December 2024

When my team suggested I write a short article on best business books for Christmas gifts, I wondered how I could possibly narrow the list down to a manageable number. The Bibliography for my new book, Creative Insecurity, has around 40 books on it and something like twice that number of articles. g

The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen:

The late Dr. Clayton Christensen was a Harvard Business School professor and a friend of mine. His groundbreaking book is a must-read for anyone in business. He outlines how startups can sneak up on entrenched markets and overtake them by starting at the low-end of innovation. Likewise, it is a cautionary tale for anyone in an established industries.

• Clayton M. Christensen. The innovator’s dilemma: The revolutionary book that will change the way you do business. New York: Harper Business, 2011.

Think Again and Originals by Adam Grant

Our book draws on research by Wharton Professor Adam Grant. His book Think Again provided excellent research on the tremendously needed skill of changing your mind in the face of new information. Originals is an excellent read for all creative people and contrarians.

• Grant, Adam. Think Again: (New York: Penguin Books, 2017)
• Grant, Adam. Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know, (New York: Penguin Books, 2023)

Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, by Jim Collins

You may have already read Built to Last and Good to Great by Jim Collins and his team. Have you read one of the more recent in his series, Great by Choice? This is an especially compelling read related to managing insecurity, which is another word for uncertainty. One of the best ways to overcome the negative feelings related to uncertainty is to manage risk and over-prepare. Collins gives excellent, research-based treatment to these ideas in the same bestselling style as his other books.

• Collins, Jim, and Morten T. Hansen. Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck—Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, (New York: HarperCollins, 2011), Kindle Edition. Collins, Jim. Good to Great, (New York: Harper Business, 2001)
• Collins, Jim. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap & Others Don’t, (HarperCollins. Kindle Edition). Collins, Jim. How the Mighty Fall, (JimCollins.com, 2009)

The Dip by Seth Godin

One key principle in my book, Creative Insecurity, is the no-quit gene. Grit is one of the most important traits any of us can cultivate in business and life. In this short, delightful book by Seth Godin, he examines the idea of figuring out all the things you should quit so you can focus on the one you must stick with no matter what. This like the advice I give founders to “major in the majors. Don’t major in the minors.”

• Godin, Seth. The Dip: A Little Book that Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick), (Audible Studios, 2007)

The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan

The One Thing has a similar theme as The Dip, by Godin above. It offers practical tips for how to focus on your most important priorities.

• Keller, Gary, and Jay Papasan. The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results, Rellek Publishing Partners, Ltd, 2013)

Creative Insecurity: Lean into the Unknown and Unleash Your Inner Misfit

I am biased, but my new book would make an excellent Christmas gift for anyone with a big idea or untapped potential.

You can get it here: https://creativeinsecurity.com/order/

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin is a legendary music producer and his short book will put you in a positive mindset and ultimately be the best business books for christmas gifts.

Rubin, Rick. The Creative Act: A Way of Being, (New York: Penguin, 2023).

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

This is now a classic for a reason. It is on battling the war of resistance, and offers excellent mindset advice for anyone trying to get out of your own way. These are some of the biggest issues I see when I am coaching founders, leaders, and creative young people who want to reach their potential.

• Stephen Pressfield, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, (New York: Black Irish Entertainment LLC, 2018).

Bonus book – Quarks of Light by Rob A. Gentile

This is not a business book but it is one of my favorites from recent years. Rob A. Gentile had a near-death experience and then a heart transplant. His experience will expand your mind and heart.

• Rob A. Gentile, Quarks of Light: A Near Death Experience, (Fresno: Ignite Press, 2021)

Related article: 5 books for a positive mindset cross link: https://creativeinsecurity.com/blog/5-books-for-a-positive-mindset/

By James M. Sweeney and co-author, Rhonda Lauritzen