With what has become an annual event for our readers, I’m pleased to share my recommendations for summertime reading (and listening) to catch up on and unwind with. This year, I am also going to share a few apps that have supported my personal development and sharpened my skills. 

In no particular order, here are some books to add to your list:

1. 1. 1. Good Energy: The Surprising Connection between Metabolism and Limitless Health by Casey Means: This is a book about how to improve your health and increase your ability to prevent and reverse many health conditions that shorten our lives. The best part about it is that all of this involves making only minor modifications to your life and using current research on dietary philosophy to achieve the goals. 
      2. The Man Who Ran Washington: The Life and Times of James A. Baker III by Peter Baker: This is a story of how a member of President Reagan’s Cabinet was able to achieve his political agenda through personal connections. He understands the art of compromise. This is a fascinating book about how things get done in Washington regardless of political affiliation. 
      3. The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham: The well known historian details seven pivotal times in American History — and how the leaders overcome resistance to change in order to do right by their constituents. 

I realize that many of you, like myself, are busy during the day. And it can be hard to find time to sit down with a book. So I found audiobooks are a great solution. Audible through Amazon is the app I use most frequently. Books that I listen to consistently — which you’ll probably recognize from past lists — include: 

• • 1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
    2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
    3. Phil Gordon’s Little Green Book (for all you Texas Hold ‘Em players out there)
    4. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

I have also recently added the app Wiser to my daily listening to get a “cliff notes version” of some popular books, both business-related and otherwise. Some of the books that I have enjoyed getting briefed on include:

• • 1. Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
    2. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
    3. Good to Great by Jim Collins

And finally, I’ve always been a fan of Podcasts. (Check out our Prophets of Profit podcasts here). There’s great entertainment and business content out there. I recommend the following:

1. 1. 1. Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway: This is a twice-a-week podcast that discusses current business events and developments, focusing primarily on technology and e-commerce.
      2. The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway: The co-host in Pivot also has his own podcast where he talks about other topics in marketing and his experience in teaching marketing at NYU. 
      3. Smartless by Jason Bateman: This entertaining podcast usually brings big stars and even bigger stories that are easy to relate to and lighten your mood. Don’t we all need a few minutes to decompress after all?

Whether at your computer, driving in your car, or sitting poolside with the kids, there are a lot of options to explore. If we’re not continuously growing, we’re declining — and we’re not ready to pack it up yet, are we?

Take-away: If you’re seeking to broaden your horizon for your business, such as cash flow or profitability, reach out to Brian at bcalifano@cfosystemsllc.com.