My Best Reads of 2016
Well we are off and running in 2017 and I am excited about the year ahead. I figured I’d let everyone else get their best of 2016 articles out to the masses before writing one of my own, maybe it will get more attention being a few weeks late. 2017 was a wild year for myself and my wife with the birth of our first child, Emerson!! Emmy was a super healthy and happy 9# girl that had dad wrapped around her finger from the first second I saw her! Just as everyone had told me life did in fact change drastically, for the better of course, and it has given new purpose to my life each day forward.
Being a dad also meant that my free time for reading and researching was now almost non-existent. Other than hunting and fishing and now spending time with Emmy reading is a hobby I truly enjoy. So, as a new dad I have had to find ways to be creative so that I can continue to learn and improve in this super diverse and always changing world of exercise science we “fitness geeks” live in. I find myself getting up earlier and doing some reading then, or listening to more podcasts, which I can do on 1.5x speed and save a little more time in the process. However, nothing beats the real McCoy and that feeling you get when you see an Amazon box sitting by the door and you know there is a fresh one waiting in there for you to dive into. My wife feels I have a problem and I honestly can’t disagree as I question this myself as I simply cannot pass up an opportunity to purchase more knowledge. Amazon prime feeds my addiction with all their “suggestions” and “others bought this” that will pop up making me feel as though I will miss out on something if I don’t buy it now!
Hello everybody I’m a competitive learner, and I buy books! A wise man once told me, “knowledge is power, and you can never spend too much $ on books.” Parents and coaches make the time to research and make yourselves better performing coaches. The world of performance and competition is changing daily, you owe it to your athletes and children to be on top of it… So, here’s my list of must reads from 2016 as well as a couple from years past that simply cannot go without mention…The pile in the pic at left are either not finished or up next! Did I mention I have a problem!!
1) Extreme Ownership: By Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. A really entertaining book written by two Navy SEAL Officers who teach readers how to be effective leaders by taking ownership of your actions. They break down the principles and skills they used on the field of battle and teach you how to effectively implement them in all aspects of your business, life, coaching, management, etc. These principles were
extremely valuable and directly applicable to my own business and life. I highly recommend this book as a resource for anybody who feels that leadership is important to their team’s success. I found that hearing these leadership principles that worked on the battle field; where the stakes are lives and not money, contributed greatly to the efficacy of what they were teaching. Check them out on Facebook, Amazon and their Website!
2) Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing By Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman. This was a really fun book for someone who spends as much time with athletes as I do, especially considering my own hours spent in competition not so many years ago. I gained valuable insight
into the science of competition and what causes some to win more than others and what truly separates those at the top from those at the bottom. Why males and females are such a different animal in a competitive setting. Why practice is so different than competition. How the true benefit of competition is not winning—but improved performance. Why some athletes are so good on game day and others just plain suck. Bronson and Merryman show us that there’s much more to winning than just putting the time in on the practice field, it takes more than that, it takes a mental fortitude and fire that some have and some don’t while others simply don’t know how to recruit it. Check them out on Facebook, Amazon and their Website!
3) The E Myth Revisited: By Michael Gerber. Although this book may not be for everyone, I feel that it should be considered by all entrepreneurs and business people, especially small business people or those interested in starting their own business. Gerber explains how
creating systems and developing the “franchise prototype” can lead you to both more success and autonomy in your life, while you spend more time working on the business instead of in it. This was a resource that I wish I would have found well before I decided to open my own business, as I learned skills and tactics that have proved invaluable now and would have been extremely helpful almost 8 years ago when I opened. Since reading I have made immediate changes to our operations and will continue to do so with great confidence thanks to the tactics learned from the E Myth. I highly recommend reading the E Myth and Extreme Ownership back to back as I feel that the two together are a winning combination for those thinking of starting their own business.
Learn more on their website!!
The following are titles that I read prior to 2016 but absolutely must be mentioned as they are such a valuable resource to any coach, trainer or athlete.
1) The Talent Code: By Daniel Coyle. I have now read this book multiple times, and can say without question that it changed the way I coach. Learn how Deep Practice, Ignition and Master Coaching create a recipe for success in skill development. If you read one book ever make this be the one.
2) The Sports Gene: By David Epstein. Super cool book that will create dinner conversations for sports enthusiasts for years to come. Why are some athletes “freaks”, and why is it that many humans will never be able to do what they do? A look inside “nature vs nurture,” the 10,000 hour rule, and why Jennie Finch can strike out any MLB great…
3) The Champions Mind: By Jim Afremow PhD. This book has been a really great resource for me in working with the mental side of competition with my athletes. It not only provided me with the science, it also provides coaches, parents and athletes with practical applications to becoming stronger in the mental side of competition through customizable pre-performance routines for athletes to utilize. I require many athletes that are recovering from injury, surgery, or other trauma to read this during their reconditioning process with us at XIP. Parents and coaches if you haven’t read it order it immediately!