This Year is in the Books (2022)
This is the best spot I read a book all year — Gently swaying in a hammock hung between a rock outcropping and a scraggly cedar tree in Hill Country State Natural Area
Alright, so it’s December 31, and 2022 is in the books.
(sorry for the pun)
Like the last couple of years, I was on the move a lot. Planes, trains, and automobiles, not to mention boats (yes, really). That means that I listened to audiobooks considerably more than reading on paper. Although I did pick up almost all of the print books I read in airport bookstores.
By the end of the year, I listened to 294 hours of audiobooks (20 books worth) and read 7 on paper.
Reading is a Leadership Skill
Reading is always a priority for me and a pathway to continued growth. Why should reading matter to you? Two quotes came to mind when thinking about wrapping up the year in books. The first was from Former President Harry S. Truman who is reported to have said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
Great leaders have a drive to grow. For SUMMIT, this falls under our Core Leadership Skill of EXCELLENCE. Learning information & skills from all kinds of resources falls under the KNOWLEDGE skill.
As an active follower of Jesus, the Bible is central to my worldview and I spent more time reading it than any other book. That being said, I believe that countless others have gone before us, learned lessons, and share their wisdom in the written form. Nowadays, we have a massive advantage that a huge percentage of books have been recorded in audio format!
Top 3 Biggest Impact:
These are books that actually changed something in my life this year.
#1 - The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
by John Marc Comer
This was recommended by my friend Jim Yancey, and when I talked to friends about it, it turned out that for every single one of them, it had practical implications on daily life. So much of this book influenced the way we wrote curriculum for the Pocket Wilderness Intensive programs. I just finished it in the last couple of weeks, and look forward to continuing to implement changes to promote a healthy pace in my home and the SUMMIT office in the coming year. 10/10, I can’t recommend it more strongly.
#2 - Shackleton’s Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer
by Margot Morrell & Stephanie Capparell
The Chairman of the SUMMIT board, Warren Mull, gave me his personal copy of this book. Having been riveted by Endurance, Alfred Lansing’s recounting of Shackleton’s expedition, I was immediately hooked. Having Warren’s underlines and notes in the margin made it a really special read for me. Morrell & Capparell have distilled Shackleton’s own notes & the writings of his crew down to directly-applicable lessons for people in leadership positions of all forms. 10/10, will definitely read again.
#3 - The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder
by Richard Louv
This is the follow up to Louv’s Last Child in the Woods (which influenced my parenting style quite a bit), and it is geared toward adults, communities, and society at large. I also read this book while writing curriculum for the PWI programs, and have talked about it a lot. 9/10.
Honorable Mention: (Only because it probably wouldn’t as impactful to others as it was to me this year!)
How to Start a 501(c)3 Nonprofit That Doesn’t Ruin Your Life
by Attorney Audrey K. Chisholm
I mean, the subtitle sells itself: How to Legally Structure Your Nonprofit to Avoid I.R.S. Trouble, Lawsuits, Financial Scandals & More!
The Full 2022 Reading List
You’ll see that in addition to leadership science, spiritual development, I enjoy reading for entertainment! Non-fiction, history, fantasy, & space are big genres for me.
The second quote that came to mind as I thought about wrapping up the year in books was:
“You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.”
While we do believe there are other factors in change, COMMUNITY and KNOWLEDGE are big ones for us at SUMMIT.
So, who do you want to become?
And what are you going to do about it?
On the list for 2023…
I spent a lot of time with Jesus in the last 3 months, asking what area of growth I should focus my learning for 2023.
I’m planning on re-reading some things I haven’t picked up since college (like Spiritual Disciples for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney), and diving into business leadership books (like Traction, by Gino Wickman).
Check out my 2023 Reading List (so far) >
If you’ve got a suggest, leave it below!
I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment and join the conversation…
What was the best thing you read this year?
What are you reading in the new year?
What do you think I should read next?