Ep 287 Bold Goal Crushers Year in Books: Must-Reads for Goal Crushers
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[00:00:00] Welcome to the bold goal crusher podcast for anyone looking to stop letting life get in the way and start crushing bold goals. I'm your host, Sara Mayer, and I'm thrilled to navigate this journey with you because it's time to start boldly achieving without working double time. So let's dive in.
Audio Only - All Participants: Hey, Happy New Year, Bold Goal Crushers. I'm really excited about this episode. It's an episode that I have been wanting to do for a couple of years, and I think it's really appropriate. As you may know, I sunsetted the Bold Goal Crusher book club this year at the end of the year, simply because it was a lot to manage reading a book, doing an episode about a book, and then facility, [00:01:00] facilitating the group live sessions.
Audio Only - All Participants: It was a lot, it was fun and people started not to show up to the live sessions. So I unfortunately made the tough decision to sunset the book club, but rest assured, I am still going to be reading and delivering content through the podcast about great books that I have read and you should read. In fact, if you're watching on YouTube, I have a whole slew of books over here stacked up.
Audio Only - All Participants: In order of what I will be reading this year. So more about that. So you can still sign up for the book club online, saramayer.com/joinbookclub . And you will see what I am reading and you will get notified about the books that I am reading and sharing on the podcast. So in effect, there still is a book club.
Audio Only - All Participants: There just will not be live sessions. All right. So if you are, because everyone's busy, the drill. So if [00:02:00] you're like. New here! Welcome to the Bold Goal Crusher podcast. This is where we dive deep into strategies, stories, and resources to help you break through barriers and crush your goals.
Audio Only - All Participants: I'm your host, Sara Mayer. And today I'm excited to share a very special episode about all the books that we have read this year. Each one shaped my journey and my thinking into and pushed me into thinking new ways and contributed to how I approach goal setting, my business, leadership, and personal growth.
Audio Only - All Participants: So let's dive in. So we, these are in no particular order, but these are the books that I read this year and takeaways. Same as ever by Morgan Howe. So this, Book really hit home the idea that while the world consistently changes, certain principles and patterns remain the same. So one of the biggest takeaways was to stop chasing trends.
Audio Only - All Participants: And instead [00:03:00] focus on timeless wisdom. And as someone who likes to consult on strategy and leadership, this reminded me to double down on the fundamentals. Trends fade, but the core of how people make decisions remains steady. How we act in business remains steady. A really good takeaway from that book.
Audio Only - All Participants: I encourage you to check that book out. There are some great foundational things in that book. The next one was The Successful Speaker by Grant Baldwin. And this book was packed. With actionable advice on becoming a professional speaker. What I loved was his step by step system for launching a speaking career from finding gigs to crafting your talk.
Audio Only - All Participants: And a huge takeaway was the importance of niching down and positioning yourself as an expert in one area. So it's been invaluable in refining my approach to speaking engagements, both [00:04:00] virtually facilitating workshops and in person. So I encourage you to check out that book. Next up the hidden potential by Adam Grant.
Audio Only - All Participants: This one I know I have mentioned several times on the show. It was a standout for me. So this, his perspective on how untapped strengths can be developed over time was refreshing. The idea that success isn't just about talent, but about perseverance and resourcefulness refined by belief in creating. Bias for action.
Audio Only - All Participants: So this aligns so well with the work I do around helping clients build momentum and confidence. And I loved this book. I can't say enough about it, but we have a lot of books to review and talk about today. Next up, billion dollar brand club by Lawrence Ingracia. If you're interested in the world of entrepreneurship, this book is a must read.
Audio Only - All Participants: It pulls back the curtain on how disruptive play brands [00:05:00] can be. That disrupt like a category think Spanx, the dollar shave club, Warby Parker took on the industry giants. I was fascinated by the power of storytelling and branding with this book and a big lesson here was that customers connect with brands that have a mission beyond just making money.
Audio Only - All Participants: I'm going to say that again. Customers connect with brands that have a mission beyond just making money. This book was a deep read. I thought it was going to be a light read. It was full of facts and history, which I love on our best behavior by Eloise. Low hand on our best behavior. I probably just butchered her last name, really explored the concept of good, the good girl myth.
Audio Only - All Participants: It was eyeopening to see how societal expectations shape women's behavior. Often in ways that hold us back from achieving our full potential. [00:06:00] And this book made me more mindful of how I show up and lead. And it sparked reflection on breaking free from those self imposed limitations. Love the title of this next book, number six, Don't Trust Your Gut by Seth Stevens Davidwitz.
Audio Only - All Participants: And this was a deep dive into the world of data in and decision making, which, I love data. And it challenged me to think about the ways in which intuition can lead us astray and how data driven approaches often yield better results. And I apply this insight to goal setting, focusing on measurable progress rather than relying solely on gut feelings.
Audio Only - All Participants: It's a great book. Don't trust your gut. Another one that many people haven't read, but I really enjoyed was No Filter by Sara Friar. So this tells the story of how Instagram rose to the top in its impact on society. And it was fascinating, a [00:07:00] fascinating look at the intersection of technology and culture.
Audio Only - All Participants: So one lesson I took away was the importance of adaptability in business. Instagram's constant evolution to meet users needs was a reminder to stay flexible and responsive in our own ventures. It was a fascinating read of the history of Instagram. Worthy. Oh, Jamie Kern Lima was all, this book Worthy was all about overcoming that self doubt and embracing your worth.
Audio Only - All Participants: This book really felt personal. And the biggest lesson, stop waiting for permission to pursue what you're meant to do. Jamie's journey reinforced the idea that self worth is non negotiable and I've been more intentionable, intentional about sharing that message with clients and friends. Definitely pick that book up.
Audio Only - All Participants: One of the first books we read in the year was your best year ever about Michael Hyatt. This is a mic drop. It was a [00:08:00] practical, it is a practical guide to goal setting as someone who speaks and works with high achievers. I appreciate Hyatt structured approach to mapping out goals and tracking progress.
Audio Only - All Participants: The concept of identifying key motivators and addressing limiting beliefs has shaped how I structure both my personal and professional goals. We've read the book, Be Seen by Jen Gottlieb. She focused on personal branding and visibility. And I love the emphasis on authenticity. One of my biggest takeaways was that visibility isn't about showing up perfectly.
Audio Only - All Participants: It's about showing up consistently and being real. This book motivated me to lean more into my unique stories and experiences. I encourage you to check that out. The first book of the year that we read, The Greatness Mindset by Lewis Howells. And this left a powerful impression. It was a great book to kick off the year.
Audio Only - All Participants: I did these in reverse. It was all [00:09:00] about harnessing your potential and stepping into greatness. And I took away the importance of vision and surrounding yourself with people who are great. Elevate you and raise you up. It's been a reminder to continually invest in relationships that push me to grow.
Audio Only - All Participants: Great book. So check all these books out. I know that they will be linked in the show notes in my Amazon folder so you can see them. And I just have some closing thoughts on books. As you kick off the year, there are going to be goals and dreams and things you want to do that you absolutely can do. But because these are new things to you, you're going to need to learn something most of the time in order to accomplish them.
Audio Only - All Participants: And it's in that learning that you really, Grow and develop and learn new skills and build on your previous successes to achieve your current [00:10:00] success and books are a great way to help you gain all those skills and attributes. So I encouraged you on another episode to create a goal plan and a development plan and I encourage you to use books.
Audio Only - All Participants: As a resource, you don't always need to pay for an expensive coach or buy a course or anything like that. Many times, the key to what you're trying to achieve is in a book. So I have a recommendation for this year, Slow Productivity by Cal Newport. Check it out. This is how to do fewer things, work at a natural pace and obsess over quality.
Audio Only - All Participants: I just started reading, dive in, join the book club, even though we're not having live meetings, Saramayer. com slash join book club. So you can see what we're reading and what I'm going to still continue to review on the podcast, because every year we need to take a look at what we're doing, what's working, refining [00:11:00] things and go from there.
Audio Only - All Participants: So reading these books has really shaped my mindset and strategies over the year. And I hope this overview inspires you to pick up one or two. or all 12 books that resonate with you. Let me know what books stood out to you this year. I'm always looking to add to my reading list and always, as always, thank you for tuning in to the bold goal crusher podcast.
Audio Only - All Participants: If you enjoyed this episode, smash that subscribe button and please rate and review until next time. Keep crushing those goals.
