5 Life-changing books YOU MUST READ in 2024

Summary

This video script explores the idea that reading the same book multiple times can be more beneficial than reading many books once. The speaker recommends five books that have significantly impacted their perspective on happiness, habits, financial success, and personal growth. They emphasize the importance of applying knowledge rather than just consuming it and highlight the power of constraints in enhancing productivity and happiness. The script also discusses the significance of identity in driving change and the role of meditation in rewiring the brain for personal development.

Takeaways

• 📚 Reading the same book multiple times can be more beneficial than reading many books once, as it allows for deeper understanding and application of the material.
• 🤔 'The Happiness Hypothesis' by Jonathan Haidt suggests that having constraints and responsibilities can actually lead to greater happiness and fulfillment.
• 💡 The idea that ultimate freedom can lead to misery is counterintuitive but supported by studies showing that having something to be responsible for can prevent negative outcomes like suicide.
• 🔄 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear emphasizes that change begins with identity, not just actions, and that every action is a vote for the person you want to become.
• 💰 'I Will Teach You To Be Rich' by Ramit Sethi provides practical financial advice that emphasizes the importance of discipline over income for long-term wealth.
• 📈 The book encourages the idea that anyone can succeed in investing and financial security by understanding and applying the right principles, regardless of their income level.
• 📘 Journaling is presented as a powerful tool for bridging the gap between education and action, helping to internalize and apply learned information.
• 🧘 'Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself' by Joe Dispenza offers scientific insights into the benefits of meditation for rewiring the brain and enhancing positive traits.
• 🤷‍♂️ The script challenges the notion that self-improvement through reading and education is always positive, highlighting the importance of application over consumption.
• 📈 The importance of not just setting goals but also adopting a new identity that aligns with those goals is a key theme across the recommended books.
• 🌟 The script concludes with a call to action for readers to stop settling and start living a life that reflects their true potential and aspirations.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind the saying 'Readers are leaders' mentioned in the script?

The saying 'Readers are leaders' suggests that those who read and educate themselves are more likely to be successful and lead others, as they continually learn and grow their knowledge base.

Why does the speaker believe it might be better to read one book multiple times rather than reading many books once?

The speaker suggests that reading one book multiple times allows for deeper understanding and internalization of its content, which can be more beneficial than superficially reading many books once and potentially missing key insights.

What is the 'big kahuna' takeaway the speaker mentions from the book 'The Happiness Hypothesis' by Jonathan Heights?

The 'big kahuna' takeaway from 'The Happiness Hypothesis' is that ultimate freedom can lead to misery, as having constraints and responsibilities can provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, which contributes to happiness.

According to the script, how does having constraints impact one's mental health and productivity?

Having constraints can lead to better mental health and increased productivity by providing a sense of purpose and direction, which can prevent feelings of being overwhelmed by too much freedom.

What is the main concept discussed in 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear that the speaker found enlightening?

The main concept discussed in 'Atomic Habits' is that real change happens at the identity level, where one must adopt a new identity and cast votes for the person they want to become through their actions, thoughts, and beliefs.

How does the speaker describe the process of changing habits in 'Atomic Habits'?

The speaker describes the process of changing habits as starting with one's identity, then aligning one's stories and actions with that identity, rather than focusing solely on the actions themselves.

What is the key message from 'I Will Teach You to Be Rich' by Ramit Sethi regarding financial discipline?

The key message is that financial discipline is more important than the amount of money one makes. It's about making, saving, and keeping money, emphasizing that even making a large income without saving is not as beneficial as making less but saving a significant portion.

What role does journaling play in the speaker's view on personal development?

Journaling is seen as a crucial tool for personal development that helps bridge the gap between education and action, allowing individuals to reflect, clarify their thoughts, and apply what they've learned in their lives.

What is the main theme the speaker mentions regarding the consumption of educational content?

The main theme is that consuming educational content without applying it can turn into mere entertainment. It's important to actively apply the knowledge gained to see tangible benefits in one's life.

What does the speaker suggest about the effectiveness of meditation as described in 'Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself' by Joe Dispenza?

The speaker suggests that meditation, when done consistently, can have significant benefits in rewiring the brain and enhancing areas related to empathy, compassion, and patience, while reducing areas associated with stress and judgment.

What is the speaker's perspective on the importance of applying self-improvement ideas?

The speaker emphasizes that having good intentions and learning self-improvement ideas are not enough. It's crucial to apply these ideas in practice to avoid feelings of guilt and to truly improve oneself.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Paradox of Freedom and Happiness

The speaker begins by discussing the common belief that learning and reading more leads to success and happiness. However, they challenge this notion by suggesting that reading one book multiple times can be more beneficial than reading many books once. They introduce 'The Happiness Hypothesis' by Jonathan Haidt, highlighting the paradox that ultimate freedom can lead to misery. The speaker shares personal experiences and a study about suicide rates to emphasize the importance of constraints and responsibilities in achieving happiness. The book argues that having something to take care of, like a pet or a plant, can significantly improve one's well-being.

05:00

🔄 The Identity Shift for Habit Change

The second paragraph delves into the concept of changing habits and the realization that tactics are less important than the underlying identity. The speaker explains that true change occurs when one's identity is redefined at a deeper level. They reference 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear, which posits that every action is a vote for the person you want to become. The speaker emphasizes the importance of aligning actions with one's desired identity to avoid the 'ick' feeling that arises from the gap between self-perception and reality. They also mention their coaching program for those interested in learning more about identity shifting.

10:01

💰 Financial Discipline and Long-Term Planning

In this paragraph, the speaker addresses the financial lessons learned from the tumultuous year of 2020, where some people lost jobs while others gained wealth. They recommend 'I Will Teach You to Be Rich' by Ramit Sethi, which provides practical advice on financial security through discipline rather than high income. The book emphasizes the importance of saving and investing, and the speaker encourages viewers not to be intimidated by financial concepts, highlighting that anyone can participate in the stock market regardless of their income level.

📘 The Power of Journaling for Self-Application

The speaker discusses the potential pitfalls of consuming educational content without applying it to one's life, which can lead to a gap between potential and action. They introduce the concept of using a journal as a tool to bridge this gap, advocating for the practice as a means to listen to one's inner voice and apply knowledge effectively. The speaker shares a link to a guide on journaling and encourages viewers to consider their coaching program for further development.

🧘‍♂️ The Science of Meditation and Self-Improvement

The final paragraph presents a toss-up between two books that focus on self-improvement and the application of good intentions. 'The Art of Not Giving an F' by Mark Manson is praised for its light-hearted approach to self-development, while 'Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself' by Joe Dispenza provides scientific insights into the benefits of meditation. The speaker discusses the transformative effects of meditation on the brain, as explained in Dispenza's book, and encourages viewers to consider the science behind self-improvement practices.

Keywords

💡Readers are leaders

This phrase suggests that those who read widely and educate themselves are more likely to become successful leaders. In the video, the speaker agrees with this notion to an extent, indicating that reading is a pathway to learning and earning, which aligns with the theme of personal development and success.

💡Paradox

A paradox is a statement that despite sounding reasonable leads to a conclusion that seems senselessly or logically unacceptable. The video discusses the paradox of ultimate freedom leading to misery, as the speaker found that having too much freedom without constraints can lead to anxiety and lack of direction.

💡Constraints

Constraints refer to limitations or restrictions that can guide or influence behavior. The speaker uses the concept of constraints to argue that having external responsibilities or limitations can actually contribute to happiness and productivity, as opposed to the common belief that freedom is always beneficial.

💡Happiness Hypothesis

The 'Happiness Hypothesis' is a book by Jonathan Haidt that explores how certain ideas can contribute to happiness. The video references this book to discuss the idea that having constraints can paradoxically lead to happiness, which is a central theme in the speaker's argument about the value of limitations.

💡Atomic Habits

'Atomic Habits' is a book by James Clear that the speaker highly recommends. It discusses the idea that small, consistent actions can lead to significant changes over time. The speaker uses this book to emphasize the importance of actions aligning with one's identity and goals, which is key to personal development.

💡Identity

Identity in this context refers to one's sense of self or personal characteristics. The video explains that true change happens when one's actions are aligned with their desired identity. This concept is crucial as it underpins the idea that we become what we consistently do, which is a central message of the video.

💡Compounding

Compounding, in the context of finance, refers to the process where earnings are reinvested to generate additional earnings. The speaker uses the concept of compounding to explain how disciplined saving and investing can lead to wealth over time, which is part of the broader theme of financial wisdom.

💡I Will Teach You to Be Rich

This is a book by Ramit Sethi that provides practical advice on personal finance. The speaker recommends it for its teachings on how to save money and invest wisely, emphasizing the importance of financial discipline and understanding the rules of wealth-building.

💡Meditation

Meditation is a practice of focusing the mind and achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm state. The video mentions 'Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself' by Joe Dispenza, which discusses the benefits of meditation for rewiring the brain and enhancing empathy and compassion.

💡Journaling

Journaling is the act of keeping a written record of one's thoughts, experiences, and reflections. The speaker recommends journaling as a tool to apply knowledge and bridge the gap between potential and action, which is a key strategy for personal growth and self-improvement.

💡The Art of Not Giving an F*ck

This is a self-help book by Mark Manson that the speaker mentions. It discusses the idea of letting go of societal expectations and focusing on what truly matters to improve one's life. The book exemplifies the speaker's theme of self-improvement through the application of knowledge and the pursuit of authenticity.

Highlights

Reading one book multiple times can be more beneficial than reading multiple books once.

The paradox that ultimate freedom can lead to misery due to lack of constraints and responsibilities.

Study on suicide rates highlighting the importance of external constraints for mental well-being.

Personal experience with the anxiety of freedom and the benefits of setting constraints.

The role of responsibilities in maintaining mental health, as illustrated by examples from nursing homes.

The misconception that living for oneself is the key to happiness, versus the scientific evidence supporting living for others.

The process of changing habits should start with identity, not just actions or tactics.

Every action is a vote for the person you want to become, according to 'Atomic Habits' by James Clear.

The importance of aligning actions with self-identity to avoid feelings of 'ick' and mental health issues.

The book 'I Will Teach You To Be Rich' by Ramit Sethi emphasizes the importance of discipline over income for financial success.

Investing and financial security are accessible to everyone, not just the rich or elite.

The journaling process as a tool to bridge the gap between education and action.

The need to listen for answers within ourselves rather than constantly seeking external influence.

The book 'The Art of Not Giving an F' by Mark Manson as a fun and insightful read on self-development.

The benefits of applying self-improvement ideas rather than just accumulating them.

The book 'Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself' by Joe Dispenza explains the science behind meditation and its benefits for rewiring the brain.

The significance of meditation in enhancing empathy, compassion, and patience while reducing judgmental and stress responses.

Transcripts

you ever heard the saying that readers

are leaders the more you learn the more

you earn i agree with that

to a point it used to be that i would

just buy every single book that people

recommended and read it religiously and

then i realized a lot of them kind of

say the same thing i almost think it's

better to read one book

five times than five books one time and

i know what you're thinking right now

you're like well clark you're gonna

recommend to me new books

yeah but if i had to read these five

over and over again these are the ones i

would reread

and do go back to and so in this video

we are going over the five bucks don't

cheat don't cheat guys don't look i'm

gonna lay out each one

and i'm also gonna give you a big kahuna

giant takeaway from each

so you get some ah-has and a little

preview of what you're getting yourself

into all right

very first book we got jonathan heights

the happiness hypothesis

what 10 ideas actually work to make

people happy one massive

idea i get from this book as i was

rereading it is that

ultimate freedom can make you freaking

miserable

okay now i know this sounds like a

paradox because some of you are in jobs

right now that you don't like and you're

like well if i didn't go to that nine to

five or

you know open the frickin zoom meetings

all day i'd be a lot happier clark or

some people you know they're in

relationships and they think like

ultimate freedom would be awesome if

they weren't

whatever you want to apply that to in

this book it talks about one study that

i found

fascinating one dominant factor that

looked at suicide rates amongst people

you know what that dominant factor was

constraints that the people who were

more likely or less likely

to off themselves it came down to having

constraints having something outside of

themselves that they were responsible

for

that if we don't have any

responsibilities if in other words if

we're totally free

we can also be totally miserable i know

this from personal experience

when i quit my job and i was in my mom's

basement 30 grand in debt like

technically i was absolutely free but i

would wake up every day like

thinking i had to start this business

right with this overwhelming crippling

anxiety

because i'm like well i'm starting from

scratch i have all this freedom in the

world but

where do i even start and then your head

gets spinning and blah blah

it wasn't until i actually went back and

took a part-time job working as a middle

school counselor with kids

that gave me some constraints took up 20

30

hours a week that i was able to do this

business because now

instead of having 12 or 18 hours a day

to just work on this business right

i only had about five so i had

constraints and i was more productive

talks about in nursing homes you know

patients who would uh

who have something as simple as an

animal or even a plant to water every

day

they're much less likely to get

illnesses or die early they have

something to take care of they have a

reason and the whole book kind of goes

over some ideas like that where we think

we want this but

actually science says it's this don't

fall into the trap that doing

anything you want all the time me me me

me

is the key to happiness that could be

hedonistic and

lack fulfillment because if you're just

living for yourself eventually that's

going to get boring living for others

having constraints

is actually healthy and scientifically

proven the right ones to make you happy

okay moving on we need a prop for this

next one when most people go about

change habits they think about tactics

give me the books to read give me the

techniques what meditation to do what

manifestation technique

if you've watched this channel this year

and something i came to realize

is that those are the least important

this right here

and you're like clark where's the book

it's coming let me tell you you need

foreplay you can't just rush into things

most people approach change from three

two one i'ma take some actions

and i hope it changes my beliefs or my

stories inside and then

you know hopefully if it lasts long

enough i'll change my identity

but real change in your life happens

when you go one two three

at the identity level you rewire

yourself

okay and you adopt a new identity you

create this ahead of time

it knocks over your stories and then

your actions fall in alignment in other

words

this is the secret to change the

identity root most people go like this

and they wonder why they're stuck does

that make sense

one book that opened my eyes to this

right is our fourth book right here

atomic habits james clear everyone in

the comments were telling me to read

this

for probably a year since it came out

and i was like i'll get to it and then i

finally did

and i was like holy moly that's a great

book but it talks about

this right here the goal is not to stop

reducing

cigarettes actions the goal is to become

a non-smoker the goal is not to put on

your running shoes and run a marathon

now the goal is to become a runner in

the book james clear says that

every action is a vote for the person

that you want to become

so i love that frame in your life today

think about that big or small every

action you do

or you could say every thought or belief

or judgment casts a vote for the person

that you want to become and again

those votes if you collect enough

evidence for something they influence

your identity level so we can approach

this of two ways we can create this

identity

and then start casting votes for the

person we want to be and reinforce it in

now what's really crazy is most people

don't realize this and they cast votes

against themselves

out of alignment with what they say they

want to do and who they want to become

and that's why a lot of people have this

ick in their life show up right there's

a gap it's like

who i view myself as and what i'm

actually doing right here

and the bigger this gap is the more ick

we feel inside the more depression can

creep in

stress anxiety overthinking imposter

syndrome

so the secret is changing your identity

rewiring it and closing this gap right

here once you do that

it's really easy to get up and live life

and feel awesome because you're in

integrity with what you say you're doing

and what you're actually doing does that

make sense

tomicabit's great book and if you want

to know more about like our identity

shifting process

again to influence this this is what our

whole metamorphic coaching program is

i'll link down below a quick little

video that you can watch it's free

no sign up required and it goes a bit

deeper into stuff like this

and then of course if you want to apply

please feel free to do so

and if it's a good fit i'll hop on the

phone with you and we'll just talk more

2020 was a crazy year for finances i

don't know if any of you saw the stock

market right just went

i also heard like something 35 of all us

dollars got printed

in uh like the last six months of 2020

or something like that from a financial

standpoint in 2020 it was

the best of times and the worst of times

for a lot of people a lot of people lost

their jobs but a lot of people got

filthy stinking rich and if you had your

investments in the right place

realize that investing saving money

financial security all the stuff that we

view is kind of like

boring or too complex isn't as complex

as it is

you just got to know the game so you can

join people instead of saying oh that's

just for like rich people or elite

people the system's actually

set up for pretty much anyone to win if

you know the rules i don't mean to rant

here but like i was talking to someone

in uh

seattle where i'm from regardless of

political beliefs right but it's super

blue and so i'm talking to this woman

and she's just complaining about how

they're rich and they have

stocks and they're so evil and i was

like wait you know you can invest in the

stock market too

it's not like there's an income cap you

can buy a freaking share of amc for

eight bucks

or apple or tesla or now you can even

buy partial shares

my point is don't be intimidated by it

and so i am telling you that that is

very long-winded way of saying our third

book

i will teach you to be rich or meet

sadie i've been recommending this one

probably a couple years now and this

really goes into some more of those

rules right of how to kind of set

yourself up for 10

20 30 years from now so that you're

going to be well off

it doesn't require insane amount of

smarts or even insane amounts of

income it requires insane amounts of

discipline you make a million dollars

and you spend it how much did you make

zero goose egg it's better off to make a

hundred thousand

save forty you are richer at the end of

the year than that person who made a

million and spent a million it's not

about the money you

make it's about the money you keep and i

love that this book influence

emphasizes that and gives you really

practical ways to

influence it using compounding in the

long term if you love it so much clark

why don't you marry it

book number two you know what this is

not a book

but more of a process something that you

can do in

active form there comes a point in your

life where you realize and you have to

be brutally honest with yourself if like

i'm consuming info out of education

which it seems like reading coaching

videos seminars motivation that seems

like education right

and it can be but if we're not applying

it over here

if you don't have fruits to show for it

what is it really

it's entertainment at a certain point i

find with a lot of people just to be

brutally honest and i had this in myself

we spend so much time in education that

it becomes entertainment

you can listen to podcasts all day long

thinking they're educational right but

if

they're not making your life better

objectively it really is entertainment

where do we flip the switch towards

having

all this potential over here of

education that we have in our brain

right

and really applying it in our life to

see the benefits well you need a tool to

cross this right here

the best tool i've ever found and i

would implore you to

take seriously and just give it a shot

this year is

this right here eight by eleven and a

half sketchbook right here our journal

now we posted the ultimate guide to it

this year i'll link down below or you

can just

find it takes two seconds i was just

telling the members of my metamorphic

coaching program where we meet live and

do calls and stuff

this is like our big theme right now so

many people so many voices so many

influencers right they're trying to

influence you they're trying to do that

you look for answers you look outside of

yourself

but how often do we ever stop

and listen for them that's powerful stop

looking for the answers and maybe it's

time to start listening for them

and i think you'll see your life finally

flip the switch

from potential of education right

entertainment to action closing that gap

number one book this was a toss-up um i

have two that i'll give you

and one is kind of like what the heck

and i guess we'll start with that

i really didn't want to like this book

book as much as i did

because i saw it in like urban

outfitters and i'm like i don't want to

be that cliche like millennial reading

that book

but i mean don't judge it by its cover

right

i was so stoked i read this art of not

giving an f

right mark manson it was just a really

fun light-hearted read all about kind of

self-development and how

these ideas what that rant we just went

on with the journal pretty much

like the arts or the the science of

improving yourself

the good intention behind that is like

yeah i'm gonna be better right

but if we never apply it we just have

these to do's in our head

that we turn on ourselves and we beat

ourselves up and we feel guilty on

because we're not applying it that even

if something has a positive intent

doesn't mean it's positive for us

okay so i'll leave it at that that book

was awesome also have a book review of

this that you can find on our channel if

you just search

pop right up again the toss-up is

between that and

breaking the habit of being yourself joe

dispenza

talks a lot about the m word in here

meditation right and i know like some

people love it some people hate it and

i've been in the hate camp for a while

not that i i didn't see the benefits of

it but it took me like

10 books of how to meditate okay

and getting it all right before i

finally had enough willpower to sit down

and do it consistently and like

something i struggle with to this day is

meditation

but i find that having some science

behind it like this book gives you

if you're analytically wired like myself

you want to know the why behind you do

something

um this book breaks it down something as

little as like

eight weeks 12 minutes a day just

meditating

can have significant like insane

benefits to rewiring

your brain in their neural pathways

places of your brain start lighting up

like the empathy centers the parts that

make you more loving more compassionate

more patient and other pathways start

kind of reducing a little bit like your

amygdala which is the fight or flight

right

or all these like judgmental centers

whatever parts are contributing to that

in the brain kind of reduce

so if you want some science behind why

you should meditate or just like how

that can help you kind of shift into the

2.0 version of yourself

book is fantastic it is a little dense

there are some parts where you really

gotta like pay attention you can't just

be like you know kind of zoning out

i find nevertheless this to be

fascinating and again we have a book

summary on this channel if you

uh want to just get a quick overview of

it see if it's a book before you really

dive in that you want to commit to

comment down below with your number one

book

that you want to read this year or you

would recommend to others

i want to know in the comments down

below you want to learn more about our

coaching feel free to watch the video

and apply down below

that's it for me stop settling start

living see ya