This was a slow quarter on business and personal development books. I read several fiction books that aren’t included in this synopsis but I believe balance is important so make sure you give yourself some “fun” reads too each month!

Books read in July, Aug, and Sept 2020 and are in the order they were consumed.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones – James Clear

• Summary: No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving--every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.

  If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.

• My Thoughts: This book was a little slow at times but the points James makes are accurate. We tend to rush into new habits making it an all or nothing instead of slowly incorporating them. Associate a new habit with a current habit to make it easier or the opposite with a habit we are trying to break. Good book for those who want a different approach to building and breaking habits.

• Recommendation: Read

Outliers: The Story of Success – Malcolm Gladwell

• Summary:

• My Thoughts: I absolutely loved this book and the interesting points it brought up. I have often thought success comes to those who work hard, continue through resistance, and have a little bit of luck. Turns out it has much more to do with our family history, fortunate birth dates, and opportunities provided because of each of those items. This book will make you stop and think about those you’ve judged for not succeeding and how much of your success has nothing to do with your hard work.

  “People don’t rise from nothing… it is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn’t.”

• Recommendation: Read

Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business – John Mackey, Raj Sisodia

• Summary: In this book, Whole Foods Market cofounder John Mackey and professor and Conscious Capitalism, Inc. cofounder Raj Sisodia argue for the inherent good of both business and capitalism. Featuring some of today’s best-known companies, they illustrate how these two forces can—and do—work most powerfully to create value for all stakeholders

• My Thoughts: I have now tried twice to read this book, and failed. I want to like it but I can never get into it. Its just a little to dry (at the beginning at least) for me to want to pick up.

• Recommendation: Pass

Shoe Dog: A memoir by the creator of Nike – Phil Knight

• Summary: In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

• My Thoughts: This was not the story I expected. I have always heard that Nike is basically and advertising company that makes shoes. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The story of an entrepreneur who had a dream so big he teetered on the brink of personal disaster many times to make it happen. I loved the insight of a good team who believes in your company. We rarely hear about the 3rd, 4th, 5th person who joins a company but they are who can make the difference between success and failure. A good reminder that overnight success is never the truth.

• Recommendation: Read