2024 was the year I published my first book, “The Spectrum Mindset: Lead Your Family and Life To Infinite Possibilities By Transforming The Way You Think.” Through my own process of publishing, I certainly have an added respect for the writers I’ve read. I’m amazed when authors can crank out a new book every year. I’ve since started writing two new books and even the idea of releasing one in 2025 seems impossible.

For my top 2 books on this list it’s really a recommendation of 4 because the authors have several books I enjoyed. If you read just these 4 books in 2025, I can almost guarantee they will change your life. But don’t stop there! Read the whole Top 10 if you can! You won’t regret it!

One of my favorite authors is Mark Batterson. He writes Christian books and is the Pastor of National Community Church. He reflects on being an inexperienced and sheltered 25-year old with very little life experience—which he felt was needed to lead a church and its people. He says, “I needed to borrow as much experience as I could, and I did that through books.”

What a cool revelation! Borrowing life experience from others by reading their stories. That is truly what I was hoping to help others do by writing my book The Spectrum Mindset. I want readers to borrow my life experience and be able to skip a lot of the mistakes I made and fast forward their personal growth. I want them to be the person their families and businesses need them to be.

Thank you again to everyone who read The Spectrum Mindset and left a review. I am truly grateful to all of you who read it, reviewed it, and recommended it to a friend. Hearing how my story can positively impact someone else is the greatest feedback I’ve received.

I read 54 total books this year. That includes audiobooks on Spotify (listening counts!). I did a lot of projects at FitTown Jupiter and at home this year, and always put on an audiobook to keep my mind growing. My 8-yr old daughter Arielle even started listening to audiobooks this year too. She is more “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” than “Diary of an Entrepreneur” but I love that she models her parents’ habits.

Here is the list…

1. 10x is Easier than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More By Doing Less
   By Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy

I wrote a post on this book back in June and I questioned then if this would end the year as my favorite book and it has! I know some people would say the best productivity book is like being the fastest snail on the streets, but this is a great life book. It doesn’t just speak to the go-getters but anyone who wants an improved quality of life. The author asks, “What is your 20% that would become 10x more valuable if you went all-in? What are the few things you do and few people you work with that produce most of your success and excitement? What is your 80% that is keeping you grinding away, and ultimately a distraction for your biggest future jumps? Invest your time in a limited few tasks that only you can do uniquely better than anyone else.”
And why should we focus on 10x instead of 2x…”Because 10x is so big it immediately forces you out of your current mindset and approach. It will also force you to look for solutions you never saw before and make you bring in new people to help you.”

(Bonus Book by the authors) The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers’ Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success
By Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy
I loved this book because of how much its message aligned with Spectrum Mindset thinking. This book encourages readers to shift your mindset from focusing on what you lack (the Gap) to appreciating how far you’ve come (the Gain), and how it can lead to greater happiness, resilience, and success. It’s all about movement and incremental progress each day.

2. A Million Little Miracles: Rediscover The God Who is Bigger than Big, Closer than Close, and Gooder Than Good
By Mark Batterson
As a writer, I appreciate good, succinct quotes—“One-liners” if you will. Pastor Mark is the Muhammad Ali of one-liners. That’s the only thing I’ll share from this book and it will give you a great idea of what’s inside. “I know people who would say they’ve never experienced a miracle. With all due respect, you have never not. In fact, you are one.” “When was the last time you thanked God for keeping us in orbit? I’m guessing never.” “Show me the size of your dream, and I’ll show you the size of your God.” ”Whatever you don’t turn into praise turns into pride.” “Instead of taking things for granted, we take them for gratitude.”

(Bonus Book by the author) Do It for a Day: How to Make or Break Any Habit in 30 Days
By Mark Batterson
Probably the best book you can start a new year with. Too many messages on habits are about hustling and grinding your way through life. We’re constantly taught to serve ourselves with our habits. But when those habits start to honor God and His purpose for us, that’s when everything changes. So many good life principles in this book that should be applied on a daily basis as the author lays it out.

3. Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health
By Calley & Casey Means MD
In today’s world of same-day shipping, it’s odd to have to wait for a book, but that’s what happened with Good Energy. After appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Amazon had a multiple week delay on this book. The authors also gained popularity by teaming up with Robert F. Kennedy’s messaging of Making America Healthy Again. Politics aside, having more conversations (and hopefully new laws) around ingredients in our food is a great thing. Having a son on the spectrum opened our eyes to what we put into our bodies and what we expose ourselves to. I hope you pay attention to your health and energy before you are forced to, by picking up this book now. I think we’ll look back on this book years from now and see how it became part of a greater movement towards better health. Dr. Casey has a different approach to helping patients than the typical treatment of the symptom rather than trying to find the cause. This one description of a patient plan can help you understand how she helps her patients. “We created a plan that incorporated seeing food as medicine, optimizing sleep, reducing chronic stress, protecting her microbiome, reducing environmental toxins, and maximizing sunlight during the day.” This advice is good medicine for good energy.

4. Worthy: How to Believe You Are Enough and Transform Your Life
By Jamie Kern Lima
Make fun of me if you want for this…but Jamie’s uplifting message made me feel worthy at a time where I really questioned my own abilities. I read this book just as I was releasing my “book baby” into the world and it was a scary and vulnerable time. Jamie’s stories will make you laugh, cry, and think, something I hoped to do in my book as well. Those three things really make a book worth reading—and make a life worth living. If you feel like at times you need to get out of your own head and stop entertaining negative thoughts and insecurities, this book is the perfect read for your new year.

5. “The Spectrum Mindset: Lead Your Family and Life To Infinite Possibilities By Transforming The Way You Think.”
By Tony Frezza
Of course my own book had to make the list! Probably not fair that I placed my book above one that has over 50k reviews on Amazon, but Hey! This is my list. My favorite piece of feedback was that people who weren’t parents, or were once parents but had grown kids, got a ton of value out of the book from my young parents perspective. I didn’t want the book to be purely about parenting or parenting on the spectrum, but have principles that anyone could take into their life. Thank you for all the reviews on Amazon!

6. The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness
By Morgan Housel
I listened to this audiobook on Spotify and it’s one of the few books I truly looked forward to hearing from each time it came on. “Greenlights”, “Never Split the Difference”, and “Will” were past audiobook favorites I couldn’t wait to hear from again. This book is great financial advice, but has a flavor of “Predictably Irrational” (By Dan Ariely) to it. I love learning about why we think and gaining perspective on the often irresponsible and uneducated choices we make. Your relationship with money can tell a lot about you, and for many, can be a deciding factor of how happy they are in their life. One thing you’ll learn from this book is that more money doesn’t equal more happiness. Not a new idea, but the way the ideas are explained in this book are very entertaining.

7. Banana Ball: The Unbelievable True Story of the Savannah Bananas
By Jesse Cole and Don Yaeger
Jesse Cole is the founder of the Savannah Bananas baseball team. He created a new version of baseball called “Banana Ball.” Pretty soon they won’t be just a traveling team but an entire league to watch and cheer for. Jesse’s story is amazing and inspiring. He took a struggling minor league team out of obscurity and created a new popular form of a classic sport that is selling out stadiums nationwide. If you’re a fan of Banana ball, read this book. If you’re not a fan of Banana ball, you will be. If you own a business and you want to be inspired to create something special, Jesse is one of the best to learn from.

8. Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire
By Dan Martell
One of Dan’s mantras is to hire people that buy back your time. This could be as simple as hiring a cleaning person in your home. You don’t have to be a CEO to benefit from this book. If you want to proactively build a life that you love living, Dan helps people do that with his systems. For the CEO or business owner, Dan helps you create a playbook for your business. You could apply the playbook to your life as well. For the overwhelmed business owner, read this and the #1 book and you’ll be on a path to the business you actually want.

9. Aliveness Mindset: Lead and Live With More Passion, Purpose, and Joy
By Jack Craven
Jack was Andrew and I’s personal coach in the Conscious Leadership Group. Which we found through the book “The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership” which made my Top Book List in 2020. We spoke with Jack routinely over Zoom calls for years. He was incredibly helpful to our business and relationships, especially through the tough times post-pandemic. When you get the chance to have thousands of dollars worth of coaching in a $20 book, please take it. I can honestly say that Jack doesn’t hold back his most valuable advice in this book and it can change your life. Thank you Jack for writing this great book!

10. The Power of a Positive Team: Proven Principles and Practices That Make Great Teams Great
By Jon Gordon
Jon’s books are not just rounding out this list but could be the next 3 if this list kept going. Jon’s book “The One Truth” was my favorite and most gifted book from 2023. I got to meet Jon in person and traded signed books with him. That was one of my favorite moments of the year as Jon is an author I highly admire. For leaders and coaches who want to get better, there is no one better to learn from than Jon.

I have 4 honorable mention books that were written by friends that I have to shout out because even though they didn’t make the Top 10, they are incredible books and extremely helpful in the right reader’s hands.

For a great family/relationship book, check out my friend Courtney’s book “Loyal to a Fault: How to Establish New Patterns When Loving Others Has Left You Hurting How to Establish New Patterns When Loving Others Has Left You Hurting” By Courtney J. Burg.

For a great business book, check out my friend Charles’ book, “The Predictable Profits Playbook: The 7- and 8-Figure CEO’s Guide to Generating Consistent and Sustainable Growth. 2nd Edition” By Charles E. Gaudet II.

For a great GYM business book, check out my friend Tim’s book, “Built to Win: The Secrets to Gym Business Success” By Tim Lyons and Thomas Plummer.

And finally, for a great life book, something I would definitely gift the 20-year-old me, check out my friend Nick’s book “Fit For Success: Lessons On Achievement And Leading Your Best Life”
By Nick Shaw.

All the other books I read this year. Some great ones in here!

MINDSET:
Do the New You: 6 Mindsets to Become Who You Were Created to Be
By Steven Furtick

Mind Shift: It Doesn’t Take a Genius To Think Like One
By Erwin Raphael McManus

Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts
By Annie Duke

The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears
By Mark Batterson

Double Blessing: Don’t Settle for Less Than You’re Called to Bless
By Mark Batterson

Flow in Sport: How to Master the Mental Game Of Peak Performance
By Minas Loekan

Be Mentally Strong During Tough Times: A Motivational Guide on How to Reduce Stress, Gain Self-Confidence and Thrive
By Michael Drew

Empowering Individuals Through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Personal Growth: Unlocking Inner Strength To Overcome Anxiety, Manage Stress, Break Patterns Of Depression
By Victoria Johnson

Unfuk Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life (Unfuk Yourself series)
By Gary John Bishop

HABITS:
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
By Cal Newport

Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout
By Cal Newport

The Power to Change: Mastering the Habits That Matter Most
By Craig Groeschel

Think This, Not That: 12 Mindshifts to Breakthrough Limiting Beliefs and Become Who You Were Born to Be
By Josh Axe

Training Camp: What the Best Do Better Than Everyone Else
By Jon Gordon

FIT CHURCH: Destroying the Division between Following Christ and Living a Healthy Life
By Matthew Gay

Smarter Not Harder: The Biohacker’s Guide to Getting the Body and Mind You Want
By Dave Asprey

The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life
By Robin Sharma

Dopamine Detox : A Short Guide to Remove Distractions and Get Your Brain to Do Hard Things
By Thibaut Meurisse and Kerry J Donovan

Organize Your Morning: Blueprint to a Streamlined Morning Routine
Kevin Wagonfoot

BUSINESS:
Day Trading Attention: How to Actually Build Brand and Sales in the New Social Media World
By Gary Vaynerchuk

Millionaire Gym Owner: Everything you need to turn your passion into wealth
By Chris Cooper

Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention
By John Ruhlin

Disney’s Land: Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World
By Richard Snow

Coach Builder: How to Turn Your Expertise Into a Profitable Coaching Career
By Donald Miller

LEADERSHIP/COMMUNICATION:
The Resolution for Men
By Stephen and Alex Kendrick with Randy Alcorn

Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People
By Bob Goff

Lead Like It Matters: 7 Leadership Principles for a Church That Lasts
By Craig Groeschel

The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World
By Jon Gordon

The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy
By Jon Gordon

The Storyteller’s Secret: From TED Speakers to Business Legends, Why Some Ideas Catch On and Others Don’t
By Carmine Gallo

Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication
By Andy Stanley and Lane Jones

FAMILY & PARENTING:
Good Inside: A Practical Guide to Resilient Parenting Prioritizing Connection Over Correction
By Becky Kennedy

Praying Circles Around Your Children
By Mark Batterson

Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms
By Justin Whitmel Earley and Troy and Ruth Simons

The 6 Pillars of Intimacy: The Secret to an Extraordinary Marriage
By Alisa DiLorenzo and Tony DiLorenzo

Diamonds Beneath the Darkness: Life thru Lyrics
By Nicole Danielle

Unleashing Happiness: How I Helped Free My Child from Anxious Thoughts
By Kelly Pittman

Frequency Method for ADHD, Autism and Mental Health: Unlocking Potential
By David Wong and Jossie Gallizia