Hi everyone,

This week's newsletter is a break from the recent under 1000 word essays I've been trying to write - but I hope this is the email you come back to the most.

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Let's face it.

We all have things we want to do. We all have dreams and goals that are waiting for us to reach them.

A key lesson I've been focusing on this year is the importance of creating an effective state. When I apply it, I move forward at a great pace - and when I forget it, I stall and burn out.

All of these books can ignite your mind in ways that you cannot expect. They'll make you want to be more and do more.

If you're in need of creating a state where you feel like you want to be more, do more, conquer fears, push your limits, and live to your full potential - you won't go wrong with the books on this list.

Let's get started.

1 - The Education of A Wandering Man by Louis L'Amour

Louis L'Amour is best known for his Western novels - of which he wrote over a hundred and sold over 320 million copies - but I think his memoir is by far his best writing.

In the pages of the book, you come across countless interesting stories ranging from his time as a hobo to his bare-knuckle prize fighter days, to his development as a writer.

However, the book isn't an autobiography - instead, it's a great book on the value of self-education and making something of yourself in the world. He speaks about how he trained himself to be a writer, the weeks he spent alone reading, the education he tore from the pages of books and the experiences of his life. 

This book will make you want to read more, learn more, and become more.

"Of the value of books I am myself my best example. If it were not for books, I should never have been more than a labourer, perhaps killed in a mine disaster, as some of my friends were. Yet the books were there, I could read, and had the will to read and the persistence to keep on reading."

2 - On The Shortness of Life by Seneca.

Seneca is one of the Big 3 of Stoicism (alongside Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius). When he wasn't working as the Emperor's right-hand man, or being his generation's greatest playwright, he was sitting down and writing on philosophy.

The work he left behind is timeless and beautiful. You can start with his Letters, but his short essay On the Shortness of Life is incredibly powerful. It will leave you with a burning urgency to not waste anymore time.

"It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it."

3 - Jack London by Earle Labor.

Similar to Louis L’Amour, Jack London is most known for his fiction writing - particularly, The Call of the Wild. However, the life he lived is far more interesting than any of the stories he wrote.

Like L’Amour, he worked some odd jobs and he lived through some serious adventures - he was an Oyster Pirate and joined in on one of America’s first gold rushes.

Reading about how even with Sunstroke so intense he couldn’t sit upright, London still forced himself to write his daily three thousand words, is a lesson in discipline I’ll never forget.

London may have died at forty - but he lived a dozen lifetimes in those four decades. This book will inspire you to make use of however long you’re given

“We live only once, and we’ll be dead a long time; so why not get the best out of life?”

4 & 5 - Can't Hurt Me & Never Finished by David Goggins.

Goggins has become a cultural phenomenon. He’s cornered people in the UFC, been the face of a viral meme, and has redefined toughness for a lot of people.

Most of us haven’t had to endure the atrocities that Goggins did - nor are we trying to force the achievements he’s attained (like passing Seal Training and completing ultramarathons… on broken legs) but we can still learn an insane amount from his ability to control his own mind and endure.

His first book Can’t Hurt Me is hard to beat - but his follow up, Never Finished, certainly came close. These books will make you realise how much you probably have left in the tank - and give you some strategies to push yourself further.

“Physical training is the perfect crucible to learn how to manage your thought process because when you’re working out, your focus is more likely to be single pointed, and your response to stress and pain is immediate and measurable.”

“Every minute you spend feeling sorry for yourself is another minute not getting better, another morning you miss at the gym, another evening wasted without studying. Another day burned when you didn’t make any progress toward your dreams, ambitions, and deepest desires. The ones you’ve had in your head and heart your entire life.”

6 - The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris.

Any book written about Theodore Roosevelt has an inbuilt advantage: the man was a badass. From just continuing his speech after a would-be assassin shot him in the chest to taking on corruption and winning (again and again), Roosevelt was a force of nature.

This biography shows he wasn’t born as one. In fact, he grew up sickly and below average in nearly everything. He made himself physically, mentally, and spiritually into a man that came to define an entire age.

It’s impossible to not read about his journey and accomplishments, and not want to force more out of yourself.

“It is not often that a man can make opportunities for himself. But he can put himself in such shape that when or if the opportunities come he is ready to take advantage of them.”

7 - Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson.

I know, Musk is divisive. As I wrote before, there’s nearly no one left in the middle on the topic of Elon - the world seems to spread out into die-hard fanatics who see him as a saviour and intense haters who think he’s going to single-handedly bring about the destruction of the world. 

However, whether you love him or you hate him, you have to admit the man gets things done. 

Isaacson’s Biography captures well the best and worst of Musk. It will make you want to launch more projects, follow your dreams, learn as much as you can, and work relentlessly - it will also make you appreciate balance, building real relationships, and wanting to avoid being an asshole.

“Musk took an iterative approach to design. Rockets and engines would be quickly prototyped, tested, blown up, revised, and tried again, until finally something worked.”

8 - Scars and Stripes by Tim Kennedy.

If anyone on this list could rival Musk for controversialness, it’s Tim Kennedy. When I bought this book in a Barnes & Noble near Waikiki, the clerk said “I can’t believe anyone is buying his book” to my face. 

His social media presence doesn’t really leak into this book - and instead, you get to witness the journey of a man who has built several million dollar businesses, been a title contender in the UFC, become a Green Beret, hunted Nazis, and been the host of several TV shows.

Just reading this book made me feel like I was living at 1% of my potential. Kennedy is far from perfect - he’s the first to point out the trail of massive mistakes he’s made - but this book is a reminder that if we just keep trying, we can achieve massive things.

“You cannot mass-produce elite people. They need to be forged from hard experiences. If you want to be one of them, you need to seek these challenges consistently.”

9 & 10 - The Obstacle is the Way & Discipline Is Destiny by Ryan Holiday.

You should read all of Ryan Holiday’s works, regardless of who you are. I think he’s the best living non-fiction writer, and his writing makes all topics actionable and graspable.

These two books though, will make you want to do and be more. The Obstacle is the Way is all about the concept that we either are made better by obstacles - or completely destroyed by them. The book gives you the strategies to make sure you’re one of the former, and not the latter. 

Discipline is Destiny is another great one from Ryan. It takes the concept of Discipline and breaks it down so its clear the importance of it and how simple it is for us to introduce into our lives.

If you want to be or do anything - you’ll need to be able to overcome obstacles and be disciplined. These books will show you how.

“But boldness is acting anyway, even though you understand the negative and reality of your obstacle. Decide to tackle what stands in your way - not because you’re a gambler defying the odds but because you’ve calculated them and boldly embraced the risk.”

“To procrastinate is to be entitled. It is arrogant. It assumes there will be a later. It assumes you’ll have the discipline to get to it later (despite not having the discipline now).”

11 - Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.

A 900+ page biography of the first US Secretary of the Treasury may seem out of place on this list - but trust me, it’s not.

Alexander Hamilton was born and raised with no prospects. He created himself and in turn, helped create the United States of America. 

Hamilton was self-taught, protean, and a true renaissance man. The Broadway musical captured the man well, he was non-stop and wrote like he was running out of time - but Chernow’s work gives you a deep look into a great rags to riches story.

“In fact, no immigrant in American history has ever made a larger contribution than Alexander Hamilton.”

12 & 13 - Tools of Titans & The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss.

Ferriss is one of the three modern writers who have most impacted my thinking (alongside Holiday and the Art of Manliness team). His books cover great ground.

If you’re unsure of what to do to get better, Tools of Titans has your answer. Its a comprehensive guide that covers health, wealth, and happiness. 

The 4-Hour Workweek should also be required reading to help test your limits, rethink what’s possible, and bring out the best version of you possible.

“Success, however you define it, is achievable if you collect the right field-tested beliefs and habits.”

“People will choose unhappiness over uncertainty.”

14 - The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz.

If you’re someone who struggles with not having a vision, getting discouraged by negative people, or feeling constrained by your own limits - this book is for you.

The book is full of vintage-era self-improvement strategies that will help unlock the full power of your thinking. Schwartz delivers great advice without coming across as preachy - and the book builts well on itself to make your journey to better thinking unobstructed.

“Believe it can be done. When you believe something can be done, really believe, your mind will find ways to do it.”

15 - Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink.

I’m a huge Jocko fan and this operating manual could easily be my go-to on all things discipline and mental toughness. 

The book is your antidote to excuses, mental weaknesses, procrastination, and self-pity. It’ll make you want to work hard, train martial arts, lift weights, control your mind, and reach your potential.

Don’t overlook this book because it’s short - it packs way more of a punch than books 10x its size.

“Stop researching every aspect of it and reading all about it and debating the pros and cons of it. Start doing it.”

16 - Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Arnold has risen to the pinnacle in three careers - first, he was a global bodybuilding superstar. Then, he was a blockbuster actor. Not finished, he ended up as Governor of California.

This book contains the 7 strategies he credits with his success - centred around the best piece of advice he ever received: Be Useful.

The pages are filled with interesting anecdotes, contrarian strategies, and great lessons. For those interested in Arnold, it’s also a much more accessible book than his 650+ page autobiography, Total Recall.

“You need to be able to see what you want to achieve before you do it, not as you do it. That’s the difference.”

17 - Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman! by Richard P. Feynman.

When it comes to polymaths, you would struggle to find a more entertaining version than Richard Feynman. He was a genius physicist, helped on the Manhattan project, taught himself the bongos, learned to paint in old age, was a master lockpick, and it extends endlessly onwards.

This short book by him is brilliant - and is filled with counterintuitive advice on how to live a great life.

The book will make you want to explore your limits, learn more, and honestly, just do things because you enjoy them.

“It was a brilliant idea: You have no responsibility to live up to what other people think you ought to accomplish. I have no responsibility to be like they expect me to be. It’s their mistake, not my failing.”

18 & 19 - How To Think like a Roman Emperor & Verissimus by Donald Robertson.

Besides Ryan Holiday, perhaps no one has had a bigger contribution to Modern Stoicism than Donald Robertson. These books are the two of his that centre around Marcus Aurelius.

How to Think like a Roman Emperor tells the story of Marcus Aurelius through the lens of uncovering Stoic strategies to help us survive and thrive in the modern world. You’ll discover how to tame your anger, control your urges, achieve inner-peace, and become a good person.

Verissimus is a graphic novel biography of Aurelius. It’s a quick and easy read but it’s a great introduction into one of the greatest men in history. The book shows some practices - but will mainly make you want to improve as a person, and become more just, moral, and kind.

“The wise man neither strikes a tragic attitude nor whines about what befalls him.”

20 - Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins.

Some people love Tony Robbins, and others think he’s a showman at best, and a fraud at worst. This book however is filled with insights that you can actually use in your everyday life.

It will teach you how to manage your state, set exciting goals, overcome procrastination, and unlock your best emotions.

Don’t be intimidated by the book's size - once you get started, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without the strategies in the book that will help bring you to a higher level.

“In life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know.”

21 - Manvotionals by the Art of Manliness.

This book is a collection of great writing, ranging from the ancient world to modern thinkers, centred around acquiring 7 key virtues: Manliness, Courage, Industry, Resolution, Self-reliance, Discipline, and Honour.

It’s essentially an anthology of the wisest men and women, with spiritual and practical advice on acquiring priceless virtues.

If you don’t know where to start with reading great writers, this book is the perfect taster.

“Courage does not consist in the absence of fear, but in the conquest of it.”

22 - The Motivation Hacker by Nick Winter.

Perhaps the most unknown book on this entire list, The Motivation Hacker is a really unique book. It covers a 3-month period in the author’s life where he just fully committed to achieving 18 goals he had for a long time.

The methods in the book can seem a bit odd but overall, it’s good fuel for inspiring you to think about whether you’re really pushing as far and fast as you can.

The book shares good strategies, but the real value is helping open our eyes to just how much is possible.

“The biggest hack a motivation hacker can perform is to build their confidence to the size of a volcano.”

23 & 24 - The War of Art & Do The Work by Steven Pressfield.

Nearly every modern creative has spoken about their love for the work of Steven Pressfield. He’s the guru behind the gurus. Pressfield introduced the world to the concept of “Resistance” - a natural force that tries to prevent us from doing our life's work. It’s the source behind procrastination, self-doubt, and self-sabotage.

The War of Art teaches you about this spiritual and mental war that you’re waging every time you try to create or improve. It’s one of the most beloved books by writers and creatives, and Pressfield’s most important work.

If the War of Art prepares you for the spiritual and mental warfare involved in creating, Do the Work teaches you the practical tools to win. It’s simple strategies.

Both of these books are incredibly short, and incredibly important. Read them and get inspired on your journey.

“Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific enterprise, the more certain we can be that the enterprise is important to us and to the growth of our soul.”

“Don’t think. Act. We can always revise and revisit once we’ve acted. But we can accomplish nothing until we act.”

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I’ve been inspired to re-read lately by Seneca’s great line: “You should be extending your stay among writers whose genius is unquestionable, deriving constant nourishment from them if you wish to gain anything from your reading that will find a lasting palace in your mind”

I’m going to make sure that these books all find their way into my re-reading list.

I want to feed my mind with the type of content that will push me to unlock the next level of y my development - both through the inspiration of great figures and useful strategies to employ.

I hope you’ll pick up one or a few of these books and ignite your mind - helping you start on the epic journey of discovering and realising your full potential.

Until next week,

Zachariah