I didn't read as much as in previous years (2023, 2022, 2021), but that's OK. My goal wasn't necessarily to read a lot but to apply what I read. I did that this year, which is a win.
I grouped the books into categories with mini-reviews. I hope you're inspired to read one of them.
Business Books
Only one real-estate-specific book?! That says a lot about where my focus area was this year.
Wealth Without Cash: Supercharge Your Real Estate Investing with Subject-to, Seller Financing, and Other Creative Deals
This book is a game-changer. It's about buying real estate in unconventional ways. Armed with the strategies from this book, I flipped two homes using creative financing (read about the first one). So, it's safe to say this book had the most significant financial impact on my life this year. Pace is a terrific teacher and lays out his time-tested strategies well. It's a little bit of a pitch to join his mentorship group, but that's OK because he still provides a wealth of information in the book.
The Coaching Manual: Your Step-by-Step Guide To Becoming A Great Coach
I started coaching other investors and decided to learn how to actually do it. I found this extremely helpful and detailed. I think The Coaching Habit is a better resource for people who coach informally, but this gives a great foundation if you want to get paid to coach.
I read her other book, The Mentoring Manual, last year, which is fine, but this one is significantly better. You can tell this is where she focuses her time and energy.
Million Dollar Weekend: The Surprisingly Simple Way to Launch a 7-Figure Business in 48 Hours
By Noah Kagan
I talked with some younger folks about starting a business, but I struggled to give actionable advice. Then, I heard Kagan on a podcast and liked how he approached exploring business ideas. His book is a fast-paced guide with clear steps for testing ideas quickly. I loved it and apply his validation step (get three paid commitments) whenever I try something new.
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business
By Gino Wickman
If Million Dollar Weekend is about finding a good idea, Traction is about turning that good idea into an enduring organization to provide that idea. His Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) has six components:
- Vision: where are you going, and how will you get there?
- People: do you have the right people in the right seats?
- Data: what are your key metrics (besides financial ones)?
- Issues: are you solving the root cause of problems?
- Process: what are your core processes to ensure consistency?
- Traction: how are you holding everyone accountable?
I've started implementing this into my business and started using this as a framework when coaching others. It's a simple system, but that's a benefit because it's easy to remember and actually implement (unlike Scaling Up, which can be overwhelming). I highly recommend this one if you have an established business of any size.
This Is Strategy: Make Better Plans
By Seth Godin
Godin thinks differently than I do, so I enjoy reading his works. His writing style provides many loosely connected thoughts that together give a picture (a sense?) of his overall idea. For example, this book is 252 pages but has 298 chapters! So, it's not a how-to book. It's more like a here-are-some-thought-provoking-musings type of book. You'll probably enjoy this if you like his blog.
Harvard Business Review Magazine
I feel like I need to put my pinky out whenever I say I subscribe to HBR. Still, of all the magazine subscriptions I've tried, this is the only one where I consistently learn from an article or two. The articles aren't just business profiles, but they also include research and clear action steps. One of my favorite articles from last year is about building cultural values.
Christian Books
I knew I read fewer Christian books this year, but I didn't think it was this few. That'll probably change next year because each of these was amazing!
God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School
By John Cortines and Gregory Baumer
I love this book. Cortines and Baumer have a cool-headed and nuanced approach to Biblically thinking about our finances. I like that it's not just their thoughts on the topic - they start with what the Bible says and then share their findings from surveying other Christians about their financial decisions. Their key insight is that we shouldn't ask, "How much should we give to God?" But instead, ask, "How much should we keep?" It's subtle, but fundamentally changes how we think about ourselves as stewards of God's resources.
Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God
By Jamie Winship
This book is about discovering your identity in God. Too often, we define ourselves by our job, and that's too limiting. This was a quick read (176 pages) with simple, practical steps to work through. God revealed that my identity is a "caretaker." Being a real estate investor falls into that, but it's so much more than property and tenant management - it's a call to care for people. It's a subtle but meaningful difference to me.
The Master Plan of Evangelism
By Robert Coleman
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This quick read (162 pages) suggests that we follow Christ's example of evangelism, which he breaks down into eight observations. My high-level summary is this: Focus on a few people and live life with them. Invite them as much as possible - studying, eating, playing, serving, etc! You want to intentionally teach them about Jesus and God during your time together.
This method is critical for new Christians. If all they get is Sunday morning and a weekly Bible study, it's not enough! And the sign that someone is ready to go out on their own is when they start leading (read: living life) others.
I think Coleman gears this book towards church leaders, but all Christians would benefit from reading it.
ESV Bible
This year's reading plan included a bunch of parallel sections. It's nice because each day, I get many parts of the Bible. For example, the last day of the year's reading will be this:
- Malachi 1-4
- Proverbs 31:25-31
- Psalms 150
- John 21:15-25
- Revelation 22
One thing God showed me this year was His approach to missions. God relentlessly makes himself known to his people. I want a similar mindset instead of compartmentalizing everything I do or simply waiting for opportunities.
Biography Audiobooks
This year, I dove into the world of biographies, and I'm glad I did. The lives of these remarkable individuals are not just fascinating but also offer valuable lessons. Their stories are a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and innovation, and we can learn much from their lives.
The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams
By Stacy Schiff
Narrated by Jason Culp
Samuel Adams is an interesting dude. He singularly focused on freeing himself from the British and justified any (written) means to reach his goal. As a prolific writer, he wanted to influence fellow colonists against Britain, not provide impartial reporting.
Strangely, it's comforting to know that the internet didn't ruin news; it's always been a struggle. If anything, the internet helped expose our biases. Though, I don't see anything changing anytime soon.
I also had a strange realization while listening to this book. If I lived around 1776, I probably would have been against Adams and advocated that we stay with Britain and obey their rules! It's a strange admittance because I like how things turned out. But I also prefer following the rules (because they're in my favor 90% of the time). I suppose it's good that decisions are often made by many people with varied backgrounds.
This is a good book to read for our 250-year celebration in 2026.
Breathe: A Life in Flow
By Rickson Gracie and Peter Maguire
Narrated by Fred Sanders
I practiced Gracie jiu-jitsu before having kids and thought learning about the family that started it would be fun. Rickson Gracie is an intense, proud person! I don't agree with many of his life choices (especially as a husband), but his jitsu focus is unreal! I would have relished getting dominated on the mat by him. I enjoyed the history, and anyone else who's practiced jiu-jitsu would appreciate it.
The Princess Diarist
By Carrie Fisher
Narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd
I feel like I'm late to the party on this, but I enjoyed hearing her stories from the set. Fisher is a fun writer who doesn't take herself too seriously. In this case, she kept a diary while filming. So, part of the book contains the original entries, and the other part is Fisher explaining what was happening (mostly in her thoughts, not just the events).
I like it when the author reads their own book because it feels like they're talking to you. If you're a Star Wars fan, you'll enjoy this.
The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
By Loren Grush
Narrated by Inés del Castillo
I enjoyed this one because it also gives the history of NASA's shuttle program. And, not surprisingly, each of the six women is an absolute all-star who would have been incredible at anything they did. Reading about intelligent, capable people who fulfill their destiny is fun.
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
By Phil Knight
Narrated by Norbert Leo Butz
This was by far my favorite biography. I think it's because Knight is so open about his mistakes and insecurities. He didn't even like the name Nike at first! It's such a crazy story of constantly being on the edge of failure but never giving up and finding paths forward.
My guess is that Knight is a smart person, but if he is, he downplays it and instead focuses on his hustle. I think that's also part of the attraction to his story ("you don't have to be a genius, just work hard"). It's really good, and anyone with a business will enjoy it.
Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation
By Collin Hansen
Narrated by Collin Hansen
I mean this in the best way possible, but Keller's story was rather... boring. Keller was a great writer with a CS Lewis-esk way of explaining theological concepts that resonated with me. So, I was interested to learn more about his life.
One reason why it's boring (compared to, say, Phil Knight) is we don't get nearly as much of Keller's internal dialog and expectations. Pastors would probably find his story interesting because they can better intuit some of his internal thoughts. For example, deciding to lead a new church must be a complex, soul-searching, social-disrupting experience, but I can't relate.
Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living
Written & narrated by Nick Offerman
Before starting this book, I knew little about Offerman. I knew he was an actor in Parks & Recreation, a woodworker, and funny. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy his book.
The primary reason is that we philosophically disagree on many things in life. And things he thinks are funny, I don't think are at all. Plus, he presented his beliefs as obvious truths (and to think differently makes you dumb... or worse), which was a turnoff.
Still, there's value in learning from someone I don't 100% agree with. I felt motivated to spend my evenings more intentionally - to make and do things, not just default to watching shows.
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Written & narrated by J. D. Vance
I was interested in this one because
- he's our new VP (and likely the Republican candidate in 2028),
- we're almost the same age (he's a year younger), and
- most importantly, he wrote it before getting into politics.
I didn't have any expectations going into it. I only heard him speak once or twice (I skipped the debate) and simply hoped for an interesting story.
If you didn't know, his childhood was rough! In some ways, it's inspiring to know that anyone - even someone from the hillbilly backcountry - can make it to the Whitehouse alongside a billionaire. But it's also sad that his story is so rare.
I appreciated his insights on how difficult it is to solve poverty (it's just as much about identity and culture as finances). It reminds me of the book Evicted, which comes to the same conclusion. Given his childhood, I wouldn't be surprised if Vance proposes legislation that seems counterintuitive, but might actually start improving some of the US's poverty issues. Maybe?
Self-Improvement Books (Mostly)
Surprise! I saved two of my favorites until the end.
Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling
By Matthew Dicks
What a great book! If you do any storytelling (and we all do), it's a must-read. Dicks is a fantastic storyteller, and the book is worth reading just to hear his off-beat stories. And it's super practical. Here are my reminders for any story I tell:
- Focus my stories on moments of change & growth. Smaller moments are better because they're relatable.
- Begin stories with physical movement & a location. This isn't an essay.
- Add stakes: There has to be a problem or goal. And it's even better if the "real" goal changes due to that moment of growth!
- Share my (eventually to be proven wrong) predictions/thoughts before sharing what happened. Phil Knight regularly does this in Shoe Dog.
- For transitions, use "but" and "therefore" instead of "and" - it's more interesting.
I'm still working on this, but I'm getting better thanks to this book.
Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection
By Charles Duhigg
I also love this book! It's on a shortlist of books I'll make my kids read (along with Storyworthy). I tend to quickly jump into problem-solving mode in conversations. Instead, Duhigg shares tools to recognize the type of conversations I'm having: decision-making, emotional, or social. One way to do that is to ask questions to see if the person wants to be helped, hugged, or heard.
And even if it's a decision-making conversation (to be helped), is the person looking for practical solutions (data & reasoning) or empathy (stories & compassion)? This is probably obvious for those with a high EQ, but it was eye-opening for me.
I'm getting better (still not great) at having emotional conversations because I have a mental checklist of questions to ask about feelings, beliefs, values, judgments, and experiences. I know how bad that sounds, but Jessi says that even though she knows I'm working through a checklist of questions, they're good questions! So, our conversations are better (and she appreciates the effort).
How to Be Interesting: In 10 Simple Steps
By Jessica Hagy
This was a quick read with easily digestible thoughts. As I'm getting more into podcasting and videos, one rule is to do epic things and share them. So, I was looking for ways to be more interesting. It was basic, but had some inspiring ideas.
DON'T DIE
By Zero (Bryan Johnson)
This is a weird book. It's an imaginary scenario in which different personalities/emotions discuss health and the future (like in Inside Out). Johnson sold Venmo to PayPal for millions and now focuses on longevity science and technology. This isn't a book of protocols but a philosophical musing. If you're interested in health topics, I'd start somewhere else. However, this could be an interesting read if you want to be inspired to learn more about health.
Superman & Action Comics
Like in previous years, I continue to read two comics about Superman. He's my favorite, and I'm PUMPED for the new Superman movie coming out next year.