Peake Productivity

Here are a few books that have changed my life for the better:

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity By David Allen	One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way By Robert Maurer, Ph.D.	Difficult Conversations: How To Discuss What Matters Most
Loyalty To Your Soul: The Heart of Spiritual Psychology By H. Ronald Hulnick and Mary Hulnick	Switch: How To Change Things When Change Is Hard By Chip Heath and Dan Heath	Time Warrior: How to defeat procrastination, people-pleasing... and chaos By Steve Chandler

While there are many great books that have influenced my approach to life, these are the ones that stand out as foundational. I couldn’t keep my list down to just three books any longer, and I trust that you will pick and choose the ones that most call to you. (Updated October 2011)

1. Getting Things Done – This book will give you a picture of how a highly functional productivity system works. It will walk you through how to setup a GTD system so that you can stop keeping ideas in your head, and start keeping them in a trusted system. Read this book to get a clear picture of your ultimate goal and all the benefits that come with working like a zen master.

2. One Small Step Can Change Your Life – This book explains the science behind why small changes work, and major overhauls don’t.  It will show you how to break anything down into the tiny achievable steps that add up to form sustainable improvements in your life. Read this book to understand how to approach building lasting habits, and bear in mind that implementing a productivity system is a series of major changes.

3. Difficult Conversations – This book will teach you to improve your relationships by having, instead of avoiding, uncomfortable conversations. It will give you practical tools to navigate those talks, build an effective team dialogue, and achieve more of your mutual goals. You cannot live a productive life in a vacuum. You must have your teammates (or family) aligned with your vision. Read this as an important step towards building more honest and productive relationships.

4. Loyalty To Your Soul – This book represents a body of work called “Spiritual Psychology” which has been hands down the most influential body of work in shaping my approach to coaching, and to life. Read this book if you’d like to lay down some of the pebbles, stones, rocks and boulders that are holding you back from greater levels of fulfillment and success. You may also visit: www.universityofsantamonica.edu for more information.

5. Switch – Here is a brilliant research-packed book on how motivation works in the real world. This is the book to read if you or your team lack the luster to face a challenge with your 100%. If you can train your brain to think and solve motivation problems using this framework, you will be an unstoppable force.

6. Time Warrior – Here are 100 short and delicious chapters filled with master coach Steve Chandler’s lessons for becoming a Time Warrior. If you’ve ever struggled with procrastination, people-pleasing or overwhelm, this book will give you the vision and the roadmap to turn your life into a work of art. You won’t be able to put this one down; I read it in just a few days.

Now get reading

I would love to hear your thoughts about these books at any time. Please leave a comment below and I will respond personally.

But, Lisa, I don’t have time to read

Please meet my friend, Audible.com. You can listen to many books on the train, plane or automobile, or my personal favorite, the sauna.

What are your essential reads?

If you had to pick only three essential books that have powerfully impacted your approach to life, what would they be? Please post them here so others may benefit. They certainly don’t have to be in the area of productivity or human performance. It could be poetry, fiction, memoir, biography, nonfiction, etc. I think sharing your “essential three” is a fun and meaningful way to let someone get to know you, while also paying it forward.