Ali Abdaal
December 13, 2022
15 Best Books to Read in 2026
Education15 Incredible Books to Read in 2026
TL;DR
A curated list of 15 impactful books across self-help, business, philosophy, and fiction that have helped the creator develop personally and professionally, from career navigation to creative pursuits and spiritual growth.
Key Takeaways
- 1Self-help and business books can provide practical frameworks—like the three alarms system or ideal week planning—that directly improve daily life and intentionality
- 2Classic, widely-recommended books like The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and Sapiens deliver genuine value despite their mainstream status and shouldn't be overlooked
- 3Business success requires deliberate study of marketing, offer creation, and lead generation—areas often neglected by founders but critical for scaling
- 4Long-form fiction like Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive offers immersive storytelling with emotional climaxes worth investing dozens of hours to experience
- 5Books addressing non-traditional career paths and identity beyond job titles help people navigate modern life beyond the default trajectory of corporate work
- 6Audiobooks enable passive consumption of dense material during everyday activities, making long or complex works more accessible
Notable Quotes
“You can't wear your stock portfolio, ride on your bank account, or eat gold and silver coins. Money is never an end, only a means to an end.”
— Alexander Green, Beyond Wealth
“The way of the superior man lays out a challenge before all men to fulfill their true purpose and to be authentically masculine.”
— Tony Robbins, endorsing David Deida's The Way of the Superior Man
“When a man's value is no longer measured by what he does, by his finances or his social standing, how does he determine his worth? A man's presence, his depth of awareness, is his most valuable asset.”
— David Deida, The Way of the Superior Man
Chapters
1. Career & Identity Books (1-2)
The Pathless Path by Paul Millard challenges the idea that identity is tied to job title, helping readers decouple career from self-worth. Someday is Today by Matthew Dicks offers actionable strategies for pursuing creative dreams without waiting for the perfect timing.
2. Happiness & Fulfillment (3-4)
Beyond Wealth by Alexander Green explores how happiness transcends financial success, emphasizing relationships, health, and appreciation for arts and culture. The Three Body Problem by Eric Partaker introduces practical systems (three alarms, ideal week, weekly review) for balancing health, wealth, and relationships.
3. Creator & Content Economy (5-6)
The Art and Business of Online Writing by Nicholas Cole provides lessons for anyone building an internet-based creative career, regardless of medium. The Go-Giver by David Burg illustrates the power of generosity in business through parable-style storytelling.
4. Productivity & Personal Development (7-8)
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey remains a foundational self-help classic emphasizing emotional intelligence and principle-centered living. The Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman explores how mindset and approach can increase serendipity and resilience in life.
5. Business & Marketing (9-10)
Scorecard Marketing by Daniel Priestley provides tactical frameworks for lead generation and understanding customer buying behavior. $100 Million Offers by Alex Hormozi teaches the art of crafting irresistible value propositions for products and services.
6. Philosophy & Long-Termism (11-12)
What We Owe the Future by Will MacAskill introduces long-termism philosophy, encouraging consideration of future generations and existential risks. The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida explores masculine purpose, relationships, and spiritual development.
7. History & Spirituality (13-14)
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari provides an accessible brief history of humankind with engaging storytelling. The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer narrates a spiritual journey driven by surrendering to life's flow, from meditation to unexpected business success.
8. Fiction & Long-Form Stories (15)
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid offers engaging historical fiction about Old Hollywood. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson represents the creator's favorite fiction series with emotional climaxes and immersive world-building, featuring rereads of books one through four.
Key People & Entities
- Paul Millard
- Author of The Pathless Path
- Matthew Dicks
- Author of Someday is Today and Storyworthy; storytelling expert and mentor figure
- Alexander Green
- Investment advisor and author of Beyond Wealth
- Eric Partaker
- CEO coach and author of The Three Alarms
- Nicholas Cole
- Online writer and author of The Art and Business of Online Writing; featured on creator's podcast
- Stephen Covey
- Author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
- Richard Wiseman
- Psychology professor and author of The Luck Factor; magician and researcher
- David Deida
- Author of The Way of the Superior Man; spiritual guide and relationship advisor
Glossary
- Long-termism
- A philosophical position that prioritizes the wellbeing of future generations and considers long-term existential risks as central to moral decision-making
- The Cosmere
- The shared fictional universe created by author Brandon Sanderson that connects his various fantasy novels, including the Mistborn series and Stormlight Archive
- Scorecard Marketing
- A marketing methodology that focuses on understanding customer problems and pain points to create targeted offers that address specific needs
- Ideal Week
- A calendar-based planning tool that maps out an idealized version of what one's weekly schedule should look like in terms of time allocation and activities
- Three Alarms System
- A personal development technique using phone reminders at specific times (9:00, 5:00, 6:30) to reinforce desired identity and intentional behavior throughout the day