100 books like Counselling for Toads

As of 2023, behavioral economics is no longer a surprising new look at old economics principles–but that doesn’t change just how entertaining, surprising, and challenging you will find the experiments detailed in Predictably Irrational. 

In one notable experiment, Dr. Ariely placed six-packs of soft drinks next to plates of cash inside of communal dorm fridges–to prove we tend to be honest about cash but feel no compunction about swiping someone else’s Coke. In another memorable experiment, male volunteers were asked moral questions when they were in a state of arousal–which helped prove that morals are flexible depending on the circumstances. 

Reading this book will make you realize just how often you make decisions–especially financial decisions–that are weird, illogical, and irrational.

To achieve the things that matter to us, we have to know what they are.

We tend to think we know ourselves really well – certainly better than anyone else knows us. But in this book, psychologist Timothy Wilson presents fascinating evidence that we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do.

In particular, we tend to rationalize our choices after the fact in ways that don’t actually reflect our deeper, emotional state.

This book opened my mind to the idea that we need to “look under the hood” to figure out what matters to us most. 

Originally written as a tennis coaching text – the wisdom of this approach transcends the world of tennis and carries an important message about how changing our thinking can release the latent potential in us whatever we are doing.

The focus is on the importance of self-talk – what our outer self is telling the inner self and in doing so chimes beautifully with what we know about our unconscious mind. We know that more than 90% of our behaviour is driven by our unconscious and it hears everything we say to ourselves – so consider the impact of critical self-talk and the potential damage to our confidence and performance.

The book is summarised in the formula: Potential minus Interference = Performance

We achieve at our best when we manage the ‘Interference’ we impose on ourselves!

I love this book because his techniques are so practical and easy to use.

I re-read his book when I was in the middle of a difficult business negotiation over Zoom and email and followed his directions step by step. This led to a positive outcome for both of us.

He makes sure that you are very clear on what is essential for you, enables you to figure out the sometimes hidden motivations of the other person, and guides you through on what to say and do next. I will go through it again the next time I am preparing a negotiation.

Early in my career I was responsible for running the UK brand tracking and customer experience studies of a global brand. I was constantly battling to reconcile what the research told me with what the real data from the business showed was actually going on. This book, written by someone who was a senior editor at the Gallup market research company for years, helped me appreciate some of the reasons that survey results are inaccurate. It also reveals how opinion polls can be used to distort elections and manipulate people – scary stuff.

How do you feel about being a salesperson and influencer? Because if you’re going to be a real estate investor you must have basic sales and marketing skills. You’ll need them to raise capital, negotiate with buyers and sellers, and even to lease your properties if you’re a landlord. In Kevin Hogan’s book you’ll discover how people think and make their decisions. He writes, “once we know our prospects’ needs, wants, and desires are, we can use this information to prepare a message that firmly impresses on the mind how we can help them.”

The book is summarized by the words of Socrates:

“Let him who would move the world first move himself.”

This is the first book written by another fabulous Greek my late friend Eleni Sarantinou, with whom I co-authored another book on NLP. I was privileged to review a draft of her book before publication and couldn’t wait to get a hard copy and read it all again. It is a fabulous book packed with Eleni’s practical wisdom for those who want to lead others, and themselves of course, through change to success.

Eleni brings into our conscious awareness the importance as a leader and as a person to know our impact and to recognise the limitations our perceptions may place on us. She emphasises the importance of curiosity, self-reflection, and being connected to our emotions, as well as giving and receiving feedback that feeds the soul and spurs the receiver… show more.

I have been in love with the apparently simple wisdom of Nancy’s approach since I first read this book…and delighted to see this in action when I was privileged to attend several courses with her. Nancy is the real deal – funny, empathetic, perceptive, and respectful of the latent brilliance in others that we can bring forth through creating a ‘Thinking Environment’. She writes in a way that is straightforward and accessible – as you go through her 10 components of a Thinking Environment, (a client of mine refers to them as the 10 commandments!), you think, ‘Oh yeah, I get that!’. There is a deceptively simple truth behind each that is obvious when she points it out – and I have been privileged to see how inspiring and transformational others have found her approach when I have introduced them to it. Nancy has transformed how I work with others… show more.

James Kerr, in his book Legacy reveals the simple secrets of success behind some of the world's elite business, sports, and military organizations. He explores ethical leadership, trust, and individual initiative and what drives the best teams to extraordinary results; a relentless focus on trust, ethical behavior, and leadership styles, excellence, a collective commitment to an 'uncommon cause,' a high degree of autonomy, with clear, candid and compelling communication, an emphasis on individual accountability, integrity, and genuine humility, underpinned by a climate in which 'leaders create leaders'.

The book is extremely insightful. It is about leadership, decision-making, and self-mastery. The lessons of this book can be perfectly applied to personal life and business environment.

Trust-based leadership — know thyself, keep to the truth. If you succumb to peer pressure and do things because others want you, you will be cut off. Be genuine, stay true to yourself, and be honest… show more.

I laughed and cried whilst reading this book which was recommended by my youngest son.

Jimmy explored the management of the day-to-day life of someone who is seen as a successful person apart from trying to dodge his taxes. I would say it is cynical, but funny with it. Don’t not read because you don’t like the author, read to take the knowledge which I did that I have been able to share with others.