RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations on psychology, leadership, and personal growth—without the fluff.
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Deep-dive articles unpacking research in an engaging,
I’ve done the work of curating , so you don’t have to dig through endless lists.
✔ Must-follow thinkers & leaders in psychology, personal growth, and innovation.
✔ Recommended podcasts, newsletters, and social accounts that provide fresh, valuable insights.
✔ Insightful voices who bring smart, real-world perspectives to well-being.
Articles
Psychology & Behavior
"The Psychology of Your Future Self" (Edge.org) Why It Matters: Daniel Gilbert explains why we persistently underestimate how much we'll change in the future, leading to poor decisions in the present.
"The Tail End" (Wait But Why) Why It Matters: Tim Urban's visualization of life in weeks provides a perspective-shifting look at time and priorities.
"Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid" (The Atlantic) Why It Matters: Jonathan Haidt's analysis of social media's impact on discourse provides crucial context for understanding current social dynamics.
Leadership & Work
"What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team" (New York Times) Why It Matters: This exploration of Google's Project Aristotle reveals why psychological safety, not individual brilliance, is the key factor in team performance.
"Why Leadership Development Isn't Developing Leaders" (Harvard Business Review) Why It Matters: This critique of traditional leadership development approaches explains why so many programs fail to create real change.
"The Making of a Corporate Athlete" (Harvard Business Review) Why It Matters: This classic article introduced the concept of energy management over time management, transforming how we think about sustainable performance.
Culture & Society
"The Real Roots of American Rage" (The Atlantic) Why It Matters: Charles Duhigg's exploration of moral outrage provides critical insight into current social dynamics and polarization.
"The Tyranny of Convenience" (New York Times) Why It Matters: This thoughtful examination of how convenience shapes modern life raises important questions about values and choice.
"The Great Forgetting" (The Atlantic) Why It Matters: Nicholas Carr's analysis of how technology shapes cognition provides crucial context for understanding attention in the digital age..
Books
The Well-Researched Essentials
"Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman Kahneman's work on cognitive biases revolutionized our understanding of decision-making. This isn't pop psychology—it's the foundation for understanding how your brain systematically tricks you, and what to do about it. If you read only one psychology book, make it this one.
"Emotional Intelligence" by Daniel Goleman While this concept has become somewhat diluted in corporate trainings, the original work remains powerful. Goleman translated complex research on emotions into accessible frameworks that help explain why some brilliant people fail while some average IQ people thrive.
"The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk This groundbreaking work on trauma has transformed how we understand the mind-body connection. Even if you haven't experienced severe trauma, understanding how stress and difficult experiences become embodied provides crucial insight into wellbeing.
"Mindset" by Carol Dweck Why It Matters: Dweck's research on fixed vs. growth mindset has been wildly popularized (and sometimes oversimplified), but the original work contains nuances often lost in corporate presentations. Understanding the underlying psychological mechanisms can transform how you approach challenges, feedback, and development.
Deep Dives for the Especially Curious
"Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience" by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Before everyone was talking about "flow states," Csikszentmihalyi was conducting rigorous research on what makes experiences deeply satisfying. This work provides a framework for designing more engaging work and leisure that goes far beyond typical productivity advice.
"Stumbling on Happiness" by Daniel Gilbert Gilbert brilliantly explains why we're so terrible at predicting what will make us happy. His research on affective forecasting helps explain why that promotion, relationship, or achievement often doesn't deliver the satisfaction we expected.
"Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini Understanding the psychology of influence isn't just for marketers—it's for anyone who wants to recognize when they're being manipulated and increase their effectiveness in advocating for ideas. Cialdini's six principles remain the gold standard in understanding persuasion.
For Those Leading Others (or Themselves)
"Give and Take" by Adam Grant Grant's research on reciprocity styles (givers, takers, and matchers) provides a nuanced view of success that challenges pure self-interest models. This evidence-based approach helps explain why some giving behaviors lead to burnout while others create sustainable success.
"Dare to Lead" by Brené Brown While Brown is now a household name, her work on vulnerability in leadership remains transformative when actually applied. This isn't about being emotional at work—it's about the courage to show up authentically in high-stakes environments.
"Drive" by Daniel Pink Pink's synthesis of motivation research provides a clear framework for understanding what actually motivates people (hint: it's not just money). His autonomy-mastery-purpose model offers practical guidance for creating more engaging work environments.
"Difficult Conversations" by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen The Harvard Negotiation Project's research on communication provides actionable frameworks for navigating the conversations most people avoid. Their identity-focused approach explains why seemingly simple discussions can become emotionally charged.
For Organizational Psychology Enthusiasts
"The Fearless Organization" by Amy Edmondson Edmondson's groundbreaking research on psychological safety has transformed our understanding of high-performing teams. This isn't about being nice—it's about creating environments where candor, innovation, and learning can thrive.
"Teaming" by Amy Edmondson Why It Matters: Building on her psychological safety research, Edmondson explores how modern teams must constantly reconfigure while maintaining effectiveness. This work is crucial for understanding collaboration in complex, knowledge-based environments.
"Radical Candor" by Kim Scott Why It Matters: Scott's framework provides a practical approach to balancing care and challenge in feedback. By distinguishing radical candor from ruinous empathy, obnoxious aggression, and manipulative insincerity, she offers a clear path for more effective communication.
For Understanding Current Social Dynamics
"Talking to Strangers" by Malcolm Gladwell While some academics critique Gladwell's approach, his exploration of how we misinterpret others provides valuable insight into cross-cultural communication challenges. The book's examination of default to truth, transparency, and coupling offers useful frameworks for understanding social misunderstandings.
"Humankind: A Hopeful History" by Rutger Bregman Bregman's well-researched challenge to the "humans are inherently selfish" narrative provides a refreshing counter to cynical views. His reexamination of famous psychological experiments offers an important perspective on human nature.
"Invisible Women" by Caroline Criado Perez This data-driven exploration of gender bias in design, medicine, technology, and policy reveals how supposedly "neutral" systems often fail women. The book's extensive research makes visible what is often overlooked in discussions of equality.
"Brave New Work" by Aaron Dignan Dignan's analysis of how industrial-age organizational practices persist in knowledge work provides a compelling case for reimagining work. His practical frameworks for organizational change offer actionable alternatives to outdated management approaches.
For Digital Age Navigation
"Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport Newport's thoughtful critique of digital maximalism offers practical strategies for more intentional technology use. Unlike simplistic "digital detox" approaches, this work addresses the deeper psychological and social dynamics at play in our relationship with technology.
"Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now" by Jaron Lanier Lanier, a Silicon Valley pioneer, provides an insider's critique of how social media platforms are designed to modify behavior. His analysis helps explain the psychological mechanisms that make these platforms simultaneously engaging and potentially harmful.
"Irresistible" by Adam Alter Alter's research on behavioral addiction explains why so many digital products are designed to be habit-forming. Understanding these mechanisms is the first step toward more conscious consumption.
Science-Based Approaches (Not Just Feel-Good Advice)
"Flourish" by Martin Seligman As the founder of positive psychology, Seligman's PERMA model provides a research-backed framework for well-being that goes beyond simplistic happiness advice. This work forms the foundation for the expanded PERMAGAMI™ framework.
"Why We Sleep" by Matthew Walker Why It Matters: Walker's comprehensive research on sleep provides compelling evidence for prioritizing this often-neglected aspect of well-being. The book's detailed explanations of sleep's impact on cognitive function, emotional regulation, and physical health make a powerful case for sleep as a cornerstone of performance and well-being.
"The Happiness Hypothesis" by Jonathan Haidt Haidt's integration of ancient wisdom with modern psychology offers a nuanced view of happiness that avoids both cynicism and naive optimism. His elephant-rider metaphor for understanding the mind remains one of the most useful frameworks for self-understanding.
For Deeper Exploration
"Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl Frankl's observations from concentration camps led to profound insights about finding meaning even in suffering. His work forms the foundation for many modern approaches to meaning-making and purpose.
"The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brené Brown Brown's research on shame, vulnerability, and authenticity provides powerful frameworks for self-acceptance. Her evidence-based approach avoids the empty platitudes common in self-help literature while offering practical paths toward what she calls "wholehearted living."
"Atomic Habits" by James Clear Clear's synthesis of habit research provides actionable frameworks for behavior change. Unlike much habit advice that focuses only on willpower, his systems approach addresses the deeper mechanisms of sustainable change.
Right Now, Right Away
"Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle" by Emily and Amelia Nagoski The Nagoskis' work explains the critical difference between stressors and stress, providing practical strategies for completing the stress cycle. Their focus on how gender expectations contribute to burnout offers important insights often missing from stress management literature.
"Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now" by Jaron Lanier Lanier, a Silicon Valley pioneer, provides an insider's critique of how social media platforms are designed to modify behavior. His analysis helps explain the psychological mechanisms that make these platforms simultaneously engaging and potentially harmful.
"Irresistible" by Adam Alter Alter's research on behavioral addiction explains why so many digital products are designed to be habit-forming. Understanding these mechanisms is the first step toward more conscious consumption.
