As we’re all stuck at home during the global quarantine, I’d love to recommend some great books that may really help during this time.
These books solve unique issues that people are facing right now. They are life-changing, they give hope and they are some of my all-time favorites.
So get ready to bookmark or make notes on the following must-have books during quarantine:
1. The Future is Faster than You Think
Authors: Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis
40 percent of today’s Fortune 500 companies will be gone in ten years, replaced, for the most part, by upstarts we’ve not yet heard of.
~ Steven Kotler
What happens as AI, robotics, virtual reality, and digital biology collide with quantum computing, 3D printing, and blockchain technology?
And, as they converge, how will this transform today’s industries? What’s going to happen to the way we raise our kids, govern our nations, and care for our planet?
The Future is Faster Than You Think is the third book in the trilogy of the futurism collaboration between best-selling authors Steven Kotler and Peter Diamandis.
In their first book ‘Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think, they tackled massive global challenges, such as poverty, hunger, and energy.
Then, in Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World, they chronicled the use of exponential technologies that allowed the emergence of powerful new entrepreneurs.
And in the third book, The Future Is Faster Than You Think talks about how science is progressing at such a rapid rate that humanity should have so much hope for the future.
This book is absolutely thrilling and it is my favorite of the trilogy. It’s really a blueprint for how our world will change in the next 10 years as a result of rapid technological disruption.
(Side Note: Steven Kotler is a Mindvalley author whose program is on peak performance. I interviewed Steven recently on his latest book and you can listen to it on The Mindvalley Podcast. It will blow your mind.)
2. The 4-Hour Body
Author: Timothy Ferriss
The major fears of modern man could be boiled down to two things: too much e-mail and getting fat.
~ Tim Ferriss, NYT bestselling author and entrepreneur
Is it possible to reach your genetic potential in six months? Or lose more fat than a marathoner by bingeing?
This is not just another diet and fitness book.
The 4-Hour Body is the result of an obsessive quest to hack that human body that spans more than a decade. It contains the collective wisdom of hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs and thousands of hours of jaw-dropping personal experimentation.
This book is an ideal read while you’re stuck at home. Whether you want to get thinner, bigger, faster or stronger. There’s something for everyone in this compendium of diet, sleep and exercise hacks.
I love this book because, like me, author Timothy Ferris tries out everything himself—he’s a self-experimenter. You’ll discover so many exercise hacks on how to get truly fit, and I suggest that you particularly pay attention to the chapter on Kettlebells—it’s the reason I started using them.
With most gyms closed because of the Coronavirus lockdown, The 4 Hour Body prompted me to collaborate with Steve Cotter to release a free course on kettlebells. Steve is the founder of the International Kettlebell Federation and was listed as one of the ‘Top 100 Fittest Men Of All Time’ by Men’s Health Magazine. Be sure to check out our mini-quest for free.
3. Autobiography of a Yogi
Author: Paramahansa Yogananda
The goal of yoga science is to calm the mind, that without distortion it may hear the infallible counsel of the Inner Voice.
~ Paramahansa Yogananda
Autobiography of a Yogi is a book that will get you hooked.
It was Steve Job’s favorite book (Walter Isaacson said that Steve read it every single year) and, at his funeral, a copy of this book was given to every attendee.
It’s the mind-bending story of an Indian Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda, and his adventures through India 100 years ago.
I won’t give away anything else for fear of spoiler alerts, but trust me…you need to read this book because it has the power to completely transform lives. It did for Steve Jobs, it did for me. And it will for you too.
4. Conversations with God
Author: Neale Donald Walsch
There is only one purpose for all of life, and that is for you and all that lives to experience fullest glory.
~ Neale Donald Walsch
Neale Donald Walsch’s best-selling Conversations With God series is truly transformative and these books are what prompted me to go deep into my own spirituality.
As the title of the series suggests, these books are about one man talking to God; however, the best and most unusual twist is…God actually starts talking back. Imagine everything you would ask God if you got the chance. Neale got that chance and the questions he asked, and more importantly the answers he received over this nine-book series, are thought-provoking and life-changing.
The entire series has sold millions of copies worldwide and gone on to shape the non-religious spirituality of our future generations. And personally, these books have allowed me to retain a positive mindset no matter what is happening in my life.
Whether you consider yourself religious, spiritual, or simply open to life’s most profound questions, this uplifting volume offers inspiration, solace, and a genuine pathway toward truth and deeper understanding. And more importantly, right now, it is filled with hope.
If you couldn’t tell, I am a huge fan of Neale! A few years ago, I welcomed him into our incredible family of authors at Mindvalley and he created one of our top quests called Awaken The Species. If you love these books as much as I do, then I suggest you check out our quest to experience the most profound spiritual evolution of your life.
5. Never Eat Alone
Author: Keith Ferrazzi
Poverty, I realized, wasn’t only a lack of financial resources; it was isolation from the kind of people who could help you make more of yourself.
~ Keith Ferrazzi
I know the timing may be a little off to suggest a book titled Never Eating Alone when, in fact, we are supposed to be self-isolating! But these control measures won’t last forever and you need to think of the future while living in the present.
Never Eat Alone is a manual on networking and how to build a lifelong community of colleagues, contacts, friends and mentors.This book has become a life-changing personal favorite of mine.
In the book, Keith focuses on the power of relationships and how such relationships are used to create win-win situations. He says this is what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else.
This book helped me to implement my community-building efforts within Mindvalley and my various circles that I’ve created around the world and Keith has become a great mentor and friend.
He also happens to be another author on this list who is part of our Mindvalley family. You see, I tend to go after incredible people who have written life-changing books. His Mindvalley program Authentic Networking will be released later this year.
I hope this list gives you some good material to work with. I typically get through 1-2 books per week and am always looking for my next good read…what’s in your Top 5 must-read list? Tell me in the comments.
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