reading, resolutions: reading, resolutionsFigureFigureForget New Year's Resolutions. Fewer than 10 percent of people actually keep those promises to themselves. (http://bit.ly/2yPTKnA.) Instead, why not treat yourself to these gems that may provide insights to help you achieve your goals year-round? Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown, MBA: If you read only one book this year, this should be it. “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it's about how to get the right things done,” Mr. McKeown wrote. “It doesn't mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.” Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown, PhD: Ms. Brown's main goal is to inspire the reader to embrace courage, which “starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” She wrote, “Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, PhD: Flow is a state of consciousness for which we should all be striving. Mr. Csikszentmihalyi teaches us how to focus on our experiences and develop an interest in things. “Many of the things we find interesting are not so by nature, but because we took the trouble of paying attention to them,” he wrote. Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert, PhD: There is a plethora of books on happiness psychology. This one questions our brain's ability to remember how happy we were in the past or to predict how happy we will be in the future. Mr. Gilbert wrote, “The fact that we often judge the pleasure of an experience by its ending can cause us to make some curious choices.” Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: Mr. Frankl wrote of his experience as a Holocaust survivor and his quest for spiritual survival. “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” His experience taught him that “everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.” Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science by Charles Wheelan, PhD: This book will teach you the basics of handling personal finance, and answer deeper questions on the subject such as, “At a time when we can split the atom, land on the moon, and decode the human genome, why do 2 billion people live on less than $2 a day?” The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor: Another great happiness book aimed at proving the advantages of leading a happy life in achieving success in all aspects of life. Mr. Achor wrote, “Happiness is not the belief that we don't need to change; it's the realization that we can.” How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie: This classic describes the importance of smiling, paying attention, and displaying genuine interest in what people have to say. Mr. Carnegie wrote, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” First Break All The Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently by Gallup: Rules are meant to be broken, and we need to start thinking of novel ways to accomplish our goals. “Talent is the multiplier. The more energy and attention you invest in it, the greater the yield,” the authors of the book wrote, “The time you spend with your best is, quite simply, your most productive time.” The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg, MBA: This powerful read describes the importance of habits, how to break them, mold them, and ultimately use them to your advantage. Mr. Duhigg wrote, “Change might not be fast, and it isn't always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.” Risk Savvy: How To Make Good Decisions by Gerd Gigerenzer: Take chances and trust your instincts, Mr. Gigerenzer wrote. “RISK: If risks are known, good decisions require logic and statistical thinking. UNCERTAINTY: If some risks are unknown, good decisions also require intuition and smart rules of thumb.” Reading this book makes you realize that intelligent decision-making entails knowing what tool to use for which problem. All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman: This novel is full of wit, sarcasm, and insight. It is original and clever: “There are two ways to get rid of an anxiety monster, my friend—you either have a bath or a nap.” We know it's hard to find time to read, but these wonderful books will entertain and educate you. If you enjoy long runs or have long commutes, try listening to them on Audible, which provides two free audio books a month with your subscription.