I read eight books in 2023. This is more than last year (I read a whopping four) but less than 2021 (I read 14). I’m not mad at this number because, like last year, I didn’t set a specific reading goal or really even make it a priority. I did want to try to read more fiction (I almost always choose non-fiction), but I only ended up reading one fiction book this year. Even though my number of books read is far from impressive, I still enjoy sharing a memorable quote and brief review of the ones I did read and so I’ll continue to do so at the end of each year.
Here are the eight books I read in 2023, ranked:
RELATED READINGS:
Books I Read In 2022, Ranked
Books I Read In 2021, Ranked
8. The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others Do in 12 Months by Brian P. Moran
Rating: 3/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “The secret to living your life to its potential is to value the important stuff above your own comfort. Therefore, the critical first step to executing well is creating and maintaining a compelling vision of the future that you want even more than you desire your own short-term comfort, and then aligning your shorter term goals and plans, with that long-term vision.”
Quick Take: This motivating book demonstrates the importance of having a 12 week time frame (i.e. a sense of urgency) to drive and achieve one’s goals. I like how the case studies presented in the book can be applicable to not just business, but to life as well.
RELATED READING: Book Takeaways: ‘Atomic Habits’
7. Happy Place by Emily Henry
Rating: 3/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “No,” he says quietly. “In every universe, it’s you for me. Even if it’s not me for you.”
Quick Take: My friend and co-worker adores this book and suggested it to me. With the exception of a story ending detail that left me vexed, I enjoyed the beautiful imagery, flashbacks and how the story featured both a love story and a close friend group.
6. Aesthetic Intelligence: How to Boost It and Use It in Business and Beyond by Pauline Brown
Rating: 3/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “Aesthetic propositions shift consumers motivations from functional and transactional to experiential, aspirational and memorable.”
Quick Take: I like to read business books every now and then and this one, especially, piqued my interest. (I love the title alone.) The book, written by a former leader of one of the world’s top luxury goods company, contains strategies on how to use the power of aesthetics/senses to create products, services and experiences that stand out to customers. I found the book – particularly the numerous marketing case studies – to be both interesting and insightful.
5. Young Forever: The Secrets to Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life by Dr. Mark Hyman MD
Rating: 3/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “If there is one single cause of accelerated aging and diseases of aging, it is this: sugar and starch (especially flour) and the resulting metabolic chaos and insulin resistance. You might be tired of hearing this over and over, but eliminating sugar and flour is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your health and extend your life, not only for your hormones and neurotransmitters, but also for every other core system.”
Quick Take: This book presents easy to understand information on the science of longevity and expands on the topics of lifestyle, diet, exercise and supplements. While insightful, I do feel like I gained a little more value from Outlive – See directly below.
4. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia MD
Rating: 4/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “The single most powerful item in our preventive tool kit is exercise, which has a two-pronged impact on Alzheimer’s disease risk: it helps maintain glucose homeostasis, and it improves the health of our vasculature.”
Quick Take: I got a lot out of this book and highly recommend it. It covers a wide range of topics related to health and longevity, provides numerous examples and gives actionable advice.
3. Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism by Fumio Sasaki
Rating: 4/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “The glory of acquisition starts to dim with use, eventually changing to boredom as the item no longer elicits even a bit of excitement. This is the pattern of everything in our lives. No matter how much we wish for something, over time it becomes a normal part of our lives, and then a tired old item that bores us, even though we did actually get our wish. And we end up being unhappy.”
Quick Take: Every now and then I will read a book or article on the topic of minimalism. While I am FAR from a minimalist, I have a high regard for the principals and try to be cognizant of them whenever I make a purchase or de-clutter my belongings. This book is inspiring and motivating to part with the excess so we are not bogged down or burdened with so many possessions. I also really appreciated the author’s honesty and vulnerability with his personal story/journey to minimalism.
2. Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most by Cassie Holmes
Rating: 4/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “People with too little time are significantly less happy and less satisfied in life.”
Quick Take: This was an enjoyable read on how to achieve the absolute most out of your time, thus creating “happier hours.” It’s full of research-backed information and practical ideas on how to increase mindfulness and ensure you’re living your life to the fullest.
And my number one favorite book I read in 2023 was…
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1. Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within by David Goggins
Rating: 5/5 stars
Memorable Quote/Passage: “People who feel sorry for themselves are obsessed with their own problems and their own fate. Is that really much different than the greedy and egotistical people who want to feel better than everybody else? The higher I climb in my life, the more I realize how much I need to mop that floor. Because that’s where all the knowledge is. There is no grit at the top, no tests of resolve in steak dinners, five-star hotels, or spa treatments. Once you make it in this world, you have to freefall back to the bottom in some way to keep learning and growing.”
Quick Take: David Goggins has been a life-changing figure for me. His story of what he has endured, overcome and achieved is captivating and incredibly inspiring. If you’re not familiar with him, he is a retired Navy SEAL and is considered by many to be among the world’s best ultra-endurance athletes. He’s not at all about accolades. For him it’s all about achieving his personal best and pushing himself well past his comfort zone. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook as it contains three hours of bonus content featuring deeper insights and never-before-told stories. Goggins vehemently declares this is not a self-help book, but if you’re looking for a book that will motivate/really fire you up, this is it. *TIP: Read his first book – ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ – first and also check out his Instagram account where he shares more of his philosophy on discipline and mindset.
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