How to Be Sad is Russell’s best work to date. She started this book in 2019, and given the pandemic and its (gestures vaguely) fallout, How to be Sad arrived at just the right time.

As Holiday discusses, fear isn’t the opposite of courage – it’s apathy. Doing nothing, being cynical, assuming your actions don’t matter – that’s the opposite of courage. Courage is a choice. You might make the right choice. You might make the wrong one. Regardless, choosing something holds power and takes courage.

I loved this book. Nichols talks about everything from the merits of colleges, the good and bad of social media (spoiler: there’s very little that’s good), and the concept that while experts are occasionally wrong, they are consistently less wrong than you and I.

Book challenge: 100/100

Stretch goal: 150/100

Can I do it? Drop a note in the comments!

There are no easy decisions when building a business or building a company, at least according to Ben Horowitz. I tend to disagree. The easy decision is to do what’s right and place people above profits. Do you agree?

If you think negotiating is like a battle, or if it gives you anxiety, I’d highly recommend this book. Voss takes high-stakes situations and gets to the root of how to be successful at ensuring the best possible outcome.

The Trusted Advisor has been around for twenty years. If you’re new to the world of human interaction and relationship building, or you need a formulaic approach to working with people, you might enjoy this book.

A recap and review of Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant - a non-fiction look at what Seinfeld, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the CIA have in common in a changing world.

Time management is all about maximizing what you do in the time you have to do it. Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the time allotted. When you have multiple things competing for your time and attention, you must focus your efforts on what will deliver the biggest bang. Otherwise, tasks and to-do lists will stretch out and take much longer than intended.

Stillness is the Key is the third book of Ryan Holiday’s Stoic Philosophy trilogy. While obstacles block your path and your ego tries to keep you from seeing your path, none of it matters if you can’t find inner peace. Inner peace isn’t about a few yoga poses and a casual meditation. Inner peace is the ability to face whatever comes at you with calm, focus, and compassion.

Ego is the Enemy is the second in Ryan Holiday’s Stoic Philosophy trilogy. Our ego holds us back today and causes us problems tomorrow. We must fight against our ego daily. This book will help you recognize when your ego is driving and help you regain control.