The best books to help you after a layoff

I loved the book because it was the first time anyone seemed to encapsulate my career ambitions. All through school and the early years of my life, there seemed to be this push to specialize, like a voice shouting: “Pick something you want to do for the rest of your life.” But specializing has never really been for me.

I loved this book because it showed me that some of us are meant to be generalists, and although it might take longer to find exactly what we’re supposed to do, it is our Range and interest in multiple subjects, our ability to cover many subjects at once that allows us to discover new insights, original ideas and new ways of thinking. This book helped me see that the world does, in fact, need people like me. 

Having entrepreneurial tendencies my entire life, I loved the book because it helped me realize the chaos, randomness and reality of the early days in any company, especially some of the most successful ones, was not unique to my own experience. Having started my career in corporate America in my early twenties, it didn’t take long before the pace, bureaucracy and general politics of the place started to wear thin.

The book is a collection of Q&A sessions with some of the most successful founders of modern-day companies. Hearing them talk about how some of the greatest inventions in business were discovered and built-in unbusinesslike ways was inspiring. Seeing that being too businesslike can actually stifle and kill innovation changed my career.

I loved this book because it helped me see the power of questions. At work, there is often an expectation of always having answers. If you don’t have answers, you’re probably stupid or lazy—at least, that’s what I thought when I was younger. I love this book for many reasons, a big one being the gallery of countless examples of how breakthroughs and some of the world’s best inventions happened by first finding the right question to ask.

This book transformed my career. Instead of going into every meeting as a know-it-all, I came with a short list of questions to get people talking. When you show up with answers, people think they either need to agree or disagree. However, if you show up with only a question, everyone can participate. 

I loved this book because the author has such an incredible, authentic voice. Being a professional poker player turned consultant; she helps readers get comfortable with not knowing the outcome, being uncertain, and ultimately getting used to the idea of placing bets.

I loved the book because it helped me relax. Rather than stressing if the countless decisions I made every day were the right ones, it helped me see that I was making bets, running experiments, and constantly testing what worked. It helped me take myself less seriously, and it helped me see that even if an experiment failed, it would provide valuable learning and growth. As she references from her time on the world poker circuit, losing is not the end of it as long as you learn from your losses. 

I loved this book for many reasons. First, like the plot of a work of fiction, it follows the trail of a successful entrepreneur and a successful artist as they fall in love. I have read an extensive number of self-help books in my day, and this one was by far one of the most enjoyable, easy, and fun to read. It also addresses some of the common pitfalls folks fall into when trying to practice self-help.

Although I only did the actual 5am protocol for a year myself, it changed how I viewed my day, my mental resources, and how I was investing (or wasting) those same resources. I loved this book because even though I don’t practice the 5am protocol anymore, the year I did changed my life forever.