These Books Will Change Your Life

Really! We read a pile of self-help books to see which might.

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Most self-improvement books make hard-core demands on their readers. There’s the endless list-making, the constant inventorying, the patronising assertion that life will all be fine if you just ‘breathe’. Thankfully, some authors have cottoned on to the fact that we just want some good old-fashioned advice encased in a pretty book. These are they...

The Career One

Why should I listen to him? Because all the bosses you admire do. We’re talking Arianna Huffington and Sheryl Sandberg (who loves him so much, she even wrote the foreword).

Who is it for? People who really, really hate their job, but also like all the benefits that come with it—the salary, unlimited free tea bags, et al. Mike shows you how to follow your dreams without suddenly yelling, ‘I quit, and I hate everyone here’ in the middle of Monday’s 11am meeting.

What’s actually in it? Real-life stories from those who left deadend jobs to pursue dream careers, with Mike’s take on what you can learn from them.

Best piece of advice? “I feared life without a regular pay cheque. An older friend didn’t seem too concerned: ‘Careers are long,’ she told me.” You might be worked up about your decision now, but it’s unlikely you will be in 10 years’ time.

When to Jump Mike Lewis received his BA, magna cum laude, from Dartmouth College and worked at Bain Capital before deciding to pursue his dream of becoming a professional squash player.