4 Books to Transform Your Life and Business

Books have always been a source of comfort and knowledge for me. Whether I'm on a vacation or just taking a break, the allure of diving into a good book is irresistible. So in this article, I’m sharing how I find time to read—even in the margins of my day—and four books I read recently that I am so in love with.

How I Find Time to Read

I love when I feel like I have time to read, but let me be honest—in my everyday hustle, finding those quiet moments to turn pages can feel like an illusive luxury. That's where audiobooks come into play. They seamlessly fit into the margins of my day, accompanying me on drives, walks, or even while I'm tidying up the house.

Yet, there's always been a dilemma. The tangible feel of a paperback versus the convenience of an audiobook. There's a certain charm to flipping through physical pages, especially during those quiet nights when I'm cozied up in bed. But then, the allure of a narrator weaving a tale while I'm on the move is equally compelling. 

So, a few years ago, I decided to indulge in both. No more guilt, no more choosing. If a book piques my interest, I get both versions. It's a small indulgence that feels incredibly luxurious.

As I introduce you to four recent books I've relished—both in audio and paper form—I want to extend an invitation. Think about that one book that captivated your heart recently. The one you couldn't put down or stop listening to. I'd love to hear about it. Let's dive into the world of stories and share our favorites.

4 Recent Reading Faves

Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martel: This book teaches you how to calculate your hourly worth and use it to hire out tasks in your business, allowing you to focus on growth and what you love most.

Why I Love It: This book was introduced to me by Stu McLaren when Stu had Dan come speak to our mastermind. When I heard Dan speak about it, I instantly knew this was the book that I needed. I have since devoured every word, and it is so good. 

The concept is that you calculate your buyback rate—how much are you worth per hour? You use that as a filter to hire out anything that you're doing in your business that you don't actually need to be the one doing anymore.

This works for any business at any size—if you are a one person show, you can still read this book and list all of the things that you've been doing that perhaps you could outsource. The key here is that it gives you back your time and you can use that time to do the things that you love most or do the things that only you can do that actually drive a lot of growth to your business.

Dan also does a really good job of helping you analyze the tasks that you're doing and audit whether you should be doing them at all or not. He does a great job of explaining what your very first hire should be and then how you move on from there. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting a peek inside Dan Martel's brain.

Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield: Ideal for those starting an online business, Amy offers logical, step-by-step actions to establish and generate income. Check out episode 28 for an interview with Amy.

Why I Love It: Let me tell you—I would have done anything to have this book when I was starting my business. Even though I’ve been doing this for over a decade, I still took tons of notes. Amy does an incredible job laying out really logical step-by-step actions that you can really get to work on—meaning none of it feels ethereal or over our head. 

It's all very much exactly what you need to do in order to get established and start creating income as a business.So go get a copy of Two Weeks Notice by Amy Porterfield and check out Episode 28 of the Professional Creative to hear a little bit more from Amy herself about this book.

The Power to Change by Craig Groeschel: This book, written by a pastor, explores habit-forming and lasting change. It emphasizes that identity transformation is key to creating new habits that serve your life well.

Why I Love It: Though written from Craig’s perspective as a pastor, this book is really about habit forming and making powerful changes in your life that you want to stick—and I'm all about creating new habits that serve my life well. Reading this book, I would dip in about 10 minutes at a time, and I foud myself thinking about the teaching all day long. The overarching theme is that our behavior is due to what we believe about ourselves—meaning we do what we do because of what we believe about ourselves.

Craig emphasizes that any lasting change or habit has to start with an identity transformation as opposed to just the behavior modification, and it really got me thinking about what I believe about myself, what identities I want to align myself with, and what a person like me does. A person like me gets up early and reads and has a good morning routine. A person like me works out and drinks a lot of water. A person like me is creative and draws every day. It's that kind of thinking. From there, our habits fall into place as we begin tackling more about the type of person that we want to become. My biggest takeaway has been around being disciplined and being able to choose what I want most over what I want in the moment.

High Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard: Covering six unexpected habits of high performers, this book focuses on developing leadership skills and becoming a better leader. 

Why I Love It: I got to hear Brendan speak at a conference last November, and I very much resonated with the way he thinks and the way that he really delivers information. Shortly after, I picked up a copy of this book and enjoyed it immensely—not only because it's about the habits of high performers, but because of the way that he teaches, speaks, and inspires.

This book covers six habits that are actually different than you might expect. It's about clarity, energy, increasing your productivity, developing influence, and demonstrating courage. 

One of my goals over the last few years have been to really work on my leadership skills—not only to become a higher performer, but also to become a better leader. And this book just met me exactly where I was. The audiobook is narrated by Brendan, which I really enjoyed.

Your Turn

Dive into these books and let them transform you, as they did for me. Reading is not just about consuming words, it's about expanding horizons. So, grab a copy (or both versions if you're like me) of any of these books and embark on a journey of self-discovery. And don't forget to share your thoughts, insights, and your favorite reads with me. Let's continue this conversation and grow together.