2024 In Books

Over 2024, I pushed myself to read a bit more than I had in past years. My wife was pushing hard with her own reading goals, and I wanted to keep up. I ended the year hitting my goal dead on the nose with 20 total books. And while I read a lot more fiction in 2024 than I have in previous years, I still read my fair share of books that made me stop and think, "huh..."

I've captured a few of those idea-inspiring moments here, but for the full rundown of the lessons I took away, keep up with this blog as I pick apart those learnings over the next year or so.

"Man's search for meaning may arouse inner tension rather than inner equilibrium. However, precisely such tension is an indispensable prerequisite of mental health..... The tension... between what one is and what one should become." ~Man's Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl

"[Shackleton] was intensely watchful for potential troublemakers who might nibble away at the unity of the group... if dissension arose, the party as a whole might not put forth that added ounce of energy which could mean, at a time of crisis, the difference between survival and defeat." ~Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Journey

"One of the most important steps you can take in building a visionary company is not an action, but a shift in perspective.... We're asking you to see the success of visionary companies - at least in part - as coming from underlying processes and fundamental dynamics embedded in the organization." ~Built to Last, Jim Collins

"Avoiding errors (as a primary way of operating) is helpful for understanding the mechanics of procedures and preventing major problems before they occur, but it is a debilitating approach when adopted as the objective of an organization." ~Turn the Ship Around, L. David Marquet, USN

"Just get started." ~Be Useful, Arnold Schwarzenegger

"Continuing to function under the illusion that we can understand and foresee exactly what will be relevant to whom is hubris. Functioning safely in an interdependent environment requires that every team possess a holistic understanding of the interaction between all moving parts." ~Team of Teams, Gen. Stanley McCrystal

"Something dangerous was happening to the American Union when the two sections no longer spoke the same language, but employed rival sets of cliches to describe the [same] affair " ~Team of Rivals, Doris Goodwin Kearns

"Negotiation is not an act of battle, it's a process of discovery." ~Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss

"We were having fun, and I truly believe the designs benefits from that. Working closely together in that way, injecting fun into the process, doesn't mean you work less; done right, it means you work better " ~Ride Free, Willie G. Davidson

My Full 2024 Reading List

I'm looking to hit at least 24 next year. Shoot me some recommendations!!