I once read 30 books in an entire summer, including 10 John Grisham novels. Reading is something that I enjoy doing. I am a paperback kind of guy as I will dog-ear pages, highlight passages, and make notes in the margins. My wife, on the other hand, only reads Kindle books or listens to audio books.
Whatever your preference, it is important that you read. Readers are leaders. As Dr. Seuss said, “The more that you read, the more things that you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
What follows is my recommended list of books in various categories that were published during the last two years. I have previously made recommended book lists of “19 Books to Read in 2019”, “18 Books to Read in 2018”, “15 Best Books for Coaches”, “15 Best Books for Leaders”, and “7 Underrated Books for Leaders”.
COACHING
- THE SOUL OF A TEAM: A Modern-Day Fable for Winning Teamwork by Tony Dungy
- EVERY MOMENT MATTERS: How the World’s Best Coaches Inspire Their Athletes and Build Championship Teams by John O’Sullivan
- THE BUS TRIP: The Story of a Team, A Challenging Season, and Lessons Learned on a Bus Ride by Jamy Bechler
- BELICHICK: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All-Time by Ian O’Connor
- THE CONFIDENT ATHLETE: 4 Easy Steps to Build and Maintain Confidence by Tami Matheny
BUSINESS
- RAISE YOUR GAME: High-Performance Secrets from the Best of the Best by Alan Stein, Jr.
- GRIDIRON GENIUS: A Master Class in Building Teams and Winning at the Highest Levels by Michael Lombardi
- STADIUM STATUS: Taking Your Business to the Big Time by John Brubaker
- THE COFFEE BEAN: A Simple Lesson to Create Positive Change by Jon Gordon
- WHY THE BEST ARE THE BEST: 25 Powerful Words That Impact, Inspire, and Define Champions by Kevin Eastman
LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
- SKIN TO FUR: Takes on Fantasy Sports, Gambling, and Life by Adam Levitan
- BECAUSE OF BURT by Mark Fauser
- COMMANDER AND CHEAT: How Golf Explains Trump by Rick Reilly
- REPUBLICANS BUY SNEAKERS TOO: How the Left is Ruining Sports with Politics by Clay Travis
- RELENTLESS: A Memoir by Julian Edelman
LEADING
- TWO FEET FORWARD: Everyday Lessons in Leadership by Heather Macy
- DEVELOPING THE LEADER WITHIN YOU 2.0 by John C. Maxwell
- HIDDEN TALENT: Uncovering What Really Makes a Champion a Champion by Travis Daugherty
- CHARACTER CARVED IN STONE: The 12 Core Virtues of West Point That Builds Leaders and Produce Success by Pat Williams
- LIVE TO FORGIVE: Moving Forward When Those We Love Hurt Us by Jason Romano
If you are someone that doesn’t have the time to actually read a book, then you might want to check out audio books. Our friends at Audible have a great offer for you. Now, you can get a 30-day trial membership and a free audio book download if you are a first-time subscriber to Audible and visit AudibleTrial.com/SuccessIsAChoice.
Jamy Bechler is a professional speaker and trains organizations on creating championship cultures. Bechler has worked with businesses and teams, including the NBA. He the author of The Leadership Playbook and The Bus Trip, a modern-day sports leadership fable. Bechler also hosts the Success is a Choice Podcast. He spent 20 years as an administrator and college basketball coach. To connect with him or find out how he can help your team, please contact speaking@JamyBechler.com or follow him on twitter at @CoachBechler. You can also subscribe to leadership insights by clicking here.
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