If you’re looking for a gift for yourself, a fellow Meanie (aka: Meaning Movement reader/listener), or anyone else, I wanted to offer you some of my favorites.
Below is my shortlist of things I’ve been enjoying over the past 12 months, or have included personally on my wishlist.
Many of these include affiliate links, which means a very small percentage of any purchase goes to helping The Meaning Movement keep the lights on.
For The Motivational Readers
The Obstacle Is The Way: The Timeless Art Of Turning Trials Into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
This book is timeless. We all have those phases of feeling stuck, and this book helps you find out what to do next.
Ryan Holiday wraps the ancient philosophy of Stoicism into captivating stories from the lives of great achievers – from Margaret Thatcher to Amelia Earhart to Steve Jobs. He creates a narrative that grabs the attention of the reader and pushes them towards positive action.
Let Your Life Speak by Parker J. Palmer
I stand by my opinion that this little book is a gem. Palmer shares his personal stories and the pathways he took that made him realise his vocation. The book is rich with quotable wisdom equal to none other that I know of.
Set For Life: Dominate Life, Money And The American Dream by Scott Trench
I love this book. It’s roadmap to financial freedom. Whether or not that’s your goal, here Scott Trench provides great strategies for increasing your income, savings, and more.
I honestly wish this book had been around 10+ years ago. It would have been really helpful for me as I was trying to find my way, starting new projects and businesses. Whether or not you’re starting your own thing, or working a 9-to-5, this one is sure to challenge and inspire.
Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant: Guide To Financial Freedom by Robert T. Kiyosaki
Yes. Another book about finances! I really believe they should make this one a prerequisite for life. Kiyosaki lays out the four methods of earning an income and explains how to move from one to the next. It was very helpful to me in the context of starting out on my own journey, and it’s one that I often return to.
Getting Things Done: The Art Of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen
This is my go-to book as it has helped me immensely in organising my daily tasks. My wife and I live by an adapted version of the Getting Things Done methodololgy. We run our household and businesses through it.
In this book, David Allenoggers five simple steps to creating a system to stay organized and get more done in less time. Highly recommended.
The Power Of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business by Charles Duhigg
This is one of the best books that I have read on the science behind habit-building. Knowing the why of habits and the ins and outs of how they function makes it easier to stop bad habits and create good ones. This book highlights the power of transformation that humans possess by simply identifying patterns for their development and unlocking a huge amount of potential.
Make Time: How To Focus On What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky
This book has been a very practical guide to me and has helped me with time use and productivity. It’s a great and practical little book on finding meaning daily and improving efficiency. Plus it was fun to read with all the sketches placed randomly to entertain you between pages. The book provides you with instant strategies to practice in order to focus on things that really matter to you.
This book is hyped up a lot. I add it to this list with a grain of salt. It’s good. It’s simple, and that’s what makes it good. I won’t say that it’s not worth the hype, but the hype may distract you from what it offers at it’s core: a simple daily plan to move you toward the life you want to live.
It has motivated me to stay on track and not settle for anything less than my desired destination. Elrod offers you a method to start each day right. And over time all those days add up to something great.
Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways To Stop Procrastinating And Get More Done In Less Time by Brian Tracy
Eat That Frog honestly introduced me to numerous productivity tactics to tackle procrastination and make the best out of my time. It’s simple and actionable. It will help you take steps to immediately increase your productivity.
Start Finishing: How To Go From Idea To Done by Charlie Gilkey
I met Charlie Gilkey not too long ago, completely out of the context of his work. I knew who he was, but hadn’t dug deep into everything he’s creating. After that meeting, I picked up this one. Charlie is an expert in the realm of productivity. Here he gives a very useful framework for taking your projects across the finish line.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks. When I drive, when I run, when I’m doing chores — I’m always listening and learning. An Audible Membership is great for anyone who wants to learn on the go.
I love my Kindle! I can take way more books than I could ever read with me anywhere I go, and it’s display provides a much nicer reading experience than most other devices.
For The Productive Time-Keepers
Now a mainstream methodology, bullet journaling has gained quite a reputation for tracking, ordering and designing our lives.
I use a modified version of the bullet journal method just to keep my thoughts organised. This would be a great choice for your friends who are looking for better approaches to plan.
This is my favorite journal that I use on most days. It looks nice. Feels nice. And gives you lots of space to create without distraction. It’s perfect for the bullet method (see above) or any type of journaling you prefer.
For me, having a visual timer makes it a lot easier to keep up my efficiency. It gives me a solid idea of how much time I am investing into something and helps me in blocking time. It pushes me to plan, set my time and be more productive. This countdown timer is one of my favorites.
I don’t own one of these. I have the one above. But if you’re looking for a time keeping device that’s a bit more form alongside function, this is the way to go. I just know I’d break it. Or if I didn’t, one of my kids would.
I have the generation prior to this model, and I use the all the time. I’ve never experience true noise cancelation comfort before owning these.
They’re light. Comfortable. And very helpful to block out the world and get your work done.
Since I work with teams or people around the world, I end up taking a lot calls— both online and on the phone. I recently picked up a pair of these and my mind has been blown at how well they work. The bluetooth never drops and the background noise cancelation is phenomenal. I can take a call at a noisy coffee shop and the person on the other end would never know I was out of the office. It’s that good! If you take calls on the go, or with others around, these will change your life.
I wear a lot of Everlane. I just love their approach to ethical clothing and the way they offer full transparency all the way up their supply chain and even in their pricing. I have my eye on this backpack for my next purchase. But take a look at everything they offer while you’re on their site. They have something for everyone.
The scheduler is extremely useful for booking appointments, podcast guests, calls, etc.. It allows you to integrate multiple calendars and work on a single dashboard. Overall, it has simplified the whole scheduling process for me and I use it almost everyday. Saving time can sometimes be the best gift.
For The Record(ers)
If you’re curious what I use for podcasts, here’s my main equipment list. Any of these items would be great for anyone getting into podcasting.
I use this for recording my podcasts. It gives me crisp and super clear audio. With its solid design (it’s a brick!), features and reliable performance, you’d be gifting a good investment.
Again something that I personally use for my podcasts and would definitely recommend. Be it voices or instruments, the Heil PR40 is one of the best, cost-effective dynamic mics available. It captures sound brilliantly and clearly. I love that I don’t have to do much to make my voice podcast ready when I’m recording with this.
The Heil PRSM shock mount comes as an optional accessory along with the Heil PR40 mic. I can attest its reviews online. It safeguards my mic when I accidentally hit the table or sometimes just bump on the stand. It is useful in suppressing low frequency rumble on the microphone. So if your friend already owns the mic and is looking for a shock mount, then make sure to gift this as its complement.
If you ever want to record on the go, or know someone who does, this one’s for you. It’s one of the best multi-track recorders available in the market. I use this when I’m outside the studio and it has a great response. It literally lets me record anywhere! This portable device is a great gift for the record(ers).
For All Around Health and Lifestyle
This is weird, right? Not what you expected! But I’ve been really getting into bodyweight fitness and now have a pair of these hanging in my office. They’re fun. And REALLY challenging. If you or someone you know is ready to up their fitness game, this is a great choice!
This is an aspirational item. I’m very into fitness tracking, and will be moving to the Garmin family shortly. I have my eye on one of their running specific trackers, but the Vivoactive series has given me pause. It’s what you’d get if a smartwatch (think Apple watch) and a fitness super computer got married and made a watch baby. It’s very slick.
I have the first version of the Muse Headband and I love it. It helps me hone my meditation practice and keeps me aware when my mind is wandering. And, since I’m a data junky, I really enjoy the brain wave analytics it provides.
I love my glasses! I’ve been wearing Warby Parker’s for years and have no plans to stop. They make it easy to choose your styles with a free Home Try-On kit. Plus every pair purchased helps someone in need.
With that, I have come to the end of The Meaning Movement gift guide. I heartily hope that it helps you find the right gift for people.
Happy gift-hunting!
Love this!! I am totes into personal recommendations of all sorts and these all can add value to my life so I welcome it! Keep up the amazing work Dan!
Thank you! I really appreciate it 🙂
I want to read all of these books!
You should! You won’t be disappointed 🙂