Daniel Pink recommends five books: Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning on purpose, Mason Currey's Daily Rituals on creative schedules, Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird on incremental progress, Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow on how the mind works, and Robert Cialdini's Influence on persuasion.
Here are 5 books I want you to read at least once in your lifetime. Number 1, Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This book tells us that the goal of life is not power or pleasure, it's purpose. That if you have a why, you can withstand any how. Number 2, Daily Rituals by Mason Curry. This is an amazing book. This has essentially the daily schedules of over 100 artists, scientists, and thinkers. People like Toni Morrison and Virginia Woolf and George Orwell and Charles Darwin. Absolutely fascinating. Number 3, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. This is nominally a book about writing, but it's really a book about life because it tells us that to get anything done, to make any kind of progress, don't do massive heroic bursts. Instead, take it slow and steady. Take it bird by bird. Number 4: Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. This is a book about thinking, and it tells us we have 2 systems of thinking. One is fast and intuitive and almost always leads us astray. The second one is slow and deliberative, and relying on System 2 thinking is the key to making better decisions. And number 5, Influence by Robert Cialdini. You, no matter what you do, you are persuading and influencing all the time. This book tells you how to do it ethically and effectively. If you read these 5 books, you will be full of wisdom and able to navigate anything that life throws at you.
