The Better-Life Audio Book Playlist for Your Workout
The beauty of audio is that it allows you to learn and grow while you’re doing something else. Grab your earbuds and folding laundry becomes a learning opportunity and a packed-to-the-gills subway car transforms into a classroom. Or, how about this? Do something great for your brain and your self-development while you’re doing something great for your body!
I picked out these ten books from the Blinkist library to motivate you as you get your sweat on, and to help you make the absolute most of your day once you’re done. Included here are ideas on how to drastically shorten your work week (to four hours — no kidding!), change bad habits into good ones, negotiation in your professional and personal life, and changing your mind in ways that will help you succeed at whatever you’re doing.
All of these are on Blinkist audio in 15-minute insight summaries, so download the app, queue them all up and you’ll have about 3 days’ worth of things to listen to on your run! Let’s get growing.
1. Mindset by Carol Dweck
Huffing and puffing through your morning run, it might not occur to you that you could ever enjoy this punitive activity. But if you explored the notion of learning to love running and, even better, found a way to get yourself to believe it possible, there’s a good chance you’d have more athletic success!
Mindset, written by renowned psychologist Carol Dweck, explains the two types of mindsets: fixed and growth. People with the first are more likely to despair: “I’m not good at this, I’ll never get it!” whereas those who’ve got the second keep on barreling up that hill, muttering “I’m not good at this — YET.”
Give this one a listen and you’ll start seeing difficulties as temporary and failures as chances to improve, a mindset which will help you achieve your goals.
2. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
If Dweck’s book didn’t help you re-think your run, some Gladwellian logic might do the trick.
Have you ever felt like you’re just not cut out for something, like say, playing the violin? In Outliers, Gladwell explores historical and scientific examples that prove how work and practice (specifically, 10,000 hours) can make you a master inanything you put your mind to, regardless of that slippery thing called “talent.”
3. The Four-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
This one, written by a man who’s made his own life a living testament to the system, will inspire you to quit the corporate rat race, find an alternative source of income and start enjoying life today rather than waiting for retirement.
Just be careful you don’t go and immediately quit your day job in a huff after listening to this!
4. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
We all have bad habits we dream of nixing for good, and hopefully a few good habits we’d like to pick up, but changing and acquiring those positive habits is notoriously difficult.
These blinks explain why habits are so powerful, and shows you the right mental buttons to push to change your habits and reach your goals. Hear this and you’ll be ready and raring to change your life — and have the tools to do so!
5. Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson
Was your budding career as an artist nipped in the bud when your second-grade teacher didn’t recognize the hedgehog you drew?
Renowned educator Ken Robinson explains how school has probably discouraged you from finding your true passions, and how it’s not too late to turn it all around. Find your element, even if you lost it many moons ago.
6. You Can Negotiate Anything by Herb Cohen
This gem from 1982 outlines how you can successfully negotiate against any opponent, professional or personal.
Drawing examples from his career as a salesperson as well as from Cold War politics, the book is both entertaining and powerful. Warning: after perfecting these techniques, you’ll be champing at the bit to negotiation with someone just to prove your mettle.
Listen to the audio for You Can Negotiate Anything on Blinkist
7. The Power of Less by Leo Babauta
In today’s distraction prone world, we’re constantly struggling to focus on what’s important. Minimalist guru Leo Babauta explains how to declutter your life and focus on goals that can truly change your life. Ready the trash bags: this book has been proven to put you in a mood to throw away half your stuff after listening to it.
8. Small Move, Big Change by Caroline L. Arnold
Written by a Wall Street technology strategist, this book explains how instead of attempting big changes all at once, you can make “micro-resolutions” that result in real, lasting behavioral changes and benefits over time.
9. How to Fly a Horse by Kevin Ashton
This unusually-titled book chronicles several creative breakthroughs throughout history, ranging from the discovery of DNA to the invention of powered flight in the Wright brothers’ bicycle shop. You’ll be eager to come up with your own spectacular breakthrough after this!
10. Philosophy For Life by Jules Evans
This book teaches you the self-development applications of lessons from some of the greatest philosophers in history, from the Stoics to the XXX.
Nothing like a few well placed, thousand-year-old secrets to help soothe you at the end of your workout — after which you can go out and make the changes suggested to enjoy a better life.
Written by Caitlin Schiller. This piece was originally published on Blinkist. For more content like this, visit Blinkist Magazine.
