reading on subway
Jens Schott Knudsen/flickr
A few months ago, I was drinking a Noah's Mill whiskey with my good buddy Brian Balfour and talking about life.
During the conversation we got on the topic of books that changed our lives.
I want to share them with you. 
I judge a book's success if a year later I am still using at least one thing from the book.
My takeaways are what I still remember from the books; you may get even more out of these:
  • Begin with the end in mind.
  • Relationships are like a bank account; you make deposits and withdrawals.
  • Sharpen the saw, keep learning and improving your brain.
  • Don't let men shorten your name at the office.
  • Don't mother people at the office or you'll be treated like a mother.
  • At restaurants, close the menu after you find the one dish that you like.
  • Choices can be evil. Being satisfied with things will make you so much happier than always going for the maximum.
  • People can be influenced in their behaviors by many different tactics.
  • This book has so many frigging tips I can't even start. Get it.
  • It's not about how much time you have in your day but how you allocate you energy.
  • You need to allocate time for yourself to recharge.
  • Spend time with people that give you more energy.
  • Different ways to organize and prioritize your day to maximize productivity.
  • Jealousy is a societal creation and great ways to be aware of why it happens.
  • Nothing is coincidence.
  • Fate is what you make of it, i.e., go create your own luck.
  • Only the unique get remembered.
  • No one wants your annoying marketing. Get their permission and deliver more than what they expect.
  • Create an experience that is like nothing else.
  • Be authentic to yourself.
  • Treating the customers exceptionally is the differentiator in business.
  • Focus on doing the right processes, and the outcome will take care of itself.
  • Keep your lockers/desks clean and it'll reflect in other parts of your life.
  • Great hacks on ways to reduce calories instead of just trying new diet fads.
  • Hide the food you don't want to eat.
  • Put out the portions of food you want instead of just eating from the bag.
  • Using science/data to make decisions/impacts on our eating habits instead of opinions.
  • Be conscious/present when you are interacting in life.
  • Spend time with the people that are honest and make your life better.
  • Love yourself first and you can be loved.
  • Healthy selfishness is a great thing.
These books reflect a full life, not just business.
Noah Kagan is the Chief Sumo at AppSumo.com. Before that he was employee #30 at Facebook and #4 at Mint. He blogs at OkDork.com.