Seeker’s Society — A Book Club (For Myself and Anyone Else)
Or just a simple list of great books that woke me up and put me on the trajectory of complete success: Connecting head to heart!
This will be a different style post. This will be more of a journey. And if you’re up for it, come along! And there’s a logo! Here is the into post.
Hello everyone! I’m Jon.
And though, I may be a professional in the office, but outside of work, I’m a fun-loving and funny guy who loves to spend time with my family.
I’ve realized that there’s more to life than just working to climb the corporate ladder, and I’m excited to start a book club called “Seeker’s Society” to explore new ideas and connect head to heart on this journey we call life.
I know the struggle all too well — the long hours, the endless meetings, the constant barrage of emails and then you get home… (which comes with it’s own todo’s).
But despite the craziness of our daily lives, we all have a burning desire to constantly improve ourselves, familes, and our careers. And as we all know, the only way to do that is through reading, learning, and doing.
Ok, Let’s be honest.
I’ve been reading alot, alone but now in 2023, I feel compelled to share some of those notes in the new “book club project”, which I’ve dubbed “Seeker’s Society”.
Totally, ok going it alone, but consider joining me as we read and discuss books that will help us grow and discover new perspectives together. Let’s become “seekers” of knowledge and personal growth together!
Where to find the time
But let’s be real, finding the time to read and learn is no easy task. For me, the only time I have to myself is late at night and super early in the morning before my family wakes up.
But let’s be honest, who wants to spend their precious free time with their nose buried in a book? Well, I do, and I’ll tell you why.
I see, reading and learning like working out for your brain. Just like how you can’t expect to see results from working out once a month, you can’t expect to improve yourself or your career if you only dedicate a small portion of your time to reading and learning.
A Journey?
So, if you’re interested, consider this a book club, a challenge, of simply me just sharing short thoughts about good book’s I’ve read over the years.
For the next few months, let’s commit to reading and learning every day.
And not just any reading and learning, but specifically books that will help us in our personal growth and development, our career growth, our financial success and more.
And once we’ve finished a book, let’s share our thoughts and notes with each other. I know, I know, you’re thinking, “But wait, isn’t that what book clubs are for?” And the answer is yes, but let’s be real, who has the time for that?
If you feel compled, leave a comment about your takeaways on the post for that book review.
The Life-Changer List
So, without further ado, here’s a list of books that I plan on reading and sharing my thoughts on in the next few months. And let me tell you, it’s a doozy.
We’ve got business books, personal development books, career growth books, finance books, and even books on healthy living.
But don’t worry, I’ll be sure to include a healthy dose of humor in my thoughts and notes, because let’s be real, personal development can be pretty dry without it.
As time goes on, each title will become a link to the post of my review and personal notes that I’ve never shared before. I figure why not.
I might even add some, or completely cross them out! (ahh!)
Please note, these are not in any particular order and as I find the old journals with my notes, the reviews will also not go in order. So, Click my follow button, W. Jon McClure, and please check back frequently.
[New Update: We now have opened this up into an Amazon Book Club too!]
The goal is 100 books across 8 categories but it looks like this will evolve even greater. I honestly don’t recommend you go read them all but do study the reviews. Also, I have highlighted my favorites.
Currently, there are:
- 10 categories
- 128 books
- ~26 reviews completed
Business:
- “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t” by Jim Collins
- “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu
- “The Innovator’s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail” by Clayton Christensen
- “The Power of Intentional Leadership: Achieving Extraordinary Results Through Clarity, Conviction, and Courage” by John C. Maxwell
- “The 4 Hour Work Week: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferriss
- “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek
- “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies” by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras
- “The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers” by Ben Horowitz
- “The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement” by Eliyahu Goldratt
- “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg
- “The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking” by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird
- “The Business of the 21st Century” by Robert Kiyosaki
- “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale
- “Creativity Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration” by Ed Catmull
- “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
- “Contagious: How to Build Word of Mouth in the Digital Age” by Jonah Berger
Sales:
- “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
- “The Challenger Sale: Taking Control of the Customer Conversation” by Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon
- “The Ultimate Sales Machine: Turbocharge Your Business with Relentless Focus on 12 Key Strategies” by Chet Holmes
- “To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others” by Daniel Pink
- “The Sales Acceleration Formula: Using Data, Technology, and Inbound Selling to go from $0 to $100 Million” by Mark Roberge
- “Spin Selling” by Neil Rackham
- “The Little Red Book of Selling: 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness” by Jeffrey Gitomer
- “The Psychology of Selling: Increase Your Sales Faster and Easier Than You Ever Thought Possible” by Brian Tracy
- “The New Strategic Selling: The Unique Sales System Proven Successful by the World’s Best Companies” by Robert Miller and Stephen Heiman
- “The Science of Selling: Proven Strategies to Make Your Pitch, Influence Decisions, and Close the Deal” by David Hoffeld
- “The Art of Closing the Sale” by Zig Ziglar
- “The Sales Bible: The Ultimate Sales Resource” by Jeffrey Gitomer
- “The Ultimate Sales Letter: Attract New Customers. Boost your Sales” by Dan Kennedy
- “The Power of Persuasion: How We’re Bought and Sold” by Robert Cialdini
- “The One Minute Sales Person” by Spencer Johnson
- “The Sales Manager’s Guide to Greatness: Proven Strategies for Leading Your Team to the Top” by James Muir
- “The Salesperson’s Survival Guide: Proven Strategies for surviving and thriving in any economy” by Mark S. Barry
Personal Development:
- “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change” by Stephen Covey
- “The Molecule of More: How the Science of Desire Can Help You Get More of What You Really Want” by Daniel Lieberman
- “Think and Grow Rich: The Classic Guide to Success” by Napoleon Hill
- “The Power of Positive Thinking: A Practical Guide to Achieving Success Through Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale
- “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle
- “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones” by James Clear
- “The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life” by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
- “The Power of Intentional Leadership: Leading with a Purpose” by John C. Maxwell
- “The 4 Hour Work Week: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich” by Timothy Ferriss
- “The Magic of Thinking Big: Achieving Your Goals and Living Your Dreams” by David J. Schwartz
- “The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking: Maximize Your Potential and Enhance Your Learning” by Edward B. Burger and Michael Starbird
- “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg
- “The Power of Broke: How Facing Adversity, Building From Nothing, and Creating Success on Your Own Terms” by Daymond John
- “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle
- “The Power of Vulnerability: The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown
- “Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy” by Viktor Frankl
- “Living Forward: Creating Your Future” by Michael Hyatt
Money:
- “Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!” by Robert Kiyosaki
- “The Intelligent Investor: The Classic Text on Value Investing” by Benjamin Graham
- “The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness” by Morgan Housel
- “The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness” by Dave Ramsey
- “The Simple Path to Wealth: Your road map to financial independence and a rich, free life” by JL Collins
- “The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns” by John C. Bogle
- “The Intelligent Asset Allocator: How to Build Your Portfolio to Maximize Returns and Minimize Risk” by William Bernstein
- “The Wealth of Nations” by Adam Smith
- “The Millionaire Mind” by Thomas J. Stanley
- “A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing” by Burton Malkiel
- “The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- “The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money” by Carl Richards
- “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine” by Michael Lewis
- “The Investment Answer: Learn to Manage Your Money & Protect Your Financial Future” by Daniel C. Goldie and Gordon S. Murray
- “The Wealthy Barber: Everyone’s Commonsense Guide to Becoming Financially Independent” by David Chilton
- “The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness” by Dave Ramsey
Health:
- “The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-term Health” by T. Colin Campbell
- “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” by Christopher McDougall
- “The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman” by Timothy Ferriss
- “The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom” by Dallas Hartwig and Melissa Hartwig
- “The Secret Life of Plants” by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird
- “The Body Reset Diet: Power Your Metabolism, Blast Fat, and Shed Pounds in Just 15 Days” by Harley Pasternak
- “The 5 Factor Diet: The Simple Secret of Healthy Eating for a Leaner, Younger You” by Harley Pasternak
- “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg
- “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest” by Dan Buettner
- “The New Rules of Lifting: Six Basic Moves for Maximum Muscle” by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove
- “The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions — Today” by Julia Ross
- “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals” by Michael Pollan
- “The Art of Racing in the Rain: A Novel” by Garth Stein
- “The Power of Movement: How to Unlock Your Body’s True Potential” by Katy Bowman
- “The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods That Cause Disease and Weight Gain” by Steven R. Gundry
Wisdom:
- “Ego is the Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent” by Ryan Holiday
- The Bhagavad Gita: An Ancient Text for Modern Times by Sage Vyasa
- “The Tao Te Ching” by Lao Tzu
- “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu
- “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius
- “The Analects of Confucius”
- “Between Heaven and Earth: A guide to Chinese Medicine”
- “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
- “Building a Second Brain: The Complete Guide to Personal Knowledge Management” by Tiago Forte
- “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth” by T. Harv Eker
- “Splankna: A Christian Healing Modality” by Sarah Thiessen
Parenting:
- “How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2–7” by Joanna Faber and Julie King
- “The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson
- “The Parent’s Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents” by William Martin
- “Busy Toddler’s Guide to Actual Parenting: A Hand-on Guide for Raising Confident, Independent Kids” by Susie Allison
- “Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders” by Dr. Robert Melillo
- “Family Board Meetings: How to Build a Stronger, Happier Family” by Jim Sheils
- “The New Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence” by James C. Dobson
- “NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children” by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
- “How to Raise an Adult: Break Free From Overparenting” by Julie Lythcott-Haims (Author)
Entrepreneurship:
- “Who Not How: The Formula for Effortless Success” by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy
- “Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime” by M.J. DeMarco
- “$100M Offers: How to Create, Build and Scale a High-Velocity Sales Machine” by Alex Hormozi
- “Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World” by Cal Newport
- “The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses” by Eric Ries
- “The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It” by Michael Gerber
- “The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs” by Kevin D. Johnson
Alchemy
- “How To Own Your Own Mind” by Napoleon Hill
- “Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” by Max Tegmark
- *“The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” by Joseph Murphy
- *”The Biology of Belief” by Bruce H. Lipton
- “The Courage to Be Disliked: The Japanese Phenomenon That Shows You How to Change Your Life and Achieve Real Happiness” by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
- “The Big Questions of Life” by Unknown
- “Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing” by Caroline Myss
- “The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance” by Edwene Gaines
- “The Prosperous Heart: Creating a Life of ‘Enough’” by Julia Cameron
- “Money, and the Law of Attraction: Learning to Attract Wealth, Health, and Happiness” by Esther Hicks and Jerry Hicks
- “The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life” by Lynne Twist
- “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Humanity
- “The Zero Waste Home” by Bea Johnson
- “No Impact Man” by Colin Beavan
- “Waste Not: How to Get the Most from Your Food” by James Beard Foundation
- “The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined” by Steven Pinker
- “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson
- “Mountains Beyond Mountains” by Tracy Kidder
- “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
- “Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, And How to Reverse It” by Robert Lupton
- “The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life” by Lynne Twist
- “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtenay
- “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” by Jane Jacobs
- “Give a Little: How Your Small Donations Can Transform Our World” by Wendy Smith
- “The Hidden Wealth of Nations: The Scourge of Tax Havens” by Gabriel Zucman
Bonus Lists:
Wrapping up
Ok, wow. This certainly evolved significantly longer than expected but it will be a fun project for my creative self.
By committing to reading and learning every day, we can all gain the knowledge and tools necessary to improve ourselves, our families, and our careers.
Above, I have shared a list of books that will help in various areas of personal development, career growth, financial success and a few others.
I will be sharing my thoughts and notes on these books in the next few months, and I invite you to join me on this journey.
This master guide post will be pinned to my profile, so feel free to follow me for updates and insights on these essential books.
Let’s work together to conquer the world of limitless growth, improve ourselves, our careers, and maybe (just maybe) impact the world.
What to do next?
Start: Become a Seeker. Pick up a book and read! Click a title and check out my review of it.
Follow: Join me, W. Jon McClure, on this journey and join Medium too. It’s pretty great and totally worth the membership. Sign Up For Medium Here.
Again, if you’re interested in joining us, sign up for the amazon book club and check out our full list of books. We can’t wait to read with you!
