I’d never read so many books as in 2022 which made this list incredibly hard to make. By the time I worked on this list, I was reading so many books that I had to keep updating the list as the year was winding down. Overall, I read over eighty books this year and I’ll be posting the complete list of books soon. But while that’s just a number, one thing’s for certain, I read a lot of books I enjoyed this year, and selecting the ten that had the most impact difficult. Below, you have the list I came up with but take into account that a lot of books I loved, I had to leave behind even if they taught me a lot. Here’s the list of the best books I read in 2022 in no particular order.
1. The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday (Amazon / Summary)
Ever since I became interested in self-development, one name that kept coming up was that of Ryan Holiday. The author has a YouTube channel, blog, and podcast, not to mention a series of books with his name on the cover. Holiday made a name for himself in the philosophy and stoicism realms and quickly became one of my favorite writers. The Daily Stoic features 366 meditations, one for each day of the year. Apart from those quotations, we also get a reflection from the author. Although I didn’t read The Daily Stoic one meditation a day over the course of a year as it’s meant to, I still got a lot out of this book. The Daily Stoic covers every area of life and the book helps you figure out what it all means. That makes it one of the best books of 2022.
2. The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll (Amazon / Summary)
I loved The Bullet Journal Method because it taught me the basics of bullet journaling. More importantly, the book isn’t just about a productivity system, but about how to use that system to be more intentional. Throughout the book, author Ryder Carroll encourages you to think about why you’re doing what you’re doing, the importance of decluttering your mind, and reflecting often on the things you choose to do. The best part about keeping a bullet journal is that anyone can use this method since you only need a notebook and a pen.
3. Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman (Amazon / Summary)
Four Thousand Weeks is a different kind of time management book. Instead of suggesting a system that allows you to cram as many activities as possible, Oliver Burkenman encourages readers to think about the few things that matter in life so that they can focus on just those. The author says that life’s short and running out fast, so we should embrace that finitude and live a meaningful life while we can. This book’s had a tremendous impact because it makes you think about life, death, time, and productivity in a realistic manner. Despite what companies and productivity gurus say, time’s limited and you can’t do everything, so determining the few things that are worth doing and focusing on those is paramount.
4. Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte (Amazon / Summary)
Tiago Forte’s Building a Second Brain teaches you to build a digital sanctuary of sorts where you can store the meaningful information you come across. This second brain helps you organize everything digitally so that you can mitigate information overload and focus on what truly matters: doing great work without distractions. This book is truly life-changing because it helps you organize information in an effective way so that you don’t have to remember anything. The best part about keeping a second brain is that you can use it for anything you want: remembering important data, listing tasks you have to do, working on projects, or writing books.
5. Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles (Amazon / Summary)
Ikigai is a Japanese term that means to have a purpose in life. The authors of the book traveled to a small village near Okinawa where the oldest people on the planet live. Apparently, their secret to longevity is a healthy diet, being part of a close-knit community, and having a reason to live. This is a transformative book that’s short and packed with practical lessons you can incorporate into your life as well. To me, all of those reasons combined make it one of the best books of 2022.
6. The One Thing by Gary Keller (Amazon / Summary)
Gary Keller’s The ONE Thing encourages readers to ignore distractions and focus their energy on one thing. By doing so, you’ll achieve extraordinary success. The idea is that we want fewer distractions and things that stress us out, but more productivity and a larger income. This book is all about narrowing your focus and prioritizing the one thing that’s most important to you. To determine that one thing, you must think about the task that makes everything else easier or unnecessary. My only knock against this book is how repetitive the message is, but luckily, that message is incredibly impactful.
7. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy (Amazon / Summary)
The Compound Effect is about developing good habits consistently so that you can see extraordinary results. By being disciplined and responsible with the small choices, these will compound and you’ll soon achieve great results. Hardy believes that the process of achieving success is tedious and time-consuming because it requires developing good habits, but that it’s ultimately worth it.
8. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette Mccurdy (Amazon)
I read several memoirs I enjoyed this year, including Will Smith’s Will, Matthew McConaughey’s Greenlights, and Stephen King’s On Writing, among others. But the one that truly left an impression on me was Jennette Mccurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died. It was clear right from the get-go, that this was going to be included on the list of best books of 2022. Written by the former star of Nickelodeon shows iCarly and Sam & Cat, this book is heartbreaking. Mccurdy openly talks about her eating disorders, addictions, and her toxic relationship with her mother. Despite starring in some popular shows, Mccurdy had to endure makeovers and restrictive diets which led to her decision to quit acting. I couldn’t put this book down, even if some parts of it are heartwrenching. This is an important book and one that will help others question the behaviors of those around them.
9. Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspe (Amazon / Summary)
Glucose is a molecule that enters our system through sweet foods and it has a tremendous impact on your body and mind. Too much glucose can lead to cravings, fatigue, acne, wrinkles, and even dementia, cancer, or type 2 diabetes. Biochemist Jessie Inchauspe suggests a ten-step plan so that you can balance your glucose levels. One of the best parts about Glucose Revolution is that it taught me how to eat food in the correct order to avoid dangerous glucose spikes and how going on a ten-minute walk after big meals can help you digest food faster. It’s surprising how a series of hacks can improve your health, mood, and your sleep.
10. Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven (Amazon / Summary)
Admiral William H. McRaven gave an uplifting commencement speech at the University of Texas in 2014. As part of the speech, the admiral shared ten principles he learned as a Navy Seal. These lessons helped him overcome challenges in his career and in his life. A video of his speech became so popular that McRaven turned those principles into a book called Make Your Bed. The title of the book references the act of making your bed, the first task of the day and one that’s extremely important because it shows discipline and attention to detail. I enjoyed this short book and I find myself thinking about the ten lessons often.