5 Must Read Books To Help You Reach Your Goals

Hey Shockers!

Happy Wednesday! We hope you’re having a great week. 

Last week announced our very first Pavlok meme contest, and the entire team has loved seeing the Pavlok community put their creative skills to the test.

We’ll be reviewing the memes over the next few days and be announcing our favorite pick in our weekly link Friday.

The winner will receive their very own Pavlok 2 on us stay tuned! 

Now let’s get in today’s email… 

One of the most common questions we get at Pavlok is asking for recommendations for the best books to help take your habits and self improvement to the next level.

While there are a TON of self help books that should never have seen the light of day, there are dozens of great books that really help you make huge strides into becoming the person you want to be.

Here are 5 must read books to reach your habit goals. 

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business by Charles Duhigg 

An all time classic for those looking to improve their habits, the Power of Habit took the world by storm when it was published in 2012 and currently has over 4,000 positive reviews on Amazon.

What we like about the Power of Habit is how it breaks down the habit forming process in a way that is relatable and Duhigg does a great job of communicating the science behind habits in a way that’s incredibly easy to understand. 

Charles Duhigg’s research has had an enormous influence on Pavlok as a company and is a must read for those looking to take their life to the next level. 

The Willpower Instinct – by Kelly McGonigal 

Based on professor Kelly McGonigal’s Stanford course, “The Science of Willpower,” The Willpower Instinct breaks down everything you need to know about how willpower actually works. 

Many of us are raised to believe that any shortcomings in life are directly related to lack of willpower and discipline, but the truth is, the science of willpower tells a wildly different story.

Given that we each have a finite amount of willpower, this book does a great job of showing you how to improve your willpower and set yourself up to succeed at reaching your goals. 

The One Thing – Gary W Keller and Jay Papasan 

Another classic in the entrepreneurial and personal development circles the premise of The One Thing is quite simple – focusing strategically on one goal can drastically improve your chances of success. 

For those who find themselves bogged down with dozens of projects and pursuits, The One Thing provides an incredibly actionable framework to help you determine what your “one thing” is. 

Once you’ve determined your one thing, the book shares how to take massive action towards accomplishing what will likely have the most significant impact on your life both personally and professionally. 

Unhooked: How To Quit Anything – Susan Shaprio and Frederick Woolverton 

While building good habits is one of the most important things you can do to make a positive change in your life, understanding how to quit those bad habits such as smoking, procrastinating, and overeating is just as essential. 

If you find yourself struggling to quit some harmful vices, this book offers a scientifically backed method for overcoming those bad habits. If addiction is causing you or a loved one harm, this is an essential read for understanding how bad habits are formed and how to right the ship. 

Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker

When it comes to the quality of your life, high quality and restful sleep is arguably the most important factor of your overall health.  

Yet, many of us don’t hesitate to sacrifice sleep in hopes of “getting ahead.” 

Written by professor Matthew Walker, Director of UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab, this book dives deep into the history and science of sleep and why it plays such an essential role in our mood, energy, and even productivity. 

Written in an easy to understand way, Why We Sleep is one of the best books you’ll read all year. 

Bonus: I Will Teach You To Be Rich – Second Edition

We maybe biased for obvious reasons, but Maneesh’s brother Ramit Sethi recently released an update to one of the most popular personal finance books of all time – I Will Teach You To Be Rich. 

If you’re looking to take control of your finances and build a rich life (however you define it) this book lays out an 6 week program to help you get out of debt, invest intelligently, and maximize your finances. 

If you’ve read the original, the 10th anniversary edition features over 80 new pages, including:

New tools
New insights on money and psychology
Amazing stories of how previous readers used the book to create their rich lives 

If you decide to dig into one of these books, let us know what you think!

-Team Pavlok