527. The 100 Best Books for Work and Life
The ONE Thing
How many books did you read to create this list?
Todd describes reading roughly 2–3,000 titles over 20 years and the cadence of his reading and review practice.
Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of business and self-help books out there? With more than 40,000 titles published every year, it's impossible to read them all — and most of us don't have the time to waste on the wrong ones. The real challenge is knowing which books will actually help you grow, both personally and professionally.
That's why Jay Papasan sits down with Todd Sattersten, publisher of The ONE Thing and author of The 100 Best Books for Work and Life. Over the past 20 years, Todd has read more than 3,000 books, reviewed over 1,000 of them, and curated the top 100 that deliver the greatest insights for work, leadership, growth, and purpose. In this conversation, he shares the lessons he's learned from a lifetime of reading---why self-awareness is the most consistent takeaway across categories, how to choose books that truly add value, and why organizing your reading around the problems you're facing is the fastest path to results.
You'll come away with a clearer framework for deciding what to read, how to apply it, and when to let go of books that don't serve you. If you've ever struggled with too many choices and not enough time, this episode will help you build a smarter, more intentional reading habit that compounds over time.
Challenge of the Week:Be honest with yourself about the ONE problem you need to be working on right now. Then, choose a book---or a short list of books---that speaks directly to that problem. Don't try to read everything. Read for what you need.
Want more tools to help you simplify your choices, focus on what matters, and get extraordinary results? Visit the1thing.com
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To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: the1thing.com/pods.
We talk about:
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What reading 3,000+ business and self-help books reveals about personal growth
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How to choose the right book for the problem you're facing right now
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The surprising lessons from curating The 100 Best Books for Work and Life
Links & Tools from This Episode:
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The 100 Best Books for Work and Life by Todd Sattersten
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Follow Todd Sattersten on Instagram: @toddsattersten
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Want to be a guest or share feedback? Email podcast@the1thing.com or send us an audio note at Speakpipe.com/the1thing
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