86 books like What if? Dare to Do More Be More and Reach Farther than You Ever Thought Possible

By Mike Rayburn,

Here are 86 books that What if? Dare to Do More Be More and Reach Farther than You Ever Thought Possible fans have personally recommended if you like What if? Dare to Do More Be More and Reach Farther than You Ever Thought Possible. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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

Harold Davis Author Of Creative Black and White: Digital Photography Tips and Techniques

From my list on becoming a more skilled creative photographer.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an artist, photographer, author, and workshop leader, my goal is to help others become more skilled with photographic techniques and more creative with their photographic and artistic practice. I like to tell workshop participants that to take better photographs, one should stand in front of more interesting things. But to become a really better photographer one needs to become a more interesting person. The books in the list have helped me grow as a person and photographer, and I hope they also enhance your technique and your passion as a photographer.

Harold's book list on becoming a more skilled creative photographer

Harold Davis Why did Harold love this book?

This book has been extremely influential and helpful to my journey as a creative photographer. This is a short book and covers material that is often not easy because it gets at some of the deep-seated reasons that many of us find it hard to consistently create art.

The underlying issue is “resistance”: a force that is the antithesis of creativity and serves to stymie us all to a greater or lesser degree. I have found the succinct discussion of resistance in the book, along with tools and techniques for overcoming resistance, one of the most valuable discussions I have encountered in my journey as a photographer and artist.

By Steven Pressfield,

Why should I read it?

25 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 Mastery: The Keys to Success and Long-Term Fulfillment

Kourosh Dini Author Of Workflow Mastery: Building from the Basics

From my list on people who want to do work they find meaningful.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love playing music and games, helping others in therapy, being a father and husband, among other things. It’s taken me some time to figure out how to not only stay on top of them all, but to enjoy myself along the way. The answer to doing so is about finding and guiding play in work. Picasso's statement rings true: "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." Mastery and feelings of success flow when work is imbued with play. As a psychoanalyst and now as a writer, I work with both clients and readers to help them find meaning and mastery in the day-to-day.

Kourosh's book list on people who want to do work they find meaningful

Kourosh Dini Why did Kourosh love this book?

Mastery goes hand in hand with getting on top of work. Leonard gave me the long view. He does an excellent job of describing how mastery is better considered a process, a path you travel more so than a line you pass. Viewing one's craft as a series of peaks and plateaus and, more importantly, staying on the path is the work of mastery. 

By George Leonard,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Drawing on Zen philosophy and his expertise in the martial art of aikido, bestselling author George Leonard shows how the process of mastery can help us attain a higher level of excellence and a deeper sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in our daily lives.

Whether you're seeking to improve your career or your intimate relationships, increase self-esteem or create harmony within yourself, this inspiring prescriptive guide will help you master anything you choose and achieve success in all areas of your life. In Mastery, you'll discover:

* The 5 Essential Keys to Mastery
* Tools for Mastery
* How to…


Book cover of The Power of Focus: How to Hit Your Business, Personal and Financial Targets with Absolute Confidence and Certainty

Anne Bachrach Author Of Live Life With No Regrets: How the Choices We Make Impact Our Lives

From my list on to catapult your business and your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

My main goal and purpose in life is to make a difference in people’s lives by helping you overcome obstacles that hold you back, so you can make more money, work less, and enjoy having even better work-life balance. Helping you realize how you can get around roadblocks that hold you back from achieving what you truly want in life gets me excited. I think many people make business and life so much harder than it needs to be and I like to share powerful books and resources that help you focus on how you can more easily realize your potential, accelerate your results, and fulfill what's truly important to you in life.

Anne's book list on to catapult your business and your life

Anne Bachrach Why did Anne love this book?

The bottom line is that the people who focus on what they want, not what they don’t want, achieve their goals and even accelerate the achievement of their goals. So many times we have limiting beliefs (things we don’t want to happen) that get our focus and that is the wrong thing to focus on. No matter what you want in business or in life, the power of focus will help you get there. This book helps you to focus on your strengths and eliminate what holds you back from getting to where you ultimately want to go. It can help you change bad habits into habits that will serve you much better in life. This is a powerful book to help you no matter where you are or what you want in your business and life.

By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Hewitt

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

More than 600,000 people around the world have been captivated by the simple, practical, and profound strategies contained in the original bestseller, The Power of Focus. Now a decade later, authors Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Les Hewitthave joined forces to create a special 10th Anniversary Edition of this enduring classic. Each of these masters of business and personal development provides a crystal-clear picture of why your ability to focus is even more vital today in determining your future success.  Readers will discover:
The keys to prosperity in a turbulent economy A personal look at the last ten years…


Book cover of The Power of Positive Thinking: 10 Traits for Maximum Results

Anne Bachrach Author Of Live Life With No Regrets: How the Choices We Make Impact Our Lives

From my list on to catapult your business and your life.

Why am I passionate about this?

My main goal and purpose in life is to make a difference in people’s lives by helping you overcome obstacles that hold you back, so you can make more money, work less, and enjoy having even better work-life balance. Helping you realize how you can get around roadblocks that hold you back from achieving what you truly want in life gets me excited. I think many people make business and life so much harder than it needs to be and I like to share powerful books and resources that help you focus on how you can more easily realize your potential, accelerate your results, and fulfill what's truly important to you in life.

Anne's book list on to catapult your business and your life

Anne Bachrach Why did Anne love this book?

There is so much great content in this book, it is hard to only have a few words to talk about the huge benefits of reading it. The first chapter, "Believe in Yourself", starts the book with powerful and thought-provoking content. Sometimes the older books can have the biggest impact on us as we go through our life – both for our career and in our personal life. This book has been and will continue to be one of the most recommended books in history, I believe. If you haven’t read it yet or if it has been a while, I strongly recommend you read it for the first time or read it again. The power of positive thinking can have a huge impact on your business and your life.

By Norman Vincent Peale,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'you do not need to be defeated by anything, ... you can have peace of mind, improved health, and a never-ceasing flow of energy.'

The Power of Positive Thinking is a practical, direct-action application of spiritual techniques to overcome defeat and win confidence, success and joy. Norman Vincent Peale, the father of positive thinking and one of the most widely read inspirational writers of all time, shares his famous formula of faith and optimism which he developed himself by trial and error whilst searching for a way of life.

Millions of people have taken Peale's teachings as their own simple…


Book cover of The Art of Profitability

Ryan Buckley Author Of The Parallel Entrepreneur: How to start and run B2B businesses while keeping your day job

From my list on how to start a side hustle.

Why am I passionate about this?

I studied economics and environmental policy but landed in entrepreneurship. I wrote The Parallel Entrepreneur after I sold my first company and continued to work on Rbucks, my blog, after I joined the next company. Outside of work I volunteer frequently in my community. I’m an Associate Professor in the Business Department at Diablo Valley College, where I teach marketing and sit on the advisory boards for both the Business and Computer Science departments. I also lead the Diablo Valley Tech Initiative (DVTI), an economic development organization incubated at DVC. Related to DVTI, I run Lamorinda Entrepreneurs, a community group that promotes and supports local entrepreneurship. I have a Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School and a MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Ryan's book list on how to start a side hustle

Ryan Buckley Why did Ryan love this book?

This book came by recommendation from Jonathan Siegel, the brains and brawn behind Xenon Partners, a private equity firm that I joined in 2018. This book summarizes several profit models presented by a fictional mentor coaching a business executive. It’s clever, poignant, and was helpful to me in thinking about other profitable business models. For example, in my side-hustle life, I use the Profit-Multiplier Model: running multiple small SaaS businesses in parallel using the same tech stack (make money off the same good or skill in different markets).

By Adrian Slywotzky,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Presented in 23 compact lessons, THE ART OF PROFITABILITY features an ongoing tutorial between two fictitious individuals: the old and wise teacher, David Shao, the business master, and his pupil, Steve Gardner, a young and ambitious manager. Along the way, Zhao goes through a number of business models and pushes his student to examine how a variety of businesses go about making money. Through Zhao's teachings, Steve begins to see how profits can be improved simply by taking a step back and gaining a new perspective.


Book cover of Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

Anna E. Hampton Author Of Facing Danger: A Guide Through Risk

From my list on navigate danger in humanitarian work.

Why am I passionate about this?

I went to Afghanistan under the first Taliban government as a humanitarian aid worker. During the following decade, I experienced inadequate emotional, mental, and theological support from those who had sent me out. I began to research the field of risk and found a wealth of literature on how humans make decisions, how we see (or don’t see) danger, how to manage risk and fear, and more. We ignore the best practices and common sense of these fields to our peril. I am passionate about helping people not feel isolated and alone when they choose to serve in dangerous situations.

Anna's book list on navigate danger in humanitarian work

Anna E. Hampton Why did Anna love this book?

I loved being challenged with the idea that there is something beyond resilience, that strength can be redefined as antifragility, and the application of this concept is infinite. Often shocked and kept off balance by the unorthodox words he created and paired, the uncertainty as he jumped from ancient Greece to the 21st century in one paragraph, I was forced as a reader to analyze old ideas through a novel lens.

I admit I feel a little smarter and less fragile, but I am still a novice as a flâneur. I agree with “I’d rather be dumb and antifragile than extremely smart and fragile, any time,” though I don’t pretend to understand everything Taleb means by this. Thankfully, he left a glossary of all his innovative words.

By Nassim Nicholas Taleb,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Antifragile as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Really made me think about how I think' - Mohsin Hamid, author of Exit West

Tough times don't last. Tough people do.

In The Black Swan, Taleb showed us that highly improbable and unpredictable events underlie almost everything about our world. Here Taleb stands uncer tainty on its head, making it desirable, even necessary. The antifragile is beyond the resilient or robust. The resil ient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better and better.

Just as human bones get stronger when subjected to stress and tension, many things in life benefit from stress, disorder, volatility, and turmoil.…


Book cover of I Love It Here: How Great Leaders Create Organizations Their People Never Want to Leave

Dan Hill Author Of Two Cheers for Democracy: How Emotions Drive Leadership Style

From my list on the heart of leaders when democracy is at risk.

Why am I passionate about this?

My family moved to Italy when I was six, and I attended Italian first grade in a fishing village where I had to rely on reading body language as I didn’t grasp the language for a bit. Fortunately for me, Italians have lots of body language to read so I could navigate the inevitable cliques and power dynamics evident even at the elementary school level. From that experience to being taken to view the Dachau concentration camp a year later, I’ve always been sensitive to how “the other” gets treated—often unfairly—and the role leaders can play for good or evil.

Dan's book list on the heart of leaders when democracy is at risk

Dan Hill Why did Dan love this book?

Trust is, indeed, the emotion of business but it’s also just a starting point. The endpoint is by contrast to be delayed as long as possible, as retaining workers is best achieved by making them feel appreciated and given respect and a fair degree of autonomy. Great leaders can follow this recipe whether in business, the non-profit sector, or beyond.

By Clint Pulver,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked I Love It Here as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Give your employees something good to talk about.

Emmy Award-winning speaker Clint Pulver-aka the Undercover Millennial-shares insights gleaned from more than ten thousand undercover interviews with employees across the country, revealing the best methods for identifying talent, building a sense of ownership, and developing a successful workplace culture that employees will love. You'll also learn the number one driver of employee turnover (spoiler: it has everything to do with you!), what you can do to stop an exodus, and how to build a team that really works. Soon, you'll be recognizing possibilities where others see problems, and capturing the power…


Book cover of Sam the Man & the Chicken Plan

Laurie Calkhoven Author Of Roosevelt Banks and the Attic of Doom

From my list on laugh-out-loud chapters.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a former book publishing professional turned full-time children’s book author. I’ve never swallowed a frog, battled imaginary bears, or had a slime war with ghosts like my character, Roosevelt Banks, but I have written more than fifty books for children. These range from beginning readers (You Should Meet Misty Copeland) and chapter books (Roosevelt Banks, Good-Kid-in-Training) to middle grade historical novels (Daniel at the Siege of Boston, 1775).

Laurie's book list on laugh-out-loud chapters

Laurie Calkhoven Why did Laurie love this book?

Sam the Man wants a job. His next-door neighbor will pay him a whole dollar each time he can convince her dad, Mr. Stockfish, to join him for a daily walk. But getting Mr. Stockfish to leave the living room isn’t easy. So when another neighbor asks if Sam would like to watch her chickens, he jumps at the chance. Chicken-sitting is way more fun than he expects, and soon Sam the Man is watching a chicken of his very own. The story is satisfying and funny and readers will want to learn all about Sam’s adventures in the rest of the series. Sam’s creative problem-solving skills had me laughing out loud.

By Frances O'Roark Dowell, Amy June Bates (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sam the Man & the Chicken Plan as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 6, 7, 8, and 9.

What is this book about?

Sam the Man wants to earn some money and he’s got a cluck-worthy plan in this endearing chapter book that’s the first in a new series from Frances O’Roark Dowell.

Sam the Man needs a job. His sister gets twenty bucks a pop for mowing people’s lawns. But seven-year-olds aren’t allowed to mow lawns, so Sam decides to ask his next door neighbor if she needs help doing other chores. It turns out she’ll pay him a whole dollar each time he can convince her dad, Mr. Stockfish, to join him for a daily walk. But it turns out that…


Book cover of The New Games Book

Chris Buckingham Author Of Business Planning for Games

From my list on translating your great ideas into a winning games business.

Why am I passionate about this?

Games and playing have always played a part of my life. I have created games and businesses and been fortunate enough to have worked with both at various levels as a mentor and guide. For me, this is the gift that keeps giving. The tee-shirt wearing creatives and the suit folk with their business acumen we seek to help scale our ideas. I have worked for years at the nexus of these tribes, and still find it a thrill to learn about the visions people have for the wonderful world of games and play and the oblique outcomes we couldn’t have predicted.

Chris' book list on translating your great ideas into a winning games business

Chris Buckingham Why did Chris love this book?

My copy is from 1976. It is a timeless classic that speaks to the human at the center of everything we play together.

This book serves to remind us that games don’t have to be digital experiences. Sometimes exploring ideas and being creative can lead to new paradigms of seeing each other as contributors to our joy and excitement of playing games.

I never tire of reading this book and learning of the scale and scope for being players and playing well together. The games in this book are co-created with a community of players, isn’t that the way it should be?

As game designers, when we pitch to investors, we often forget to include the joy and love that our customers, players, and users find in our games. 

By New Games Foundation, Andrew Fluegelman (editor),

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

More than sixty games in which two to two hundred players can participate all require elements of trust and cooperation


Book cover of Corporate Finance: Principles and Practice

Ian Pagdin and Michelle Hardy Author Of Investment and Portfolio Management: A Practical Introduction

From my list on making finance interesting and engaging (especially if you’re not an academic).

Why am I passionate about this?

We first met about 10 years ago at Sheffield Hallam University, bonding as work colleagues over a love of enabling students to understand wealth management and finance in a way that we hoped they would find interesting and accessible. The books we chose mix our love of storytelling and making finance accessible by using real-world experiences. They do this in a unique way, challenging the reader to think about their understanding and perspective, something we try to do every day. It has been lovely to reread these books before writing the reviews, reminding us of what makes us tick. We hope they help you to find your tick too. 

Ian and Michelle's book list on making finance interesting and engaging (especially if you’re not an academic)

Ian Pagdin and Michelle Hardy Why did Ian and Michelle love this book?

We like this book because it has a “reader-friendly” style, which is particularly important for anyone unfamiliar with the subject. This also makes it practical for students of all levels and those interested in exploring a new area of interest.

The main topics of corporate finance are covered, giving detailed explanations of key principles while considering real-life situations by utilising practical examples to illustrate the issues explored. It provides an effective bridge between theory and practical application of techniques used by professional managers to achieve corporate objectives. The inclusion of questions for review and discussion allows the reader to self-test and reflect on their understanding and encourage critical thinking.

Our advice, brew a big mug of tea and make a start.

By Denzil Watson, Antony Head, Dora Chan

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Familiarise yourself with the core concepts surrounding Corporate Finance with this reader-friendly text.

Corporate Finance: Principles and Practice, 8th Edition by Denzil Watson and Antony Head, is a comprehensive guide to the field, introducing you to the key topics and basic areas of Corporate Finance. This thoroughly updated edition is ideal for students in accounting, business, or finance-related studies at undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional levels.

Written and structured in a reader-friendly style for those new to the subject, the book explains clearly and step-by-step the essential principles and mathematical techniques needed without burdening you with unnecessary detail. The questions for…


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