What’s the most memorable book you’ve read?
And how has it shaped you?
In my 34 years on this earth, I’ve learned to lead with servitude. The knowing that we are all here in a giant moving ecosystem. Connected, yet at times fragmented. It's been my path to build bridges for people, between people, and between communities.
And books have always been a great mentor on that path.
The 5 books that left a deep imprint on me:
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
Hesse unfurled my love for poetry. Apart from an enchanting story, Siddhartha has so much wisdom. It was given as a gift by my father when I was 14. As we grow, so do the lenses we view our world with. And so I revisit the book every couple of years. Siddhartha mainly shaped me by learning to accept whatever life brings me and to search for the lessons flowing underneath.
Man’s Search for Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl
“Man is originally characterized by his "search for meaning" rather than his "search for himself." The more he forgets himself—giving himself to a cause or another person—the more human he is. And the more he is immersed and absorbed in something or someone other than himself the more he really becomes himself.”
No further comment needed.
The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life - Boyd Varty
"How do you know you love something? How do you feel when you are fully expressing yourself? Learn that feeling and then start looking, not for the thing, but for the feeling.”
The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life is full of self-inquiring questions or statements (see the gallery below for another quote). The book shaped me by taking me back to the days we lived in Africa (Ivory Coast, so no safaris). But more, he unlocked my exploration of an inner wilderness. A desire to connect deeper with nature and the mirror it holds up in return.
Mastery - Robert Greene
Mastery takes a look at classic and contemporary masters like Da Vinci, Mozart, Einstein, Teresita Fernandez, and Yoki Matsuoka. To understand how they’ve approached life and their purpose.
Three core lessons from Mastery that I apply every single day:
Reconnect with my primal curiosity, to question more and assume less.
To value learning above all else.
To gather skills and combine them in a unique way.
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover - Robert Moore & Douglas Gilette
Moore & Gillette observed the struggle of the male identity as a universal crisis - men surrounded by narrow standards of what it is to be a man. They looked at stereotypical behaviours and noticed they are all boys pretending to be men. Boys who’ve become this way because nobody showed them what a mature man is like.
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover is a deep-dive analysis into the main archetypes of the male psyche. It’s given me so much insight into my behaviours. My flaws and shadows. My genius. How I show up in the world. And it has guided me to men’s circles and connect in healthy ways with other men.
Helping your brand find your story through Archetypes
The book also refers to the archetype analysis by Carl Jung. Which is a tool I often use for guiding brands on which archetype they need to build their foundation around. When brands pinpoint their archetype, it naturally flows into a certain set of brand values and style of communicating. Many times the archetype reveals itself through shaping their brand story. This foundation helps solopreneurs and companies to connect better with their audience leading to more trust and retention.
Reach out to me here if you’d like to learn how you can shape your brand story and brand archetype.
That’s plenty from my side for now :)
In turn, I’d love to know:
What’s the most memorable book you’ve read?
And how has it shaped you?
Drop it in the comments.