Don’t read these 21 books
Save them for the moment you actually need the cure
If you are like me, you do not need more books.
But…
You do need the right book at the right time.
So, today I am switching up the format and sharing the 21 nonfiction titles I recommend the most.
Each of these books is matched to a specific moment in your life.
Why?
Because the best nonfiction gives you an outcome for a real problem (and btw, if you’re thinking of writing a book, that’s the best advice as well: Write to solve a real challenge).
If you find this helpful, hit the Heart button or share it with a colleague or friend.
1) “I have no idea what I should do next”
Read: Pivot by Jenny Blake
This book literally changed my life. Jenny gives you a four-part process: Plant, Scan, Pilot, Launch, that helps you test small moves instead of blindly jumping into the unknown.
When I first read it, I was job-hunting like a headless chook, chasing roles without ever asking what I actually wanted. Her method forced me to stop, take stock of my skills, projects, and the people who lit me up. It’s the most practical roadmap I’ve seen for anyone stuck in career limbo.
2) “Everyone says I should freelance, but I’m terrified I’ll starve.”
Read: Getting Started in Consulting by Alan Weiss
Alan was my gateway drug into consulting. He teaches you to sell value, not hours, which is the single most liberating concept for consultants. I remember reading it and thinking, “Hang on… I don’t have to charge by the hour?”
His advice helps you have confident buyer conversations and back yourself as a professional and a peer, not a commodity. If starting a consulting business feels like jumping without a parachute, this book is your parachute.
3) “I know I need to tell more stories, but I don’t know how.”
Read: Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks
Matthew convinced me the best stories aren’t epic Mt Everest-esque moments. They are tiny 5-second shifts in your everyday life. His “Homework for Life” practice helps you capture those moments and spin them into gold.
I interviewed him years ago and have watched his ideas explode since. You’ll never run out of story material again, because suddenly even a coffee run or awkward lift ride becomes story fuel.
4) “I’m an expert, but I have to run a workshop and don’t know where to start.”
Read: The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint by Leanne Hughes
Yes, I’m recommending my own book, and here’s why. I wrote it for brilliant experts who get tapped on the shoulder to “run a session” and panic. The blueprint helps you extract the gold from your brain and turn it into something engaging, practical, and fun. It is not just for facilitators, it is for anyone who wants to turn expertise into an unforgettable experience.
5) “I have a brilliant business idea… but is it worth pursuing?”
Read: Million Dollar Weekend by Noah Kagan
This one is a defibrillator for entrepreneurs. It jolts your idea into the real world. Noah shows you how to test demand in 48 hours without building a website, picking fonts, or wasting months in planning mode. He even gives you word-for-word scripts for validating if anyone will actually buy.
If you can text someone, you can test an idea.
6) “How do I get myself off the advice-giving train?”
Read: The Advice Trap by Michael Bungay Stanier
Confession: I am a recovering advice monster. Michael names the monsters inside us that can’t resist telling people what to do.
The real skill isn’t having the smartest answer — it’s holding back long enough to ask a better question. For leaders, it’s gold. For me, it’s a humbling reminder to zip it and stay curious just a little bit longer.
7) “I’m exhausted by busy work culture. Does it really have to be this way?”
Read: It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
Every page of this book feels like a deep exhale. The Basecamp founders prove you can build profitable companies without glorifying chaos and burnout.
They do counterintuitive things, like protecting focus time, and the result is calm and productivity.
Reading it gave me permission to rethink urgency, cut fake busyness, and protect white space. (Basically, it’s the antidote to the “this meeting could’ve been an email” epidemic.)
8) “I need a catchy name for my product or idea.”
Read: POP! by Sam Horn
I am borderline obsessed with naming things (half my frameworks exist because I found a fun name first… Don’t judge me).
Sam explains why some phrases stick like glue while others evaporate. Her POP method (Purposeful, Original, Pithy), shows you how to craft names that command attention.
I still flip this open whenever I’m stuck on titles. If your idea feels great but your name feels flat, this is your fix.
9) “I want to become a paid speaker, but I have no idea how to start.”
Read: Book More Business by Lois Creamer
This is the playbook for the business of speaking. Positioning, materials, fees, and the holy grail, repeat bookings. Lois gives you practical templates that make you look pro from day one.
If you are ready to stop speaking for exposure, this shows you how to charge and get real money.
10) “I just wish I had more time to actually think.”
Read: The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham
Keith is brutally funny and calls every preventable error a stupid tax. His antidote is a daily habit called Thinking Time, and he provides killer guiding questions so you stop rushing, and start making smarter moves.
Saying that, I really need to schedule some more Thinking Time into my calendar…
11) “I keep procrastinating on starting x….”
Read: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The enemy is Resistance! That inner voice that tells you to reorganise your spice rack instead of writing.
The book is short, sharp, and empowering. It gets you in the chair, doing the work. I revisit it whenever I’m stuck on the Hesitation Station and my brain starts bargaining for “tomorrow.”
12) “I want to host a meetup or gathering, but I don’t know how to make it work.”
Read: The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray
I used Nick’s formula myself and it works like magic. He shows you how to create social infrastructure, name tags, conversation starters, end times, that actually make people connect, instead of hovering in awkward circles.
You will get realistic scripts, reminders, and run-of-show tips so nothing is left to chance.
And yes, I’m a fan of name tags (I know that’s controversial).
13) “I want to write a nonfiction book, but I don’t know where to start.”
Read: Write Useful Books by Rob Fitzpatrick
This is the playbook I used when writing The 2-Hour Workshop Blueprint. Rob shows you how to write books people finish, highlight, and share, by maximising value per page.
He treats books like products, with beta readers, feedback loops, and iteration. If you want a book that grows by word of mouth, start here.
14) “I don’t understand why other people make such weird decisions.”
Read: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
A dense but essential read. Kahneman unpacks the two systems of thinking, fast emotional shortcuts and slow logical reasoning. Once you see your biases, you will never look at decisions, yours or others, the same way again.
I have used insights from this book in workshops, sales calls, when writing, or just doing anything, really (that I want to influence).
15) “I’m doing good work, but nobody notices.”
Read: Impact Players by Liz Wiseman
Liz shows the difference between solid contributors and true impact players. My favourite practice is “make work light”, adding fun and ease so your team wants to follow you.
The book is full of examples that help you spot leverage points others miss. If you want to be the person leaders depend on, and someone who’s easily promotable, grab this.
16) “I love what I do, but I hate selling it.”
Read: Give to Grow by Mo Bunnell
A business development book that does not feel slimy. Mo’s framework teaches you to lead with generosity, build authentic relationships, and let opportunities flow naturally.
It is for people who hate networking but still want a thriving practice.
I recommend it to peers who would rather serve than sell.
17 + 18) “I want something inspiring, but I can’t stomach cheesy self-help.”
Read 1: Before & Laughter by Jimmy Carr
Part memoir, part life design, delivered with Jimmy’s wit. He is disarmingly honest about fear, discipline, and reinvention, and yes, it is laugh-out-loud funny. If you want to be entertained and challenged, this one does both.
Read 2: XOXO, Cody by Cody Rigsby
Memoir meets mindset with a side of pop-culture. Cody Rigsby is hands-down my favourite Peloton instructor. This book is the equivalent of a pep-talk friend who actually tells you the truth.
19) “I have an audience, but I want to create a real community.”
Read: Superfans by Pat Flynn
Pat shows how to turn casual followers into evangelists. Focus on deepening relationships, going back to things like hosting live events, or getting in touch 1:1 with your readers.
I’ve borrowed plenty of his ideas to create little “wow” moments that scale trust. If growth feels noisy and exhausting, superfans are the quiet, sustainable path.
20) “I feel like I’m drifting without direction.”
Read: Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller
This is a life-design workshop in book form. You will write your eulogy (yes, tough start, right?!), map your decades, and work backward to today so your calendar finally matches your values.
The clarity is confronting in the best way.
21) “I compare myself to everyone and constantly feel not enough.”
Read: The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga
This gives you the most freeing idea. Separate your tasks from everyone else’s. When you stop outsourcing your self-worth, life gets a whole lot lighter. It is a conversation-style book that is easy to read and hard to forget. I recommend it when someone needs a mindset reset, fast.
Final thoughts
These are the books I end up recommending on repeat - when someone’s stuck at a crossroads, debating a pivot, or just needing a nudge.
They’re less “nice to read” and more “read this when it matters.”
Your turn:
Have you read any of these books?
Or is there a book you’re always pushing into conversations?
Drop it in the comments
Thanks for reading til the end!
You can tune in to my daily podcast Leanne on Demand where I share what’s top of mind. This week, I spoke about my favourite feature of the new iOS26 iPhone update and interviewed British retired surgeon, Dr Liz O’Riordan about her first workshop experience.
Hit the heart 💙 if you enjoyed this book list.
🌴
Leanne “There’s a book for that” Hughes
Love Pivot, also Dorie Clark- the long game, entrepreneurial you, Holly Ransom- the Leading Edge and Angela Duckworth-Grit. So many good reads to choose from.
So many good recommendations here and some that are new to me that are now on me “read when I need it” list. So happy to see Pivot here, the book that brought me back to CliftonStrengths and introduced me to Jenny (and ultimately you!).