Recommendations based on The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Changeby Adam Braun

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

    by Charles Duhigg
    Uncovering the science of habit formation and how to use it to achieve success.

    A young woman walks into a laboratory. Over the past two years, she has transformed almost every aspect of her life. She has quit smoking, run a marathon, and been promoted at work. The patterns ... (Goodreads)

  2. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

    by Atul Gawande
    An exploration of the human experience of mortality and the importance of end-of-life care.

    In, Being Mortal, author Atul Gawande tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending Medicine has triumphed in modern ... (Goodreads)

  3. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

    by Sheryl Sandberg
    An exploration of gender dynamics in the workplace and solutions for women to achieve success.

    Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In is a massive cultural phenomenon and its title has become an instant catchphrase for empowering women. The book soared to the top of bestseller lists internationally, ... (Goodreads)

  4. Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

    by Peter Thiel
    A guide to launching a startup, exploring the power of entrepreneurship.

    If you want to build a better future, you must believe in secrets. The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, ... (Goodreads)

  5. Start Something That Matters

    by Blake Mycoskie
    A guide to creating a successful business that also makes a positive impact on the world.

    Love your work, work for what you love, and change the world—all at the same time. What matters most to you? Should you focus on earning a living, pursuing your passions, or devoting yourself to the ... (Goodreads)

  6. Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity

    by Hugh MacLeod
    A witty and insightful guide to unlocking your creative potential, with practical advice and humorous illustrations.

    When Hugh MacLeod was a struggling young copywriter living in a YMCA, he started to doodle on the backs of business cards while sitting at a bar. Those cartoons eventually led to a popular ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan

    by Jenny Nordberg
    An exploration of the secret lives of Afghan girls who live as boys for safety, security, and independence.

    An investigative journalist uncovers a hidden custom that will transform your understanding of what it means to grow up as a girl. In Afghanistan, a culture ruled almost entirely by men, the birth of ... (Goodreads)

  8. Models: Attract Women Through Honesty

    by Mark Manson
    A guide to attracting women through honesty, vulnerability, and authenticity, rather than manipulation or deceit.

    Models is the first book ever written on seduction as an emotional process rather than a logical one, a process of connecting with women rather than impressing them. It's the most mature and honest ... (Barnes & Noble)

  9. Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle

    by Dan Senor
    Exploring the economic success of Israel, and its implications for the global economy.

    What the world can learn from Israel's meteoric economic success. Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion dollar question: How is it that Israel – a country of 7.1 million, only 60 years old, ... (Goodreads)

  10. TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking

    by Chris J. Anderson
    A guide to creating and delivering powerful presentations, to captivate and move an audience.

    New York Times, Bestseller , “Catnip for all the TED fans out there.” ,—Publishers Weekly, “The most insightful book ever written on public speaking . . . a must-read.” —Adam Grant, Wharton professor ... (Barnes & Noble)

  11. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

    by Carol S. Dweck
    Examining the impact of mindset on achievement, and strategies to cultivate a growth mindset for success.

    A newer edition of this book can be found, here., After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the ... (Goodreads)

  12. Seven Years in Tibet

    by Heinrich Harrer
    Exploration of Tibet, told through the story of a man who escapes internment and lives in the region for seven years.

    The book covers the escape of Harrer and his companion, Peter Aufschnaiter , from a British internment camp in India. , Harrer and Aufschnaiter then traveled across Tibet to Lhasa , the capital. Here ... (Wikipedia)

  13. A Civil Action

    by Jonathan Harr
    A legal drama about a court case of corporate negligence, and the resulting tragedy.

    After finding that her child is diagnosed with leukemia , Anne Anderson notices a high prevalence of leukemia, a relatively rare disease, in her city . Eventually she gathers other families and seeks ... (Wikipedia)

  14. MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom

    by Anthony Robbins
    A step-by-step guide to financial freedom, outlining proven strategies to help achieve financial goals.

    Tony Robbins has coached and inspired more than 50 million people from over 100 countries. More than 4 million people have attended his live events. Oprah Winfrey calls him super-human. Now for the ... (Goodreads)

  15. A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science

    by Barbara Oakley
    A guide to help readers overcome math anxiety and improve their learning abilities in math and science.

    Whether you are a student struggling to fulfill a math or science requirement, or you are embarking on a career change that requires a higher level of math competency, A Mind for Numbers offers the ... (Goodreads)

  16. How Google Works

    by Eric Schmidt
    Exploring the secrets of the world's most successful tech giant, offering insight into its inner workings.

    Both Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg came to Google as seasoned Silicon Valley business executives, but over the course of a decade they came to see the wisdom in Coach John Wooden's observation ... (Goodreads)

  17. The Courage to Be Disliked: How to Free Yourself, Change your Life and Achieve Real Happiness

    by Ichiro Kishimi
    Exploring the philosophical roots of happiness through the power of self-determination.

    The Japanese phenomenon that teaches us the simple yet profound lessons required to liberate our real selves and find lasting happiness. The Courage to be Disliked shows you how to unlock the power ... (Goodreads)

  18. Psycho-Cybernetics, A New Way to Get More Living Out of Life

    by Maxwell Maltz
    A guide to improving self-image and achieving goals by learning how to use the mind as a powerful tool.

    Positive wisdom and helpful insights on how to be a successful person,Happiness and success are habits. So are failure and misery. But negative habits can be changed–and, Psycho-Cybernetics, shows ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

    by Marie Kondō
    A guide to mastering the art of decluttering and organizing for a more fulfilling life.

    #1, NEW YORK TIMES, BESTSELLER • The book that sparked a revolution and inspired the hit Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,: the original guide to decluttering your home once and for all. ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It

    by Kelly McGonigal
    A scientific approach to understanding and improving self-control, with practical exercises and real-life examples.

    The first book to explain the new science of self-control and how it can be harnessed to improve our health, happiness, and productivity. After years of watching her students struggling with their ... (Goodreads)

  21. Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose

    by Tony Hsieh
    A business leader's journey from success to significance, showing how to build a corporate culture of happiness.

    You want to learn about the path that we took at Zappos to get to over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales in less than ten years. You want to learn about the path I took that eventually led me to ... (Goodreads)

  22. Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution.

    by Brené Brown
    An exploration of how to courageously confront hardship and use it to build strength and resilience.

    Social scientist Brené Brown has ignited a global conversation on courage, vulnerability, shame, and worthiness. Her pioneering work uncovered a profound truth: Vulnerability—the willingness to show ... (Goodreads)

  23. How Will You Measure Your Life?

    by Clayton M. Christensen
    Exploring the purpose of life through personal stories and business insights.

    In 2010 world-renowned innovation expert Clayton M. Christensen gave a powerful speech to the Harvard Business School's graduating class. Drawing upon his business research, he offered a series of ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Denial of Death

    by Ernest Becker
    A philosophical exploration of how humans cope with the inevitability of death and the impact it has on our lives.

    Winner of the Pulitzer prize in 1974 and the culmination of a life's work, The Denial of Death is Ernest Becker's brilliant and impassioned answer to the "why" of human existence. In bold contrast to ... (Goodreads)

  25. The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

    by Gary Keller
    A guide to unlocking potential by focusing on a single goal and eliminating distractions.

    The One Thing explains the success habit to overcome the six lies that block our success, beat the seven thieves that steal time, and leverage the laws of purpose, priority, and productivity. ... (Goodreads)

  26. Bad Feminist

    by Roxane Gay
    A collection of essays exploring feminism, race, and gender, and their intersections.

    Pink is my favorite color. I used to say my favorite color was black to be, cool, but it is pink—all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read, Vogue, and I’m not doing it ... (Goodreads)

  27. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life

    by Marshall B. Rosenberg
    A guide to understanding communication, fostering healthy relationships and resolving conflicts.

    Do you hunger for skills to improve the quality of your relationships, to deepen your sense of personal empowerment or to simply communicate more effectively? Unfortunately, for centuries our culture ... (Goodreads)

  28. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World

    by Tracy Kidder
    A story of one man's journey to fight poverty, illness, and injustice around the world.

    At the center of Mountains Beyond Mountains stands Paul Farmer. Doctor, Harvard professor, renowned infectious-disease specialist, anthropologist, the recipient of a MacArthur "genius" grant, ... (Goodreads)

  29. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

    by Greg McKeown
    An exploration of the power of focus and clarity of purpose to create a more meaningful, productive life.

    Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin? Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized? Are you often busy but not productive? Do you feel like your time is constantly being ... (Goodreads)

  30. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ

    by Daniel Goleman
    Examines the importance of emotional intelligence and how it affects success.

    #1 BESTSELLER • The groundbreaking book that redefines what it means to be smart, with a new introduction by the author “A thoughtfully written, persuasive account explaining emotional intelligence ... (Barnes & Noble)