Very excited to share with you my fourth annual resourceful reading list. Each year, starting in 2011, I’ve shared the best books I’ve found on personal development and solopreneur marketing for yourself and your goals as a talent. As with the previous three year’s worth of lists, each one includes Amazon links for your convenience should you want to purchase any.

The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
This book discusses the impediments we face in our journeys and how we can overcome them on our way to success. “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” – Marcus Aurelius

To Sell is Human by Daniel Pink
I have been a tremendous Daniel Pink fan for years and have listed several of his other books in previous lists. Definitely check out Free Agent Nation and A Whole New Mind as well. In his recent book he discusses how all of us work in sales – even if we are not aware of it. Unlike any book about selling before it – Pink shares some surprising facts about selling in a new industry today.

Make Success Mandatory by Jeremy Scott
A good friend a client, Jeremy Scott, recently shared with me his new book on overcoming failure to achieve the success you deserve. The book introduces 22 different exercises you can implement immediately to help aid you in your journey. My favorite was instead of making a TO DO list, make a DO IT list.

Neuromarketing by Patrick Renvoise & Christophe Morin
I know the title sounds boring and/or intimidating. However this was one the best read I had this year. It discusses how to appeal to the consumer’s brain in your marketing messages. It is an easy read filled with lots of information and idea inspiring stories on how you can enhance your marketing efforts.

Content Marketing by Rebecca Lieb
We are essentially all publishers now vying for people’s attention. In this book, Rebecca Lieb discusses various ideas on developing attractive content for your audience to consume.

Body of Work by Pamela Slim
If you have not heard TheProExposure interview we did with author Pamela Slim – go listen to it now! Her latest book Body of Work was such a fantastic read on how to develop a body of work that you want to represent you and your brand.

APE by Guy Kawasaki & Shawn Welch
Interesting in self-publishing? You need to read this book by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch. It discusses everything from writing the book, to publishing the book to profiting from the sales of the book.

Killing Giants by Stephen Denny
Ever feel like a small fish in a sea of professionals that you cannot overcome? This book addresses those feelings and gives 10 various strategies on how you can outdo, out-market and topple the giants in your industry.

Winning the Story Wars by Jonah Sachs
I literally devoured this book. We are all in the business of telling and exchanging stories. It is part of the human experience (see Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind). This book looks into some of the greatest stories we’ve told in advertising as well as how we can win our own story wars.

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams
This was a great book from the creator of Dilbert on his own journey through his career, what he has found to be true about achieving success amidst failure. This book is funny, extremely mentally stimulating and very insightful for anyone looking to chart off their own journey.

Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields
I am a big fan of the works of Fields, from his books (also see his other book Uncertainty) as well as his video project The Good Life Project. This book explores how to take your passion and turn it into a career. Throughout the book Fields gives practical and useful tips and tools to help you in doing this.

Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
A follow up to his previous book, Steal Like an Artist, his new book delivers 10 various ways you can share your creativity and get yourself discovered. It is a quick read – but one of those books that lights the fire under you.

Fit Model Guide by James Patrick
Okay, maybe it is a little blowhard to put my own book in this list, but for those looking to get published in the health and fitness industry – this is the key resource you’ve been looking for! Interviews with key editors from fitness magazines, communication experts as well as highly published fitness models all giving you the information and insights you can apply today to your modeling efforts!

Happy Reading!

James Patrick