50 Titles per year book club - 10th Reading - Honours versus Money

 This title is from the series UCLA Anderson authors! Check here: (https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-authors) 

I was searching for books from UCLA authors to add to my list and I found this link and coincidentally I had just met Jana Gallus from her event "Run the World Community", a virtual marathon that happened this weekend. This book is about Awards in all its types, from simple ribbons that you get from a small contest to those millionaire bonuses that CEOs get every year. Also, it talks about Nobel prize, Academy Awards etc. It's very interesting. 

The book explains that how awards work, what are the advantages and disadvantages of awards, some critics etc. It even mentions some Nobel prizes that were denied, and how in Switzerland the government does not conceive orders to be fair to everyone and avoid fraud and favoritism. 

I am a big fan of awards particularly. I get very motivated by simple acknowledgement and of course some money $$$$. I worked with sales, getting paid commission and bonuses for goals achieved. Also, I am very competitive, I like to have my name on top of ranks, and I believe that healthy competition is good for everyone individually and for the team. When everyone achieve their goals, the team wins and the institution grows and everyone grows. This title worths the reading!

Title: Honours versus Money

Authors: Bruno S. Frey and Jana Gallus

Pages: 142

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Honours-versus-Money-Economics-Awards-ebook/dp/B07212LYVW/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=honors+versus+money&qid=1616372298&s=digital-text&sr=1-1

50 Titles per Year Book Club - 9th Reading - The Joy of Imperfection

 This was actually my first reading of the year but only now I had the chance to write a little about this title. This is from the series "Damon Zahariades guides", similar to the ones I already posted here. But this one I think was the most useful of them for me. I could see myself in this book. It talks how you can sabotage yourself trying to do everything "perfectly". But he says that "perfect" is not real. It is almost impossible to things 100% perfectly and sometimes we waste a lot of time paying attention to small details and or trying to impress others but it does not always work how we plan. 

Besides wasting time and energy, you also get stressed and even depressed when you are not completely satisfied with the results of your work because you want everything to be always perfect. Sometimes there are many factors that are out of your control and you just can't get everything the way you want. So, sometimes it is better to just let it go. 

Moreover, sometimes you get paralyzed because you think your work is not perfect but you don't know what to do next and you can't even ask for help. People can't even help you because you want something made your way and sometimes you can't even explain what you need. Also, you can't accept criticism because you want to be perfect and want things your way. 

The trick is to just do your best and accept what you can't control and when you don't find a way to proceed, ask for help. Things will work somehow.

Title: The Joy of Imperfection

Author: Damon Zahariades

Pages: 139

Year: 2017

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077C6T24Z/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0

50 Titles per Year Book Club - 8th Reading - The 30-Day-Productivity Plan

In the sequence of Damon Dahariades guides, here we have "The 30-Day Productivity Plan". This a very objective and hands on book, where the author presents a short-term plan to reach more productivity by valuing more your time and not wasting it with non priority activities. 

I started reading these guides because I was having problems to turn in some assignments from school and I caught myself procrastinating many of them. Not because I am lazy. No. Because I had so much stuff to do that I didn't even know where to begin. So I read that book and that helped me a lot to, you know, JUST DO IT.

Damon Zahariades hasa couple of this short books / guides in which he helps with productivity, time management, motivation, etc. And the best part is that all of them are included in the Kindle Unlimited plan OR they cost like $1.99 each. So, enjoy it!

This 30-Day Productivity Plan is supposed to be read in 30 days, when you read each step a day, and here they are: it may help you concentrate more in your work, especially now when everyone is working from home and there are so much stuff happening virtually that you don't even know what to do:

Day_1: Stop Checking Your Email More Than Twice A Day
Day 2: Stop Trying To Be Perfect
Day_3: Stop Creating Overly-Ambitious To-Do Lists
Day_4: Stop Giving Yourself Too Much Time To Complete Tasks
Day_5: Stop Kicking Yourself Over Past Mistakes And Failures
Day 6: Stop Saying "Yes" To Everyone
Day_7: Stop Working Overtime
Day 8: Stop Being A Control Freak
Day 9: Stop Eating Unhealthy Foods
Day 10: Stop Procrastinating
Day_11: Stop Postponing Taking Action On Large tasks
Day_12: Stop Checking Social Media Throughout The Day
Day 13: Stop Neglecting To Take Breaks
Day 14: Stop Binge-Watching Television Shows
Day_15:_ Stop Neglecting To Create Systems For Recurring Tasks
Day 16: Stop Multitasking
Day_17: Stop Refusing To Take Responsibility For Your Choices
Day 18: Stop Telling Yourself You're Not Ready
Day_19: Stop Neglecting To Organize Your Day
Day 20: Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself
Day_21: Stop Working Against Your Body’s Natural Rhythm
Day 22: Stop Refusing To Get Enough Exercise
Day_23: Stop Worrying About What Others Think Of You
Day 24: Stop Keeping Up With Current Events
Day_25: Stop Focusing On The 80% That Doesn't Matter
Day_26: Stop Getting Caught Up In Unnecessary Drama
Day 27: Stop Working Without Concrete Goals
Day 28: Stop Letting Your Phone Run Your Life
Day 29: Stop Working Until You Burn Out
Day_30: Stop Allowing Stress Into Your Life

Title: The 30-Day Productivity Plan

Author: Damon Zahariades

Pages: 198

Year: 2016

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BH6C4BI/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0

50 Titles per Year - 7th reading - Strengthfinder 2.0

This book is very interesting because is not an actual book. This is more like a catalog of characteristics that result from a test that you take. It shows what are your strengths in alphabetic order (e.g. Achiever, Builder, Commander, Discipline, etc), and what are some action to explore and potentialize them. Technically, you need to take the test and read the characteristics that apply to you. But for me it was different because I found this book in the library of my dorm, and I was curious because I like this type of things. 

Anyway, even without taking the actual test, I identified some of the strengths that could be related to me and I felt that reading to the actions and the testimonials of people that were examples of those characteristics helped me know a little more about myself I the types of jobs that I can work and how I should act in determined situations.

This book can be very motivating actually. It helps you to find your strengths indeed. If you feel unconfident or insecure about yourself, this book can help you clarify these things and make you feel better. 

Title: Strengthfinder 2.0 

Author: Don Clifton

Year: 2007

Pages: 175

Link: https://www.amazon.com/StrengthsFinder-2-0-Tom-Rath/dp/159562015X/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=strength+finder+2.0&qid=1615770200&sr=8-2

50 Titles per Year - 6th reading - Digital Detox - Damon Zahariades

 I consider myself a organized person. I don't multitask and I follow my plans, agendas and deadlines. I have a problem of sometimes taking more in my plate that I can chew and I end up rushing through everything and going crazy, These times, productivity is the most important thing. And it takes a lot of organization and self discipline not to get lost in the river of demands. Waste time with social media is not something acceptable. This book can help you to understand that and how to take the first steps to go through a Digital Detox. 

I totally recommend if you catch yourself scrolling the screen of you phone or PC for hours during the day. There is nothing useful in social media, let's be honest. Moreover, emails, blogs, youtube, all these stuff needs organization. Specially now with the pandemic, we are overloaded with information and virtual demands and meetings, so organization is crucial. Don't be a slave of your devices. Free yourself from this addiction with Digital Detox from Damon Zahariades and get your life back.

Title: Digital Detox

Author: Damon Zahariades

Year: 2018

Pages: 204

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Detox-Cultivating-Mindfulness-Inspiration-ebook/dp/B0781B16LR

50 Titles per Year - 5th Reading - The Tao of Personal Leadership - Diane Dreher

 

This was one of the best readings I had lately. I wasn't expecting that this book would be so inspiring and motivating. I got this recommendation from a book list for a class at UCLA Extension for my Marketing certificate. The course was Principles of Professional Selling with Maria Guevara, and the book list is very useful for those who want to improve persuasion, leadership and negotiation.

This book actually is very personal. Diana Dreher, a former UCLA graduate, teacher at UCSB, describes each aspect of Personal Leadership, with a lot of self motivation by meditation and thinking about how to deal with ego, conflicts, and priorities without losing your balance and always keeping a positive vibe.

I really recommend this reading for anyone looking for a book about leadership, communication, influence, balance and self -help. I believe there is only the hardcover version, but you can find on amazon.

Title: The Tao of Personal Leadership

Author: Diane Dreher

Year: 1996

Pages: 304

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tao-Personal-Leadership-Diane-Dreher/dp/0887308376