Gary Keller’s seminal work, The One Thing, is a groundswell of inspiration. The founder of Keller Williams shows us through stories of his own successes and failures how to break down the personal and professional into its essential parts. He asks us to start small, hone our focus, and watch life emerge as a magnificent symphony.

Rubin’s The Creative Act is such a gift from a wildly talented music producer. His insight is honest and powerful: we can’t just do creative work, we have to be creative work. His words mirror the soul journey – a way of being that transcends our identities and daily actions. The book is a revelation for anyone feeling their insides yearning to be set free into the world.

“Life in Five Senses” is about feeling our way through life. So often we get caught up in our thoughts and thinking our way forward. But this book is a treasure trove of wisdom for rooting into our senses and letting them be our guide. When we do that, the book promises, we come alive and experiences come into sharp focus. 

Anita Phillips’ The Garden Within is a travelogue through the soul. Her profound truth – that our emotions are guideposts to a fulfilling life – challenges us to cultivate and care for our inner being like we would plants and flowers in our home. When we tend to our internal world, we create an external experience that is peaceful and harmonious with the nature of things.

If you want a vigorous injection of the truth, pick up a copy of David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind & Defy the Odds, a manifesto of mind over matter. Goggins, a veteran of the Armed Forces, draws from his illustrious career in the combat zone to metaphorically deliver truth after truth about the nature of suffering and how facing it unlocks success for us in every aspect of life.

Elizabeth Gilbert, famed author of the most beloved Eat, Pray, Love, writes a book about the audacity to live a creative life. The title, Big Magic, is just that: a bold step to connect with your inner creativity alive in us all and share it with the world. No matter your background, Liz’s advice is simple yet profound – get started and let creativity flow from you.

Wherever You Go, There You Are is about meditation practice itself. It deconstructs the true nature of meditation and its powerful precepts for transforming your daily life. Read it once for the knowledge you will gain about meditation and a second time for the wisdom it portends for a happier, healthier lived experience.

Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha is about making peace with yourself. This powerful book asks us to use the teachings of Buddhism to pause, look within, and find the truth of our lives. When we do that, author Tara Brach promises, we reach our greatest potential — in the boardroom, at home and everywhere in between.

I picked this book up and couldn’t put it down. I was so moved by the stories of these two great men – who faced insurmountable odds in their lifetimes – and still found ways to reach for happiness. The Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu are spirit guides for having the courage to choose joy.

A banker friend of mine pointed me toward this book that I find to be a wholehearted piece of writing. I recommend this book to anyone on a journey of the self, looking for joy in an increasingly busy world. The core truth of this book is that we are all connected by the same thing: the soul, the center of our being, that yearns to be free.