The best books on optimism

Raise Your Game peeks behind the curtain and shares the routines and rituals of world-class performers. Elite athletes, musicians, and entrepreneurs are at the top of their game because of the discipline they have during the Unseen Hours. They have made a commitment to establish, tweak and repeat optimal habits in everything they do. Raise Your Game examines the top leaders in sports and business and proves that success is a result of the little things we do all the time.

The basic principles provided in Raise Your Game are basic, but not easy. But the basics work. They always have and they always will. Raise Your Game will inspire and empower readers and organizations to commit to the fundamentals, respect the process, and create a winning mindset.

Happiness is something that everyone desires, yet few know how to obtain. What constitutes true happiness has been a query that has captivated psychologists, philosophers, and religious leaders for centuries. Many meaningful and insightful responses have been the outcome of the struggle to define and describe the elements that are essential to this universal pursuit. As a result, one thing has become clear. Happiness is not achieved by eliminating struggle.

Distilling decades of psychological research into simple language, Dr. Ross provides practical wisdom to effectively face challenges, difficulties, and setbacks. Offering life-transforming truths, Dr. Ross untangles some of life’s toughest issues and shows how anyone can apply hope to make life happier, healthier, and more productive. You don’t have to wait until life isn’t hard to make the choice to be happy!

The Bad Guys: A Student’s/Teacher’s Guide to School Safety and Violence Prevention is a much needed guide to promote school safety and violence prevention. This book directs students on recognizing potential danger and preparation if such an event occurs. The book offers students a pro-active approach to violence prevention. As a supplement, staff members are supported by a teacher’s guide for educators, and bonus student journal section. Parents and educators will appreciate the simple, nonthreating language that creates a school safety message that every child must hear. This book has the potential to save many lives. The partner book is Students Can Help Keeps Schools Safe for children in 3 to 8th grade.

Our ability to think about the future is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. In The Invention of Tomorrow, written with fellow cognitive scientists Thomas Suddendorf and Jonathan Redshaw, we argue that the emergence of foresight transformed humans from unremarkable primates to creatures that hold the destiny of the planet in their hands.

In the book, we break down the science of foresight, showing where this ability comes from, how it works, and how it has made our world. Journeying through biology, psychology, history, and culture, we attempt to show why thinking ahead is at the heart of human nature.

My book, Ignite a Shift, asks readers to reconsider the way they communicate, as well as think, feel, and act, to create new and quantifiable changes in their daily lives. Whether you’re a C-Suite executive seeking ways to become a more effective leader, a parent wanting to improve communication with your teen, or a sales and marketing specialist looking for ways to improve your persuasion and influence prowess, Ignite a Shift offers you the everyday techniques that will help you achieve your goals and succeed in life. 

Amanda is in Paris where she works as a volunteer in a famous bookstore. A dream come true for a book lover like Amanda. But, during a visit to the Paris Opera House there is a bomb threat. Then the lights go out when she’s at the Louvre. Worst of all, a devastating fire blazes in Notre Dame. Why does a mysterious man, who claims to be a busker, writer, and artist, show up every time something bad happens?

Amanda explores the exciting streets of Paris, the fabulous Palace of Versailles, and the gardens of the painter Claude Monet, all the time looking for clues as to who would want to destroy such a beautiful, historic cathedral. 

Millions are anxious or depressed about the condition of the world. Surely, “Troubles are many they’re as deep as a well.” But despite everything, the direction of society is mainly positive.  

Social media and legacy media report only what goes wrong. How about what goes right? In the main, for two generations environmental harm, war, discrimination, and developing-world poverty have been in decline. There is a hopeful narrative rarely heard. It’s Better Than It Looks presents the case in detail. 

Where can you find joy? Gain strength? How should we face our fears? Deal with the death of a loved one? And what about those reoccurring depressing thoughts? While traditional schooling doesn't address such questions, it's exactly what ancient schools of philosophy were all about: They taught you how to live. Even though these schools don't exist anymore, you and I and most people are in as much need of a philosophy that guides us through life as we ever were. This compelling, highly actionable guide shows you how to deal more effectively with whatever life throws at you and live up to your best self.

Bust Your BUTS helps people 10+ understand, prevent, manage, and eliminate procrastination. In this follow-up to my parenting book, Not Now, Maybe Later, I describe 28 BUTS (different reasons why kids procrastinate). I don’t judge—rather I offer concise, relatable explanations, and I share hundreds of practical tips for busting those BUTS. There’s information on motivation, and on how to confront various challenges, become organized, use time wisely, set attainable goals, and become more productive.

Bust Your BUTS received a Benjamin Franklin Award™ from the Independent Book Publishers’ Association. This is the book procrastinators need now. Plus, it’s a timely resource for parents, teachers, or anyone who wants to learn more about effort, responsibility, and fulfillment. A quick and motivating read—no BUTS about it!

What would have to happen from this point going forward for you to live a life of no regrets? That’s why I wrote this book. To help you choose to create the future you really want. Regrets are a waste of time anyway, as you can’t change the past. So, let go of the past and decide to choose to live your life with no regrets from this day forward.

Living a life of no regrets doesn’t mean perfection. It means that we choose to make decisions with a little more thought. When we look back on the choices we have made, will we regret any of the choices? Is a successful and happy life with few or no regrets a choice...? Is success a choice or a chance collision of various uncontrollable factors? If what you are currently doing doesn’t serve you, you can choose to change it right now.

This book is available directly from the author's website.