kansas City Monarchs, O'Neil witnessed the heyday of the Negro leagues and their ultimate demise.
In I Was Right on Time, he charmingly recalls his days as a ballplayer and as an African-American in a racially divided country. Whether he's telling of his barnstorming days with the likes of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson or the day in 1962 when he became the first African-American coach in the major leagues, O'Neil…


Book cover of The Illusion of Money: Why Chasing Money Is Stopping You from Receiving It

G. Brian Benson Why did I love this book?

I loved this book because it is not only Inspiring in how it makes you understand your current money beliefs, but the exercises are easy to do and I found profound in what they reveal. Kyle explains spot-on how you can shift yourself from your current viewpoint into one that allows abundance and your true potential to shine through. And the book’s wonderful nuggets translate into all areas of your life! 

By Kyle Cease,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Illusion of Money as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Your obsession with money is costing you MILLIONS.

Money is one of the biggest excuses we make to not go after what we really want. Our fixation with money - the desire for more of it, and the fear of not having enough of it - is often really just a longing to feel safe. But this obsession with money is coming at a much bigger cost: our sanity, our creativity, our freedom, and our ability to step into our true power.

In this book, comedian turned transformational speaker and New York Times best-selling author Kyle Cease will help you…


Book cover of The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

G. Brian Benson Why did I love this book?

I loved this book because Steven Pressfield turns on a floodlight to show you what self-sabotage truly looks like and masterfully shows you how to tame it. And he does it with a sense of humor and inspiration.

To live consciously and deliberately is the advice shared in the book, and he does such a great job of reminding the reader why we fall prey to and how to avoid self-sabotage. It doesn’t matter if one is an artist, salesperson, or what have you. I found this book to be a really good motivating force and I know others will feel the same way. 

By Steven Pressfield,

Why should I read it?

22 authors picked The War of Art as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A succinct, engaging, and practical guide forsucceeding in any creative sphere, The War ofArt is nothing less than Sun-Tzu for the soul.

What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do?

Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid theroadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it starting up a dreambusiness venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece?

Bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield identifies the enemy thatevery one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer thisinternal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success.

The War of Art emphasizes the resolve…


Book cover of SoulBlazing: Transform Your Imposters into Superpowers and Live a More Purposeful, Authentic Life

G. Brian Benson Why did I love this book?

What I really liked about this book was how it helped me become a lot more self-aware about the incorrect stories I told about myself and how they have held me back. This book does a great job of helping the reader identify their "imposters," the areas in one's lives where we hold onto false beliefs about ourselves which keep us from being the best version of who we can be and achieve our goals and dreams. 

By Lisa Haisha,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Who are you truly, deep down?

There are seven key Imposters, or archetypes, that underlie nearly every aspect of human behavior. In this groundbreaking self-help book, you’ll discover a framework for understanding these archetypes and how they impact your relationship to yourself, others, and the world at large.

SoulBlazing will help you:

Ignite meaningful change in your life Understand and release false narratives and negative self-talk that hinder you Transform your inner saboteurs into superpowers Learn to respond rather than react to life Cultivate a deeper, more life-affirming awareness of yourself and others

SoulBlazing goes right to the heart of…


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The Chomsky Effect: A Radical Works Beyond the Ivory Tower

By Robert F. Barsky,

Book cover of The Chomsky Effect: A Radical Works Beyond the Ivory Tower

Robert F. Barsky Author Of Clamouring for Legal Protection: What the Great Books Teach Us about People Fleeing from Persecution

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Writer Professor of Humanities Borders Radicalist

Robert's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Noam Chomsky has been praised by the likes of Bono and Hugo Chávez and attacked by the likes of Tom Wolfe and Alan Dershowitz. Groundbreaking linguist and outspoken political dissenter—voted “most important public intellectual in the world today” in a 2005 magazine poll—Chomsky inspires fanatical devotion and fierce vituperation.

In The Chomsky Effect, Chomsky biographer Robert Barsky examines Chomsky's positions on a number of highly charged issues—including Vietnam, Israel, East Timor, and his work in linguistics—that illustrate not only “the Chomsky effect” but also “the Chomsky approach.”

Chomsky, writes Barsky, is an inspiration and a catalyst. Not just an analyst…

The Chomsky Effect: A Radical Works Beyond the Ivory Tower

By Robert F. Barsky,

What is this book about?

"People are dangerous. If they're able to involve themselves in issues that matter, they may change the distribution of power, to the detriment of those who are rich and privileged."--Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky has been praised by the likes of Bono and Hugo Chávez and attacked by the likes of Tom Wolfe and Alan Dershowitz. Groundbreaking linguist and outspoken political dissenter--voted "most important public intellectual in the world today" in a 2005 magazine poll--Chomsky inspires fanatical devotion and fierce vituperation. In The Chomsky Effect, Chomsky biographer Robert Barsky examines Chomsky's positions on a number of highly charged issues--Chomsky's signature issues,…


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