Once again, reading has been a project booster in 2023 for me.
I bought 59 books. Read 45.
I focused on specific learning topics in the second half of the year. The technical and commercial aspects of coaching and copywriting.
Here are my best discoveries of 2023 to speed up your 2024 projects.
- First part of the year here, the books that had the biggest impact on me in the first 6 months of 2023)
- Second part just below 👇
10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy
I discovered Dan Sullivan in 2023.
His books have touched me deeply. He often focuses on principles rather than techniques. (see my favorite principle-based book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)
The main idea: 10X is easier than 2X.
2X is linear. If I work twice as hard, I can create twice as much. This is the technique of brute force.
I used it a lot in the first part of my career .
10X can no longer rely on this concept. It forces us to find other options. To think big and combine our creativity.
I’m ambitious by nature, but to develop my coaching business, I’ve set the constraint of working a maximum of 6 hours a day. 10X helped me reconcile these seemingly contradictory elements and turn them into assets.
A read packed with stories that highlight the change of perspective, commitment, and courage of those who put this principle into practice.
A book to help you accelerate your important projects using more than brute force.
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The Truth about Leadership: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know by James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner.
Leadership is often associated with complexity, reserved for a ruling elite, and with theories that are sometimes incomprehensible…
The two authors do the opposite. They simplify it.
They remind us that, whatever our position, title or professional activity. We all have the choice to exercise our leadership.
And like a sportsman who trains every day, leadership is a muscle that needs to be worked in action.
My corporate coaching offer is very much based on this idea.
CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, Vikram Malhotra
Whether you’re intrigued or interested in the position.
Or simply because you think good practices can be duplicated in other parts of life, this book will interest you.
The authors have selected, analyzed, and extracted the practices of the best CEOs. They give us a (fairly) simple roadmap to speed up our important projects.
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The Complete Corporate Coaching Toolkit: The Quintessential Guide for 21st Century Business Coaches and Leaders by Monica Jonsson
Leadership, communication, emotional intelligence, and many more are illustrated with examples and exercises.
A clear book that coaches can use, but also leaders looking for continuous improvement.
I read all my books on Kindle, but I like to have this one close to me in paper and re-read a theme that interests me.
Self-coaching is no easy task, and this book makes it easier.
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Getting Started in Personal and Executive Coaching: How to Create a Thriving Coaching Practice by Stephen G. Fairley
There are many books on the technical side of coaching.
But very little (serious) about the commercial aspect.
This one’s relatively old but based on business development principles.
It doesn’t promise you an explosion in a few weeks but rather in-depth work to help your business grow step by step.
If you’re in a corporate-focused service business looking to expand, this book is a solid practical guide to help you along the way.
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Conclusion
This year has further strengthened my belief.
Reading is a project booster(See my method for getting the most out of my reading here).
Of the 45 books I read, 13 focused on corporate coaching, 12 on business development and 3 on copywriting.
Each of these dives into a specific subject has accelerated one of my major projects.
- Corporate coaching: The technical side of my business.
- Business development: The business side of my activity.
- Copywriting: Newsletters and blogs.
How could you use reading to speed up one of your major projects in 2024?
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