The Amy Porterfield Show #400: My Favorite Books & A 400th Episode Giveaway
Oct 14, 2021
Celebrate a literary milestone with insights from 12 transformative books! Discover how influential reads shaped an entrepreneurial journey and learn about balancing productivity with personal freedom. Dive into themes of resilience, overcoming fear, and making tough decisions. Listen in for a special giveaway and encouragement to embrace your true potential. Plus, personal anecdotes and strategies await those curious about thriving in business and life!
32:44
Atomic Habits
- Want to build good habits and achieve remarkable results?
- Read Atomic Habits by James Clear for a practical, systems-based approach.
Be Authentic
- Embrace authenticity, even if it means not pleasing everyone.
- Read Professional Troublemaker to overcome the fear of not fitting in, according to Amy Porterfield.
Jamie Kern Lima's Story
- Despite setbacks like cyberbullying and industry doubt, Jamie Kern Lima persevered.
- Her book, Believe It, inspires readers to trust their inner voice and keep pushing forward.
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Intro
00:00 • 7min
Inspiration Through Fear and Resilience in Literature
07:19 • 2min
Embracing Productivity and Lifestyle Freedom
09:48 • 2min
Books That Inspire Growth
12:02 • 9min
Books That Inspire Entrepreneurial Growth and Gratitude
20:56 • 9min
Atomic Habits
James Clear
Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth[2][4][5].
Believe IT
Jamie Kern Lima
In 'Believe IT', Jamie Kern Lima shares her true story of overcoming self-doubt, body-doubt, and God-doubt to turn her against-the-grain idea into an international bestselling sensation. She reveals how she almost didn’t make it, how she learned to trust herself, and the powerful lessons readers can use to go from underestimated to unstoppable. The book includes deeply personal stories of heartbreak and resilience, as well as her fight to change the beauty industry’s use of unrealistic images. With radical vulnerability and honesty, Jamie inspires readers to believe in themselves and their dreams.
Year of Yes
How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
Shonda Rhimes
In 'Year of Yes,' Shonda Rhimes recounts her decision to say yes to all the things that scared her for one year. The book explores her life before and after this challenge, from her childhood and career as a writer and producer to her experiences as a mother and public figure. Rhimes shares how this year of yes impacted every aspect of her life, including her self-confidence, relationships, and overall well-being. The book is a candid and humorous account of her journey, offering practical advice on embracing challenges and finding personal growth.
Free to Focus
Michael Hyatt
In 'Free to Focus,' Michael Hyatt presents a comprehensive productivity system designed to help readers manage their time and energy more effectively. The book emphasizes the importance of focus, outlining a three-phase approach: Stop (formulate, evaluate, rejuvenate), Cut (eliminate non-essentials), and Act (build momentum). Hyatt introduces the 'Freedom Compass,' which categorizes tasks into zones such as the Desire Zone, Drudgery Zone, Distraction Zone, and Disinterest Zone, to help readers prioritize tasks that align with their passions and skills. The book aims to help professionals achieve a better work-life balance by doing more of what they love and less of what they don't.
The big leap
Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level
Gay Hendricks
In 'The Big Leap,' Gay Hendricks addresses the concept of the Upper Limit Problem, where individuals subconsciously sabotage their own success and happiness due to deep-seated fears and limiting beliefs. The book introduces four zones of activity: the Zone of Incompetence, Zone of Competence, Zone of Excellence, and Zone of Genius. Hendricks emphasizes the importance of identifying and operating in the Zone of Genius, where one combines what they love doing with what they are exceptionally good at. He also outlines four common hidden barriers to success: feeling fundamentally flawed, fear of disloyalty and abandonment, believing more success brings a bigger burden, and the fear of outshining others. The book provides practical advice on overcoming these barriers, embracing continuous growth, and achieving a balance between professional success and personal fulfillment.
Dare to lead
Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.
Brené Brown
In 'Dare to Lead', Brené Brown provides a roadmap for leaders to build trust and foster a culture of courage and vulnerability. The book emphasizes that leadership is not about titles or power, but about recognizing and developing the potential in people and ideas. Brown introduces the 'BRAVING' framework (Boundaries, Reliability, Accountability, Vault, Integrity, Non-judgment, Generosity) to build and maintain trust. She also highlights the importance of embracing vulnerability, having tough conversations, and aligning actions with shared values. The book is based on her research with global leaders and offers practical advice on developing empathy, resilience, and courageous leadership skills.
Big Magic
Elizabeth Gilbert
In 'Big Magic', Elizabeth Gilbert delves into the mysteries of creativity, encouraging readers to live more creative and fulfilling lives. The book is divided into six parts: Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust, and Divinity. Gilbert argues that creativity is an essential part of human nature and that it requires courage to accept and overcome fears. She emphasizes the importance of persistence, trust in the creative process, and the need to separate creativity from the pressure of making a living. Through personal anecdotes and insights from other artists, Gilbert demystifies the creative process and inspires readers to pursue their passions with curiosity rather than fear[2][3][5].
Essentialism
The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Greg McKeown
In 'Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less,' Greg McKeown argues that by applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, individuals can regain control of their time and energy. The book is divided into sections such as Explore, Eliminate, and Execute, providing practical advice on distinguishing the vital few from the trivial many and eliminating non-essential activities. McKeown emphasizes the importance of clarity of focus, the ability to say 'no,' and living 'by design, not by default.' This approach helps readers achieve more by doing less and making the highest possible contribution in their personal and professional lives.
Professional Troublemaker
The Fear-Fighter Manual
Luvvie Ajayi Jones
In this book, Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares her personal experiences and insights on overcoming fear and imposter syndrome. She provides a humorous and transformational guide on how to fearlessly pursue one's goals and create a life that is authentic, bold, and purposeful. The book is filled with her characteristic wit and warmth, making it both entertaining and inspiring.
Becoming
Michelle Obama
In her memoir, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. The book is divided into three sections: Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More, reflecting her journey from her early life, through her marriage and career, to her role as the First Lady of the United States. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms[2][4][5].
Radical Candor
Be a Kick-ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity
Kim Scott
Radical Candor by Kim Scott offers a practical approach to management by emphasizing the importance of caring personally and challenging directly. The book argues that effective managers must find a balance between being empathetic and providing clear, honest feedback. Scott draws from her experiences at Google and Apple to provide actionable lessons on building strong relationships, giving feedback, and creating a collaborative work environment. The book introduces the concept of 'radical candor' as the sweet spot between obnoxious aggression and ruinous empathy, and provides tools and strategies for managers to implement this approach in their daily work[1][2][5].
The One Thing
The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
Jay Papasan
Gary Keller
The book discusses the benefits of prioritizing a single task and provides strategies for overcoming distractions, building productive habits, and maintaining focus. It challenges common productivity myths such as multitasking and the idea of a balanced life, and introduces the 'Focusing Question': 'What's the ONE Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?' The authors also discuss time blocking, habit-building, and aligning short-term actions with long-term goals to achieve success in various aspects of life[1][3][5].
The books that built my business -- library card not required.
This episode is a celebration for bookworms and those who consider themselves “podcast people” alike.
I wouldn’t say I’m a bookworm by any stretch of the imagination. (More of an audiobook and podcast girl, myself.)
But I DO know that books have played a major role in the growth of my business...not to mention my growth as an entrepreneur and, well, person.
And to celebrate this special 400th episode of Online Marketing Made Easy, I’m sharing the top 12 books that have fundamentally shaped how I’ve grown my business, taken care of my mental well-being, and given myself a break from the everyday hustle.
If you’ve ever wondered, “What books should I be reading as an entrepreneur?” I'm sharing why these books are at the top of my list.
Including topics, like:
- Business systems that free up your time to work in your genius zone (or log off early, lace up your sneakers, and hit the trails...whatever the day calls for)
- Why fear feels so lonely
- How one of America’s richest self-made women deals with setbacks (and A LOT of them)
- My most recent exploration: how to achieve more by doing less *praise hands*
- Saying no to opportunities because of the fear of being in front of people
- A little something special for my fellow Enneagram 2’s ;)
- How to know if you should keep pushing for something you believe in or keep working towards becoming your own boss or starting your own business
- The single book that got me to a place where I was finally hitting my goals...and struggling less along the way to achieving those goals
If any of the above made you said, “Gimme that book rec, Amy!”, dive on in, my friend.
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