100 books like Twelve and a Half

By Gary Vaynerchuk,

Here are 100 books that Twelve and a Half fans have personally recommended if you like Twelve and a Half. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

Havard Mela Author Of How to Thrive in the 21st Century: By Avoiding Porn and Other Distractions

From my list on porn addiction.

Why am I passionate about this?

As someone who has felt the consequences of spending too much time online on distractions, I am compelled to share how much better life can be when we are conscious of the time we spend online. In my early twenties, I experienced digital addiction. I managed to turn things around by cultivating discipline and finding purpose in life. In the process, I developed a deep interest in neuroscience and psychology. My book explains how you can take conscious control of your life in a practical way based on my experience backed up by research.

Havard's book list on porn addiction

Havard Mela Why did Havard love this book?

This book is not a book that covers porn addiction, but it is a great book for understanding and creating new habits. This will be of great value to you if you want to stop watching porn.

I got a lot of value from reading this book; it is one of the books that can improve your life, no matter your situation. 

By James Clear,

Why should I read it?

22 authors picked Atomic Habits 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. Over 4 million copies sold!

Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results

No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the…


Book cover of The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change the Way You Lead Forever

Jude Sclater Author Of Think Like a Coach: Empower your team through everyday conversations

From my list on managers who want to empower their teams.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a practical, straight-talking New Zealander who has lived in the UK since 2007. I’ve coached managers for over a decade, and one thing they all have in common is that they want to develop and empower their teams. What I love the most about my work is seeing the ‘aha’ moments unfold when they work out a path that is right for them. I’ve chosen these books for the ‘aha’ moments they sparked in me, and I hope they do the same for you.

Jude's book list on managers who want to empower their teams

Jude Sclater Why did Jude love this book?

I love this book because it explains how to coach in a simple and easy-to-understand way. It’s one of the few books on coaching actually written for managers and has just enough theory so you know what Bungay-Stanier is saying is legit but not so much that it stops being practical.

I use the strategic question all the time with myself and others I coach, ‘If you’re saying yes to this, what are you saying no to?’ It has helped me realize that I don’t need to do everything and that focusing my energy on a few things is better than spreading myself thin on everything.

By Michael Bungay Stanier,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Coaching Habit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Look for Michael's new book, The Advice Trap, which focuses on taming your Advice Monster so you can stay curious a little longer and change the way you lead forever.

In Michael Bungay Stanier's The Coaching Habit, coaching becomes a regular, informal part of your day so managers and their teams can work less hard and have more impact.

Drawing on years of experience training more than 10,000 busy managers from around the globe in practical, everyday coaching skills, Bungay Stanier reveals how to unlock your peoples' potential. He unpacks seven essential coaching questions to demonstrate how-by saying less and…


Book cover of Shift Your Mind: 9 Mental Shifts to Thrive in Preparation and Performance

Alan Stein Jr. Author Of Sustain Your Game: High Performance Keys to Manage Stress, Avoid Stagnation, and Beat Burnout

From my list on managing stress and beating burnout.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a professional keynote speaker and author that has long been fascinated with tenants of high performance. When I began, I was curious about how high performance could lead to increased achievement and accomplishment. Now, I am fascinated by how high performance can lead to heightened happiness and fulfillment. Thus, I love reading, watching, and listening to any resource that can help improve the quality of my life… so that I can pay that forward and improve the quality of life for those I serve. I believe a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. 

Alan's book list on managing stress and beating burnout

Alan Stein Jr. Why did Alan love this book?

Your mindset may be the most important factor in not only your performance, but in your happiness and fulfillment as well. It creates the foundation for your attitude and your philosophy on life. Shift Your Mind is a brilliantly written, practical guide full of useful constructs to help you heighten your current perspective and greatly enhance the quality of your life, your relationships, and your performance.

By Brian Levenson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Greatness is a matter of timing.

Executive and mental performance coach Brian Levenson has spent years working with high performers in sports, business, and culture. And from the field to the boardroom, he noticed something surprising. Talented people were failing to reach their goals, not because they lacked the necessary skills, but because they didn't understand the mental processes that fueled them.

When it comes to high performance, talent isn't enough.

He began interviewing former CIA agents, world-class chefs, astronauts, athletes, CEOs, and more to find a solution, and soon realized that elite performers have one thing in common. They…


Book cover of The Compound Effect:  Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success

Marty Boardman Author Of Foreclosure Secrets: How I Built a 7-Figure Business Flipping Houses Most Investors Are Too Afraid to Buy

From my list on to build great habits as a real estate investor.

Why am I passionate about this?

I built a 7-figure business buying foreclosures in multiple states and with my book you’ll discover how to duplicate my success and drastically reduce your learning curve.  I've flipped hundreds of houses buying directly from homeowners in foreclosure and at auctions in Arizona, Illinois, and Wisconsin. I was guest #1 on the popular BiggerPockets podcast as well as a featured contributor to the website. I've also been featured in numerous real estate articles for USA Today, Reuters, and the Arizona Republic. And I'm the founder of FixandFlipHub.com, a real estate education company that has helped hundreds of real estate entrepreneurs start and scale their businesses.

Marty's book list on to build great habits as a real estate investor

Marty Boardman Why did Marty love this book?

Are you consistently inconsistent? In other words, do you have a sincere desire to start real estate investing, or scale your current business, but are constantly veering off-course because life keeps getting in the way? Me too. In this book you’ll learn the importance of making small, daily decisions that will, over time, result in exponential growth in your personal and financial life.

By Darren Hardy,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Compound Effect as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Do you want success? More success than you have now? And even more success than you ever imagined possible? That is what this book is about. Achieving it.   No gimmicks. No hyperbole. Finally, just the truth on what it takes to earn success   As the central curator of the success media industry for over 25 years, author Darren Hardy has heard it all, seen it all, and tried most of it. This book reveals the core principles that drive success. The Compound Effect contains the essence of what every superachiever needs to know, practice, and master to obtain extraordinary success.…


Book cover of The Power of Emotions at Work: Accessing the Vital Intelligence in Your Workplace

Debbie Sorensen Author Of ACT for Burnout: Recharge, Reconnect, and Transform Burnout with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

From my list on books for lasting recovery from burnout.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. from Harvard. My personal experience of burnout, when I was a psychologist on a medical team in a hospital setting, led me to specialize in burnout in my private therapy practice. I’ve been doing therapy with adults experiencing chronic stress and burnout for many years since. I’ve also interviewed thought leaders in mental health on my podcast, Psychologists Off the Clock. I understand the complexity of burnout and the reason “quick fixes,” like individual wellness interventions, are often not enough to help with burnout. To really solve the problem, we must “dig deeper” and find both personal and cultural solutions.

Debbie's book list on books for lasting recovery from burnout

Debbie Sorensen Why did Debbie love this book?

I’ve worked in a variety of settings over the years and have seen firsthand the difference that workplace culture makes for wellbeing. Karla McLaren is a workplace culture expert, and this book is about how inhumane workplaces can be when workers aren’t allowed to express the full range of their emotional experience.

McLaren offers concrete strategies for ways workplaces can improve the quality of life for workers, an absolutely essential element of burnout prevention. Thanks to this book, I have a better understanding of what makes a healthy and humane work environment. 

By Karla McLaren,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Power of Emotions at Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An in-depth guide for all workers-employees, managers, and CEOs-on how to engage our emotions in the workplace to create a productive, creative, and truly workable environment.

We've all been taught that we must suppress or avoid emotions at work, but this inevitably leads to a loss in productivity, diminished creativity, and crushing job dissatisfaction. Research shows 85 percent of us avoid communicating crucial workplace problems upward, and many of us who are employed are actively looking for a different job. What's going on?

"The foundational problem is that we threw emotions out of the workplace, when in fact, emotions contain…


Book cover of Awaken the Giant Within

Andreas Creutzmann Author Of Soft Skills for the Professional Services Industry : Principles, Tasks, and Tools for Success

From my list on soft skills for professionals and entrepreneurs.

Why am I passionate about this?

At the very beginning of my studies, I asked myself a question that still accompanies me today: “Why are some people successful and others not?” I've always been interested in people who are successful through their own efforts instead of building on the success of previous generations through their heritage. In my search for what distinguishes successful from less successful people, I began to read a variety of relevant books and attend seminars. These books and seminars dealt with the topics of success, personality development, marketing and sales, rhetoric, psychology, and management as well as self-management and personal productivity. To date, I've read several hundred books on these topics and attended a number of seminars.

Andreas' book list on soft skills for professionals and entrepreneurs

Andreas Creutzmann Why did Andreas love this book?

Anthony Robbins is the world's most famous success coach.

With Unlimited Power, he has made Neurolinguistic Programming known outside of therapy in management.

Anyone who wants to break through beliefs that prevent success and wants to get many valuable suggestions at all levels of success, can not get past Anthony Robbins. His books have inspired and motivated me.

Anyone who really wants to be successful should read his books. In Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical & Financial Destiny! you get a very good summary of his thoughts.

By Tony Robbins,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Awaken the Giant Within as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The author offers advice on such matters as mastering emotions, overcoming debilitating habits such as over-eating, drinking and drug abuse, unleashing the hidden power of body and mind, improving personal and professional relationships, and taking control of personal finances.


Book cover of Goals! How to Get Everything You Want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible

Andreas Creutzmann Author Of Soft Skills for the Professional Services Industry : Principles, Tasks, and Tools for Success

From my list on soft skills for professionals and entrepreneurs.

Why am I passionate about this?

At the very beginning of my studies, I asked myself a question that still accompanies me today: “Why are some people successful and others not?” I've always been interested in people who are successful through their own efforts instead of building on the success of previous generations through their heritage. In my search for what distinguishes successful from less successful people, I began to read a variety of relevant books and attend seminars. These books and seminars dealt with the topics of success, personality development, marketing and sales, rhetoric, psychology, and management as well as self-management and personal productivity. To date, I've read several hundred books on these topics and attended a number of seminars.

Andreas' book list on soft skills for professionals and entrepreneurs

Andreas Creutzmann Why did Andreas love this book?

Brian Tracy stands for professional and personal success.

I have read many of his books and listened to his lectures. In his book Goals, he shows you how to set goals and achieve them. Goal clarity is a prerequisite for all success.

In this book you will learn everything about goal setting and how to achieve goals.

By Brian Tracy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Goals! How to Get Everything You Want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Based on more than 20 years of experience and 40 years of research, this book presents a practical, proven strategy for creating and meeting goals that has been used by more than 1 million people to achieve extraordinary things in life. Author Brian Tracy explains the seven key elements of goal setting and the 12 steps necessary to set and accomplish goals of any size. Using simple language and real-life examples, Tracy shows how to do the crucial work of determining one's strengths, values, and true goals. He explains how to build the self-esteem and confidence necessary for achievement; how…


Book cover of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Karen Meager Author Of Rest. Practise. Perform.: What elite sport can teach leaders about sustainable wellbeing and performance

From my list on helping you banish burnout forever.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I worked in clinical practice as a psychotherapist, I worked with many burnt-out clients and always found it frustrating that the conventional wisdom was to take time off or stop working, which is just not practical (or desirable) for many people. I was always looking for alternative things people could do to help themselves. Then I experienced burnout myself, and whilst it was dreadful, I learnt first hand how to put all of this into practice, hence my research on the topic. I now work with people and organisations in high pressured, innovative environments where the focus is on preventing burnout rather than recovering.

Karen's book list on helping you banish burnout forever

Karen Meager Why did Karen love this book?

An oldie but goodie!

I love Covey’s book because it has helped me teach personal effectiveness to so many clients over the years. I find his approach to be very adaptable to different styles and preferences, and that helps my clients to manage their time and boundaries more easily, which is a critical skill to help avoid burnout.

By Stephen R. Covey,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

New York Times bestseller - over 25 million copies sold
The No. 1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century

"[Thirty] years after it first appeared, the wisdom of The 7 Habits is more relevant than ever. On an individual level people are burning out, and on a collective level we are burning up the planet. So Dr. Covey's emphasis on self-renewal and his understanding that leadership and creativity require us to tap into our own physical, mental, and spiritual resources are exactly what we need now." Arianna Huffington

One of the most inspiring and impactful books ever written,…


Book cover of Three Feet from Gold

Jim Stovall Author Of The Ultimate Gift

From my list on the secret to changing your life and the world.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I’ve written over 50 books, the ones that have had the greatest impact are the novels that have been turned into movies. Through my books and the films based on them, I’ve had the privilege of sharing thought-provoking, life-changing stories with millions of people around the world. As a blind person, myself, I realize the absurdity of writing books I can’t read that are turned into movies I can’t watch, but a powerful story delivers life-changing lessons and endures forever. 

Jim's book list on the secret to changing your life and the world

Jim Stovall Why did Jim love this book?

When Greg Reid asked me to co-author a novel with him that became our book, Passport to Success, I thought I would sample some of his previous collaborations. When I discovered he had written a book with my friend Sharon Lechter, I decided to give it a try. Three Feet from Gold is based on a classic story brought to light by Napoleon Hill. Many people fail because they are afraid to persevere, but once you read Three Feet from Gold, you’ll be afraid to quit. Success is your destiny and you’re closer than you think. 

By Sharon L. Lechter, Greg Reid,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Three Feet from Gold as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Updated and expanded anniversary edition of Three Feet from Gold
 
This remarkable business allegory tells a fascinating story in presenting the key principles of Napoleon Hill’s revolutionary bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. As you follow a struggling young entrepreneur through a life-changing series of encounters with some of today’s foremost business leaders and inspirational figures, you’ll find encouragement and motivation to believe in yourself, discover your own Personal Success Equation™, and never give up. You are just three feet from gold!
 
A century ago, Napoleon Hill began the research that ultimately resulted in his extraordinary bestseller, Think and Grow Rich.…


Book cover of Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking

Gerard Pasterkamp Author Of Painted Science: The history of scientific discoveries, explorers and technological developments captured in painting

From my list on trying to explain basics in human behavior and decision making in a scientific manner.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a scientist in the field of medicine, and I like to read books that provide a surprising insight into our thinking and decision-making with a scientific basis. It is special how we think we are acting rationally while much of our action is influenced by the environment and news that comes our way. Some of the books in my list provide special insights that are refreshing and hold a mirror up to us.

Gerard's book list on trying to explain basics in human behavior and decision making in a scientific manner

Gerard Pasterkamp Why did Gerard love this book?

A book that clearly depicts why it is so important to include diverse minds with diverse ideas. If you have a tough challenge, the best solutions will arise when you discuss these with those who might disagree.

The best example that the author provides is the CIA before 9/11. The intelligence service was mainly acquiring males with a Caucasian background who were not able to correctly interpret the danger signals from terrorists with an Islamic background.

If there is a crisis to solve, do not just select the top 5 experts in the world to solve the problem since they will likely originate from the same school or University. After #1 and #2, the others (3,4, and 5) will have little to add if they have the same background. Including someone in the team with a different background and opinion is better. 

By Matthew Syed,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Rebel Ideas as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'I like listening to people who know things that I don't,' Gareth Southgate told me. 'That's how you learn.'

Former Olympian and best-selling author Matthew Syed is one of the advisors Gareth Southgate engaged from outside football in order to find new ways of working as a team. In Rebel Ideas, discover how Southgate 'the man with the plan' replaced 50 years of hurt with two major tournament semi-finals in three years.'

Matthew Syed's phenomenal bestseller will change the way you think about success - for ever.

'Syed is a superb storyteller. I couldn't put the book down, and I…


5 book lists we think you will like!

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