Resources
I’m excited to share with you a curated list of tools and resources that I use almost every day to advance my career and enrich my life. These are my top recommendations, tried and tested, which I frequently suggest to clients and friends alike. I hope you find them as beneficial as I do!
Note: Some links are affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases made through my website at NO additional cost to you. Rest assured, I only recommend products and services I have personally used and found effective. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Books
Extreme Ownership – Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
I love the concepts here! This book presents leadership principles derived from Navy SEAL combat experiences that are blinding flashes of the obvious in terms of simplicity but not nearly so easy to execute. Jocko and Leif take a concept, discuss a combat scenario where they saw the concept play out, discuss it, and then relate it to business and everyday life. While the principals are about leadership, they strongly emphasize that leadership starts with leading yourself. Taking extreme ownership of my own life helped me to transform my life – embracing accountability, not just in success, but especially in the face of failures and obstacles.
Hidden Potential – Adam Grant
Though I sometimes find Adam Grant’s ideas a little more liberal than mine (or a lot), he certainly provides some great, thought-provoking ideas and content. This book is no exception, as it challenges the myth that our abilities are fixed, revealing how character and motivation often matter more than natural talent. It aligns nicely with how I worked to reveal untapped potential, and I bristle at wasted potential. It does a great job of tying grit, perseverance, diverse experiences, and learning from our failures to propel ourselves forward.
Be Useful – Arnold Schwarzenegger
In “Be Useful,” Arnold Schwarzenegger shares his unique perspective on success and life. Drawing from his diverse careers as a bodybuilder, actor, and politician, Arnold provides actionable advice on how to be useful to others and create a meaningful life. His straightforward and motivational style encourages readers to work hard, stay disciplined, and give back to their communities. It’s an easy book to consume – better on Audible as Arnold narrates it himself.
Never Split the Difference – Chris Voss
This book offers negotiation techniques based on the author’s experience as an FBI hostage negotiator. Chris Voss breaks down the art of negotiation, providing practical tools and strategies that can be applied in everyday life and business. His emphasis on empathy, active listening, and psychological insights makes this an invaluable resource for anyone looking to improve their negotiation skills. While most of us will not be in the high-stakes world of negotiating the freedom of a hostage, we all are negotiating every day, and the tips and advice here are solid.
The Gap and the Gain – Dan Sullivan, Dr. Benjamin Hardy
In “The Gap and the Gain,” the authors explore the concept of measuring your progress based on how far you’ve come (the Gain) rather than how far you have to go (the Gap). This shift in perspective helps foster a more positive mindset, increased motivation, and greater overall happiness. The book is filled with practical advice on how to implement this mindset shift in both personal and professional contexts.
The Alter Ego Effect – Todd Herman
Todd Herman introduces the concept of using alter egos to unlock peak performance in various areas of life. By creating and stepping into an alter ego, individuals can overcome self-doubt, fear, and other mental barriers. This book provides actionable steps and real-life examples of how adopting an alter ego can help achieve goals and perform at your best.
Slow Productivity – Cal Newport
In “Slow Productivity,” Cal Newport challenges the traditional hustle culture, advocating for a more deliberate and focused approach to work. He emphasizes the importance of deep work, setting boundaries, and prioritizing quality over quantity. Newport’s ideas encourage a healthier, more sustainable way to achieve high productivity without burnout.
Tiny Habits – BJ Fogg
BJ Fogg’s “Tiny Habits” focuses on the power of small, incremental changes to create lasting behavioral transformation. The book outlines a simple yet effective framework for developing new habits and breaking bad ones. Fogg’s approach emphasizes the importance of making habits easy, celebrating small wins, and designing your environment to support positive changes.
Podcasts
Jordan Harbinger Show
The Jordan Harbinger Show is a top-rated podcast where host Jordan Harbinger interviews experts from various fields, including business, entertainment, and psychology. With a focus on practical advice, listeners gain valuable insights on networking, self-improvement, and mastering social skills. Harbinger’s engaging interview style and diverse guest list make this podcast a must-listen for anyone looking to improve their life and career. Jordan is an awesome interviewer, and his topics are so wide-ranging that there’s really something for everyone!
Help Wanted
Help Wanted is a dynamic podcast that addresses real-life workplace and career challenges. Hosted by Jason Feifer and Nicole Lapin, the show offers practical advice, expert opinions, and actionable strategies for navigating the modern workplace. Based on the great relationship between the hosts, the show adds more than a touch of humor. Topics range from job search tips to handling difficult coworkers, making it a valuable resource for anyone looking to advance their career.
Art of Manliness
The Art of Manliness podcast explores various aspects of manhood and personal development. Hosted by Brett McKay, the show covers topics such as leadership, self-discipline, physical fitness, and mental resilience. With a blend of historical insights and contemporary advice, this podcast aims to help men become better versions of themselves in all areas of life.
You Are the Brand
Hosted by Mike Kim, You Are the Brand focuses on personal branding and entrepreneurship. Mike provides practical strategies for building a powerful personal brand that stands out in a crowded market. Through interviews with successful entrepreneurs and his own experiences, Mike offers insights on marketing, content creation, and business growth, making this podcast essential for aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners.
The Happy Engineer
The Happy Engineer podcast is dedicated to helping engineers lead happier, more fulfilling lives, professionally and personally. The show, hosted by Zach White, covers topics such as career advancement, work-life balance, and mental health. With expert guests and actionable advice, this podcast aims to inspire engineers to find joy and satisfaction in their careers.
Productivity Apps
Grammarly
Grammarly is a powerful writing assistant that helps improve your writing by providing real-time grammar, spelling, and style suggestions. It integrates seamlessly with various platforms, including web browsers, word processors, and email clients, making it easy to ensure your writing is clear, professional, and error-free. I use Grammarly daily (including to refine this page!) to polish my emails and documents, significantly improving my writing efficiency.
Calendly
Are you tired of emailing back and forth to find a time that works to meet? Try Calendly instead! Calendly is an efficient scheduling tool that simplifies the process of booking appointments and meetings. Integrating with your calendar, Calendly allows others to see your availability and schedule time with you without the back-and-forth emails. This tool is perfect for professionals who need to streamline their scheduling process, ensuring you never miss an important meeting and optimizing your time management. Calendly has saved me countless hours of scheduling hassle, making my workflow much smoother.
Hardware
Microsoft Surface Laptop Copilot+PC
The Microsoft Surface Laptop is a versatile and powerful device perfect for professional and personal use. With its sleek design, high-resolution display, and robust performance, it can handle a wide range of tasks, from everyday computing to intensive creative work. Integrating with Microsoft Copilot enhances productivity by providing AI-driven assistance, making managing tasks, schedules, and more easier. I rely on this laptop for all my writing and project management needs. It’s early days for me with this machine, but so far, so good!
Remarkable 2
The Remarkable 2 is a digital notebook designed for those who love the feel of writing on paper but want the convenience of digital tools. Its ultra-thin, lightweight design makes it easy to carry anywhere. With a paper-like display, it offers a distraction-free writing and reading experience. You can take notes, sketch, and annotate PDFs, all of which are seamlessly synced to the cloud for easy access and sharing. This device is perfect for students, professionals, and creatives who want to organize their thoughts digitally without sacrificing the tactile experience of writing.(Note, however, it is NOT cheap). I use it daily to plan my day and note-taking, which has significantly improved my workflow. I love writing on paper but hate dragging books around and struggling to find where I wrote something. My Remarkable is, well, remarkable in this regard!
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
I love my S23 and am figuring out more functions and features every day – I use it for work and pleasure, and it is awesome! (Note: I am a serious Samsung fanboy.) The camera – great! The battery – great! This phone has become an essential tool in my daily life, helping me stay on top of my tasks and capture high-quality photos on the go.
Shokz OpenComm2
The Shokz OpenComm2 is a bone-conduction headset designed for clear communication and all-day comfort. Unlike traditional headphones, it leaves my ears open, allowing me to hear what’s happening around me and preventing me from missing out on too many conversations. The lightweight and comfortable design is ideal for long conference calls, online meetings, or casual listening. This headset has improved my communication during virtual meetings, providing clear sound without isolating me from my environment.
Eero 6+
The Eero 6+ is a mesh Wi-Fi system that serves our work-from-home environment with fast, reliable internet everywhere we need it. It supports Wi-Fi 6 for faster speeds and better performance, even when connecting multiple devices. The easy-to-use Eero app allows me to set up and manage my network effortlessly, including features like parental controls and network insights. This system is perfect for ensuring smooth streaming and working from home without any connectivity issues. Since implementing the Eero 6+ and separating the work network from the home one (where kids, gaming, and movies are streaming), our work connectivity has been more reliable than ever, supporting multiple devices easily.