From a young age, I was captivated by art, music, film, and literature—constantly craving more from these creative mediums. Growing up in a lower-income, working-class home, I was surrounded by blue-collar workers, many of whom couldn’t attend college due to financial limitations. I learned early on that the richest education comes not just from books but from the stories of others and the world around us. Always feeling I had my own story to tell, I transitioned from steel worker to talent agent in Hollywood. But despite my success promoting others, something was missing—my own narrative. After a tragic loss, I reevaluated my path and chose to become a psychotherapist and author.
I wrote
F*ck Happiness: The Search for Meaning in a World Gone Mad Chasing Happiness
This was the first book I ever read from start to finish, and it opened my eyes to adventures beyond my own neighborhood. It also illuminated the complexities of human nature and how psychology influenced my mindset and outcomes.
This book inspired me to leave my job as a steelworker and take a leap into Hollywood, even though I didn’t know a single person there. Over the next two decades, I achieved what seemed impossible—thanks to this book!
The story of Frank W. Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams and Ringo Monjo, one of the most daring con men, forgers, impostors, and escape artists in history. Dubbed "The Skywayman", he was known by the police of 26 foreign countries and all 50 states in America, living a sumptuous life on the run. In his brief but notorious career, Abagnale donned a pilot's uniform and co-piloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as a member of hospital management, practised law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged…
This book helped me shift from focusing solely on doing whatever it takes to succeed to recognizing the importance of integrity in achieving success.
It reminded me to approach my work with passion, dedication, and a strong sense of integrity. It taught me that when I do what I love, I’ll love what I do. Furthermore, it reinforced the idea that instead of just selling the sizzle, I must deliver exceptional results and consistently exceed client expectations.
Harvey Mackay, author of "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive", believes that, to succeed in business, you should always do what you love, love what you do and deliver more than you promise. This book contains 85 "lessons" in the form of specific advice and personal anecdotes. The themes covered include getting started, working your way up, running the show, long-term sales careers, keeping out of trouble and relationships with the people you work for.
Gifts from a Challenging Childhood
by
Jan Bergstrom,
Learn to understand and work with your childhood wounds. Do you feel like old wounds or trauma from your childhood keep showing up today? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed with what to do about it and where to start? If so, this book will help you travel down a path…
When I finished this book, I finally felt like a grown-up. It felt like I had just read a business classic—and I had. This book taught me more than any other about the vital role communication plays in relationships and the profound impact it can have.
It was the first time I truly understood how to build rapport and cultivate meaningful connections. I learned that it’s not about manipulating people but about influencing them, resolving conflicts, and earning their trust through kindness, respect, and integrity.
Millions of people around the world have - and continue to - improve their lives based on the teachings of Dale Carnegie. In How to Win Friends and Influence People Carnegie offers practical advice and techniques, in his exuberant and conversational style, for how to get out of a mental rut and make life more rewarding.
His advice has stood the test of time and will teach you how to: - make friends quickly and easily - increase your popularity - win people to your way of thinking - enable you to win new clients and customers - become a…
I read this book at a crucial time when I was struggling with leadership as a business owner. It had a profound impact on both my personal and professional life, which were always closely intertwined.
The 7 habits truly resonated with me, and I was amazed at how simple it felt to apply them. I learned how to be more proactive, set clear goals, prioritize my tasks, and nurture relationships. This book reinforced the importance of aligning my personal values with my actions to create real success.
New York Times bestseller - over 25 million copies sold The No. 1 Most Influential Business Book of the Twentieth Century
"[Thirty] years after it first appeared, the wisdom of The 7 Habits is more relevant than ever. On an individual level people are burning out, and on a collective level we are burning up the planet. So Dr. Covey's emphasis on self-renewal and his understanding that leadership and creativity require us to tap into our own physical, mental, and spiritual resources are exactly what we need now." Arianna Huffington
One of the most inspiring and impactful books ever written,…
Gifts from a Challenging Childhood
by
Jan Bergstrom,
Learn to understand and work with your childhood wounds. Do you feel like old wounds or trauma from your childhood keep showing up today? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed with what to do about it and where to start? If so, this book will help you travel down a path…
I absolutely love this book. As a psychotherapist (and author) myself, I felt like the main character's journey mirrored my own. Like Hector, I found myself questioning whether I was truly happy and even whether my patients were happy. This book inspired me to spend a year researching happiness, only to realize that the real key wasn’t happiness—it was meaning.
In fact, this book should be called Hector and the Search for Meaning! It was the catalyst for my own journey to write my book.
Can we learn how to be happy? Hector is a successful young psychiatrist. He's very good at treating patients in real need of his help. But many people he sees have no health problems: they're just deeply dissatisfied with their lives. Hector can't do much for them, and it's beginning to depress him. So when a patient tells him he looks in need of a holiday, Hector decides to set off round the world to find out what makes people everywhere happy (and sad), and whether there is such a thing as the secret of true happiness.
In a world dominated by the pursuit of happiness, this book stands as a bold critique of society's shallow obsession with this fleeting ideal. It reveals that happiness, as commonly understood, is an illusion. It challenges the cultural narrative that ties happiness to success and fulfillment, urging people to rethink happiness as a destination and instead focus on authenticity and the pursuit of meaning.
This book deconstructs the facade of happiness perpetuated by media, exposing the negative impact of its commercialization on mental well-being. It emphasizes the importance of embracing one's true self amidst societal pressures to conform, offering a manifesto for self-discovery.
