These 7 Authors Share Personal Stories to Better Your Lifestyle When you want to give your lifestyle a kick in the pants or pivot from your dull routine, reach for these straightforward reads.
By Peter Daisyme •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Why learn from your own mistakes? That's old-school thinking, not to mention a waste of time if you're trying to improve on a personal level. It's far more efficient to advance your lifestyle by listening to advice from those who've "been there, done that."
But don't think you're getting off too easy. You're still going to have to put in a little effort, beginning with reading a few thought-provoking books.
If you've hit one of life's roadblocks and can't shake the feeling that you're going nowhere fast, grab one of these reads. Each author focuses on sharing uncommon lessons that might just recalibrate your internal GPS and get you motoring toward better times. So grab a bottle of water, pour yourself into your favorite recliner and set your phone on silent. You have some self-discovery to do.
1. Peter McGraw – Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You about Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career
Being the life of the party won't make you a successful person, but learning how to think like a comedian can! In fact, harnessing and nourishing your humor cells could propel your career, according to behavioral economist Peter McGraw. Shtick to Business investigates the characteristics that make comedians funny. He shows how mimicking those characteristics can help you advance yourself in any situation, be it socially or occupation-wise. You'll learn how to unlock new channels of creativity, adaptability, resilience and risk-taking.
Related: 5 Ways to Build Organizational Resilience
2. Jerry Ford — Guns, Drugs, or Wealth
No one can tell Jerry Ford that money is a solution in and of itself. He knows it's better applied as a tool to build personal wealth. Growing up on the streets of Detroit, Ford discovered early that if he wanted to achieve financial security, he needed to learn how money worked — and stop overworking himself in the process. If you're looking for solutions for utilizing passive, earned and portfolio-based income to become a masterful money manager, Ford's Guns, Drugs, or Wealth will help you.
3. Dr. Dennis Rebelo — Story Like You Mean It
For millennia, storytellers have held special places in society. Yet most of us feel like we don't have the gift necessary to communicate like a Shakespeare or Twain. That's where Dr. Dennis Rebelo's Story Like You Mean It can help. Throughout his career, Rebelo's developed a proven, repeatable method to help everyday people create personal narratives that make building thoughtful, meaningful relationships a core part of their essence. From engaging in proper StoryPathing methodologies to figuring out how to relay your PeakStory with vigor, you'll experience major epiphanies as you delve through this page-turner.
Related: Elevator Pitch Ep. 8: 'Imagine If Jimi Hendrix and Beethoven Got Together for an Epic Jam'
4. Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger and Wilson Pang — Real World AI
What does AI have to do with improving your daily life? Alyssa Simpson Rochwerger and Wilson Pang know the answer, and they share it in their co-authored work. Their views will help shape the way you feel about AI's impact and possibilities. Hear story after story about the marvelous AI inventions that are changing humanity in ways you're not going to hear about anywhere else. After spending time with Real World AI, you'll have a working knowledge of concepts like the "Goldilocks Problem" and AI maturity, which can only help you become more well-rounded professionally.
5. Eva Yazhari — The Good Your Money Can Do
Sure, you spend some of your money and spread the wealth around. Is it doing anything for the future of the world, though? Eva Yazhari believes in practicing conscientious investing, whereby you deliberately use your money to make a specific impact that might have positive ripple effects for not-yet-born generations. If you're excited about making a difference with your wallet in an unconventional, revolutionary way, you'll appreciate diving into the intersection of money and meaning in The Good Your Money Can Do.
Related: Money Mistakes People Regret The Most
6. Marney Andes — Start with Give-Me Shots
When Marney Andes was growing up on her family's farm, her dad constantly shared his wisdom. Now, Andes is graciously paying his favor forward in her book, Start with Give-Me Shots, about his unique life lessons that kept her grounded and got her ahead. Be prepared for some homespun tales and straightforward advice told with a dash of down-home charm. Andes may have worked with cattle, but you won't find a trace of bull in her relatable recommendations. In fact, you'll find yourself nodding at tips like "work while others are on break" that sound so simple, yet are so rarely applied.
7. Patrick Strubbe — The Retirement Secret
Are visions of a rocky retirement keeping you up at night? Do you sweat at the thought of hitting social security age? Banish those nightmares by making Patrick Strubbe your late-life mentor. His relaxing tone and positive approach to wealth management in The Retirement Secret will put many of your money worries to bed. It doesn't matter if you're at the beginning or end of your career: Strubbe's the person to answer your looming retirement questions so you can push forward and take good financial care of future you.
