9. 23 Books That Shaped 2023

Since the winter of 2018/2019, I’ve been an avid reader. It started with a book called “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki that a client gave me to read. I don’t recall the context of how or why this book fell in my lap, but as soon as I started reading, I knew that reading it and others like it would change my life. Fast forward 5 years and I have a spreadsheet with 3 takeaways from every book I’ve read since then. 124 books that have completely shaped what I say, what I do and how I think. I can’t overemphasize the impact the habit of reading has made on me, so I feel an obligation to share this with those around me.

As we reflect on the past year, I’d like to show you some of what I read in the last 12 months. Not everything will seem interesting or relevant to you, but I’ve found that it can be the books that seem the most obscure that can leave the biggest marks. Reading must be done with an open mind, and judging a book by the cover or its title has served no one. You never know where you’ll find exactly what you need.

Without further ado, here are the top 23 books I read in 2023, along with 3 takeaways from each one (in no particular order in case you’re wondering).

NOTE: a takeaway in this case does not necessarily mean I agree with it. It just means it’s something I gathered from the perspective of the author(s). Be a student, not a follower. Collect information and opinions, then come to your own conclusions.