reading that shapes my work

This reading list reflects the ideas, influences, and lived experiences that have shaped how I think about leadership, work, rest, and human potential. It spans high-performance business environments, personal growth, and longer personal journeys that change how we see ourselves and the world. It’s a living list, shaped over time through my work in corporate leadership alongside years of meditation practice and study. 

These books are not endorsements of any single philosophy, but a transparent look at the influences that continue to inform how I think, lead, teach, and engage in conversation. 

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DISCIPLINE, PERFORMANCE, AND DOING HARD THINGS
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A Walk in the Park – Kevin Fedarko
Born to Walk – Mark Sisson
Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins
Do Hard Things – Steve Magness
Never Finished – David Goggins
Winning – Tim S. Grover
12 Rules for Life – Jordan B. Peterson

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LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY, AND HOW WORK ACTUALLY FUNCTIONS
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Buy Back Your Time – Dan Martell

Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni
Good to Great – Jim Collins

How Women Rise – Sally Helgesen & Marshall Goldsmith
Likeable Badass – Alison Fragale
Never Split the Difference – Chris Voss
Powerful – Patty McCord
Radical Focus – Christina Wodtke
Rework – Jason Fried
Setting the Table – Danny Meyer
The 6 Types of Working Genius – Patrick Lencioni
The Oz Principle – Roger Connors
Traction – Gino Wickman
Unreasonable Hospitality – Will Guidara
Your Next Five Moves – Patrick Bet-David

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ATTENTION, BURNOUT, AND SUSTAINABLE HUMAN ENERGY
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Heavily Meditated – Dave Asprey
Intuitive Eating – Evelyn Tribole
Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout – Kristin Neff
Return to Life – Jim B. Tucker
Smarter Not Harder – Dave Asprey
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion – Christopher Germer

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CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE, AWARENESS, AND INNER WORK
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Access Super Consciousness – RJ Spina
Awakening Your Inner Shaman – Marcela Lobos
Becoming Nobody – Ram Dass
Being Peace – Thich Nhat Hanh
Meditations for Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself – Joe Dispenza
Selfistry – Sarah Marshank
The Art of Living – Thich Nhat Hanh
The Daring to Rest – Karen Brody
The Four Agreements – Don Miguel Ruiz
The Wisdom of the Shamans – Don Jose Ruiz
Think Like a Monk – Jay Shetty
Yoga Nidra – Julie Lusk
You Are the Placebo – Joe Dispenza

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MEANING, CONSCIOUSNESS, AND THE LARGER HUMAN QUESTIONS
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Destiny of Souls – Michael Newton
Many Lives, Many Masters – Brian Weiss
Proof of Heaven – Eben Alexander
The Afterlife Frequency – Mark Anthony
The Seat of the Soul – Gary Zukav
The Wisdom Wheel – Alberto Villoldo

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NON-FICTION STORY, JOURNEY, AND PERSPECTIVE
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Acid for the Children – Flea
Along the Way – Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez
Born a Crime – Trevor Noah
Pilgrim – Carolyn Gillespie
The Camino – Shirley MacLaine
The Camino Way – Victor Prince
The Journey in Between – Keith Foskett
The Pilgrimage – Paulo Coelho
Walking with Sam – Andrew McCarthy