Podcast
ChooseFI book list: the books mentioned on the show
How would your life change if you reached Financial Independence and got to the point where working is optional? What actions can you take today to make that not just possible but probable. Jonathan & Brad explore the tactics that the FI community uses to reclaim decades of their lives. They discuss reducing expenses, crushing debt, tax optimization, building passive income streams through online …
Books from the latest episodes
Most recommended on ChooseFI
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The Simple Path to Wealth
JL Collins's book The Simple Path to Wealth was frequently discussed on ChooseFI by Brad Barrett, Kim, and Laura across multiple episodes, including 'Unpacking the Path to the Boring Middle' and 'Financial Independence Basics with Jackie Cummings Koski'. The speakers recommended the book to illustrate how simple and effective low-cost index fund investing is compared to managed funds. Guests and hosts praised it for succinctly summarizing investing principles and helping demystify retirement accounts and personal finance for beginners.
Discussed“And it was fascinating because I was listening to an old episode with JL Collins, the original episode he did on Choose a VI about the simple path to wealth.”
Where to get it
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Die with Zero
Bill Perkins's book Die with Zero was featured across several episodes of ChooseFI, where Brad Barrett, community callers, and guests recommended it for reshaping financial mindsets. The speakers discussed how the book encouraged them to reframe their relationship with money, prioritize experiences, intentionally spend or give resources earlier in life, and declare a purposeful year of yes before major life transitions.
Discussed“And in that book, the author Bill Perkins talks about exactly this, gifts to your children. And it's like, do you wait to do this until you've passed and it goes through your state when maybe you're in your 90s and your kids are in their 70s.”
Where to get it
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Atomic Habits
Across multiple episodes of ChooseFI, guests and hosts frequently recommended Atomic Habits by James Clear. Bill Powell shared that he rereads it yearly, Ashley called it her favorite book while reading it for the third time, Brad Barrett praised it during a discussion on habit building, and Jonathan Mendonsa noted how he used it to adopt positive habits and reboot his fitness goals after the holidays.
Discussed“This reminds me of something that James Clear talked about in Atomic Habits in terms of basically I'm the type of person that, and it's even just going to the gym for a minute or five minutes the first time you have your shoes and your clothes all laid out.”
Where to get it
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Your Money or Your Life
On ChooseFI, host Brad Barrett, Vicki Robin, and other guests frequently highlighted Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez as a foundational personal finance text. Contributors discussed the book's profound impact on altering how people view work, money, and Life Energy, with some noting they planned to gift copies to their children for financial education.
Recommended“Many of you have read her book, Your Money or Your Life. But even if you haven't, you know about this book. It's changed the way so many people think about work and money.”
Where to get it
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The 4-Hour Workweek
Tim Ferriss's The 4-Hour Workweek was featured extensively on ChooseFI. Hosts Jonathan and Brad Barrett, alongside guests Ava Wetrick, Jacques Hopkins, and Tim Ferriss himself, discussed the book across several episodes. Barrett and Hopkins credited it as the original inspiration for starting their online businesses and pursuing entrepreneurship, while Ferriss and Barrett highlighted the frequently overlooked chapter titled 'Filling the Void'.
Discussed“and the most underestimated underread chapter in the 4-hour work week is called filling the void and it's about this exactly.”
Where to get it
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The Simple Path to Wealth
J. L. Collins's book The Simple Path to Wealth was frequently highlighted on ChooseFI by Brad Barrett, Jonathan Mendonsa, and guest Sean Mullaney. The hosts regularly featured the book as a prize in weekly listener giveaway drawings, while Mullaney recommended it during a hot seat segment as a top personal finance resource originating from blog-based investing advice.
Discussed“We then started reading through the simple path to wealth together and it has been a special time for both of us.”
Where to get it
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Thinking in Bets
Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke came up multiple times across ChooseFI. Cody Garrett recommended it on October 12, 2026, to explain that actions should not be judged solely by their outputs. Brad Barrett mentioned the book in February 2024, October 2024, June 2023, and May 2023 episodes to discuss cognitive biases and the concept of resulting in decision-making. Jonathan also recommended the book on May 22, 2023, stating that its metaphors helped him approach life decisions like poker and conceptualize probabilities.
Recommended“I know there's another book out there, thinking and bets, Annie Duke, you know, you can't judge your actions by the output, because you can't control what happens.”
Where to get it
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Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter's Rich Dad, Poor Dad was discussed on ChooseFI as a foundational text for personal finance and financial independence. Host Brad Barrett and guests like Jesse Mecham, Ryan Brennan, and Brian Feroldi recalled reading the book early in their financial journeys, noting that it introduced them to core wealth concepts such as passive income and distinguishing between assets and liabilities.
Discussed“Uh, I remember rich dad, poor dad, and kind of being like, okay, like I can see which way you want to go with this. I just remember taking to the topic.”
Where to get it
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The Millionaire Next Door
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko frequently appeared on ChooseFI. Guests including Chris Travers, Grumpus Maximus, David Sawyer, Yanely Espinal, Jesse Mecham, Paula Pant, and Brad Barrett discussed reading the book in their youth or as a foundational personal finance assignment. They noted how it shifted their mindset on wealth accumulation and shaped their paths toward financial independence.
Discussed“I read the millionaire next door when I was 14 and like enjoyed it, you know, like that's a little odd. I read the richest man in Babylon.”
Where to get it
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The Total Money Makeover
Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover was recommended and reviewed on ChooseFI by hosts and guests including Becky Heptig, Kristen Knapp, and Mr. Groovy. Contributors praised the book as a vital foundational resource for individuals starting from scratch with their personal finances, noting how it helped them climb out of debt, organize their financial houses, and begin their journeys toward financial independence.
Discussed“Dave Ramsey came on my newscast when he first released his Total Money Makeover book in the early 2000s. Okay. This is before he got super famous, right? And I read that book”
Where to get it
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How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
Scott Adams's book How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big was recommended and discussed multiple times on ChooseFI. Host Brad Barrett frequently brought up the book to introduce listeners to the concept of the talent stack, emphasizing the value of focusing on systems rather than goals and combining multiple moderate skills for success. Other guests, such as Kyle Homson, also referenced the book to highlight the importance of systems thinking on the path to financial independence.
Discussed“we talked a very long time ago about about the talent stack and I read that book by Scott Adams I think it's how to fail at nearly everything and still win big or something like that”
Where to get it
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Your Money Or Your Life
Your Money or Your Life by Joseph R. Dominguez and Vicki Robin was discussed across several episodes of ChooseFI by hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa, along with guests Ginger Kim and Vicki Robin herself. The speakers explored key concepts like the true hourly wage, how purchases translate into giving up life energy, and the book's lasting impact on frugal mindsets.
Discussed“Many of you have read her book, Your Money or Your Life. But even if you haven't, you know about this book.”
Where to get it
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Freelance to Freedom
Vincent Pugliese's book Freelance to Freedom was frequently featured on ChooseFI as part of weekly listener giveaway drawings. Hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa repeatedly recommended the title to listeners who left podcast reviews, and the author himself appeared on the show to discuss mindset shifts and mention influences like Andy Andrews.
Discussed“I know Jonathan when you read through his book you said to me instantly this is going to be a New York Times bestseller and you just you just loved it”
Where to get it
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The Golden Albatross
On ChooseFI, hosts Brad Barrett and MK frequently recommended and discussed the book The Golden Albatross by Grumpus Maximus and Doug Nordman. The book came up across multiple episodes, including listener mail segments and special features, where Barrett and MK highlighted its usefulness in helping individuals evaluate whether staying in a job for a pension is truly worth it when calculating financial independence. Barrett also noted its role as a key publication from ChooseFI Media.
Recommended“as from our friend grumpus Maximus who we had on the show way back when episode 57 and 227 and he wrote a great book called The Golden Albatross how to determine if your pension is worth it”
Where to get it
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The Simple StartUp
Rob Phelan's workbook The Simple StartUp was frequently highlighted across multiple episodes of ChooseFI in 2022 and 2023. Hosts Brad Barrett, Jonathan Mendonsa, and MK discussed using the book as an entrepreneurial project for kids to foster interest-led learning. Brad Barrett recommended the book after reading it with his daughters, while David McKeegan suggested it to guests Matt and Megan. The manual was also featured in book giveaways, recommended for purchase on the author's website, and made available at a University of Cincinnati conference bookstore.
Discussed“Don's podcast really inspired Rob Phelan who's the author of the simple startup the educational that we're going to be bringing out through chooseify publishing”
Where to get it
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Make Time
Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky was frequently discussed and recommended on ChooseFI. Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa referenced the book across multiple episodes, including episodes 116, 168, and 304, to address phone usage, regain work-life balance, and focus on daily priorities. The hosts praised the authors' insights, with Brad highlighting how the book pairs with Atomic Habits to help listeners make wholesale lifestyle changes, and strongly encouraged the audience to purchase and read it.
Discussed“so there's a book called make time how to focus on what matters every day one of the authors is named John zaratsky”
Where to get it
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Tools of Titans
Timothy Ferriss's book Tools of Titans was frequently highlighted on ChooseFI. Hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa recommended it as a listener giveaway prize, sharing practical insights from the book regarding intermittent fasting, three-day fasts, and the daily habits of high performers, which also inspired guest Chris Mamula.
Discussed“and I've been reading tools of Titans with Tim Ferriss and he was talking about how he would go about doing this three-day fast”
Where to get it
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Man's Search for Meaning
On ChooseFI, hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan along with various guests frequently recommended Viktor E. Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. Speakers such as Dominick Quartuccio and Bo Loy praised the book as an essential guide for finding life purpose, dealing with extreme hardship, and choosing one's attitude. The hosts also repeatedly highlighted Frankl's famous psychological concept regarding the power of the space between stimulus and response.
Recommended“one of the greatest insights that I've ever come across was by a man named Victor Frankel and Victor Frankel is the author of man search for meaning one of the best best books you could ever read about finding your purpose and meaning in life”
Where to get it
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Outlive
Peter Attia and Bill Gifford's Outlive was frequently discussed on ChooseFI by Brad Barrett, the host, and various listeners and guests. The book was recommended as a dense but valuable resource for planning health span and longevity, inspiring listeners to undergo specific health tests, though Barrett also briefly referenced it when discussing controversies surrounding wellness authors.
Critiqued“We've all seen in the last couple of weeks the author of Outlive who a lot of us would have considered one of the pinnacle people in the longevity movement is essentially a total scumbag, right?”
Where to get it
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Early Retirement Extreme
Jacob Lund Fisker's book Early Retirement Extreme came up frequently on ChooseFI as a foundational text for the financial independence and FIRE movements. Guests and hosts including Mad Fientist, Travis Shakespeare, David Sawyer, Mary Kate Williams, and Brad Barrett discussed discovering the book early in their journeys, utilizing its 21-day frugal living steps, and drawing inspiration for minimalist lifestyle changes and early retirement planning.
Recommended“so the whole mad scientist came about because I thought that like I was like everyone else when they stumbled upon this whole world like I I found Early Retirement Extreme first and you know I was super excited about it and I was like well this is you know this is what I've been saving for for all these”
Where to get it
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The Psychology of Money
On ChooseFI, multiple guests and the host recommended The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel as a foundational text for financial independence. Brad Barrett, Brian Feroldi, and others praised the book for its insights into human behavior regarding wealth, while Cody Garrett shared an author anecdote concerning luxury experiments.
Discussed“I think it was the author of Psychology of Money that talked about, you know, every now and then he'll just rent that really nice car that like he's, quote unquote, supposed to own because of his level of wealth.”
Where to get it
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Four Thousand Weeks
Oliver Burkeman's Four Thousand Weeks was discussed on ChooseFI across several episodes between 2022 and 2024 by host Brad Barrett, listeners, and guests like JT Alstead and Josue. Contributors praised the book for its time management concepts, noting how Burkeman's advice helped them prioritize what truly matters, let go of perfectionism, and accept that one can never complete every task or email in life.
Discussed“Did you read the Oliver Burkeman book? I did. 4,000 Weeks? Is that what it's called? We talked about it on the show. But that was one thing I'm kind of laughing when you're talking about the emails because that part where he is like, "You have to realize like you will never win and you will never complete it."”
Where to get it
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Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence
Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence by Doug Nordman and Carol Pittner was regularly recommended on ChooseFI by hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mendonsa, as well as various guests. The hosts praised it as a phenomenal resource for teaching children about financial independence, noting that Jonathan had personally encouraged the authors to write it for the community.
Recommended“I remember I listened to the Liz frugalwoods episode and then I ended up buying her book is you know Jamie likes to read and I just gave it to her as a gift I was like Hey like I think you'll really like this book if you want to check it out and and she devoured it”
Where to get it
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Set for Life
Scott Trench's book Set for Life was repeatedly recommended on ChooseFI by hosts Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett, as well as guest Frank, who praised it as an essential manual for beginners starting their financial independence journey. The hosts highlighted its practical framework for house hacking and solving major financial hurdles.
Discussed“you know when we were talking about your book set for life and that I know was a really key part of your financial Journey your financial Independence Journey”
Where to get it
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Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich was featured on ChooseFI. Alan Donegan, Rob, and Dominick Quartuccio discussed how the bestselling book inspired personal growth, business networking, and overcoming the mental trap of drift by studying successful historical figures.
Discussed“if you guys are Think and Grow Rich fans like I'm sure a lot of your listeners are Think and Grow Rich is one of the best selling”
Where to get it
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Quit Like a Millionaire
Kristy Shen and Bryce Leung's book Quit Like a Millionaire was discussed and recommended across multiple episodes of ChooseFI. Hosts Jonathan Mendonsa, Brad Barrett, and other contributors highlighted the book as part of listener giveaways, local book club discussions, and upcoming interviews with the authors. Guest Katie Gatti named it as her favorite book during a hot seat segment, while listener Lexi praised the authors' writing style and voice. Additionally, Jonathan Mendonsa referenced Kristy Shen's journey from rural China as described in the book to illustrate the transformative power of education.
Recommended“Oh, I think my favorite one recently was the Quit Like a Millionaire. I know it was from a while ago, but I loved her writing style. I loved her voice. I thought the information was amazing. I just really enjoyed it quite a bit.”
Where to get it
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The ONE Thing
On ChooseFI, hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan, along with guests like Jamie Masters, discussed Gary Keller and Jay Papasan's The ONE Thing. The hosts recommended the book for shifting perspectives on goal setting, focus, and prioritizing essential tasks that make other efforts easier.
Discussed“I Love the One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan like what's one thing you can do now which by accomplishing will make everything else easier or unnecessary in the future”
Where to get it
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Why Does The Stock Market Go Up?
On ChooseFI, hosts Brad Barrett and Jonathan frequently recommended and discussed the book as a prime resource for learning about investing and Wall Street mechanics. They highlighted its publication through ChooseFI Publishing, featured the author as a guest, and pointed listeners to the book as an accessible foundational guide for understanding the stock market and compounding.
Recommended“so I would have to mention his book which is literally called why does the stock market go up so you can find links for that at choosefi.com”
Where to get it
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Tools der Titanen
On ChooseFI, the hosts and guests frequently discussed and recommended "Tools der Titanen" by Tim Ferriss across multiple episodes in 2023. Brad and Chris Mamula expressed admiration for the book, noting that it details the tactics, routines, and habits of billionaires and high-performing individuals. The text was also included in weekly listener giveaways and served as a reference point for discussions regarding intermittent fasting, anchoring, and three-day fasts.
Discussed“and I've been reading tools of Titans with Tim Ferriss and he was talking about how he would go about doing this three-day fast”
Where to get it
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Contribution to the Biology of Ambystoma Opacum
On ChooseFI, the host frequently recommended Vincent A. Puglisi's book Contribution to the Biology of Ambystoma Opacum, alongside two other titles, as part of a weekly drawing for listeners who left podcast reviews. The host described the book as a phenomenal read for individuals looking to reclaim control of their lives and pursue personal freedom.
Book club“as you guys know we like to finish every episode by doing a drawing for a copy of a book that we have found useful and we have three books that we do we have JL Collins book The Simple path to wealth dominant cortuccio's book design your future and Vincent puglisi's book freelance to Freedom”
Where to get it
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The Comfort Crisis
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter was recommended and discussed across several ChooseFI episodes by Brad Barrett, Ron Babcock, JT Alstead, and Dr. Bobby Dubois. The speakers praised the New York Times bestseller for exploring how modern comfort negatively impacts health and for introducing concepts like the Japanese misogi and rucking. Listeners and hosts shared how the book inspired them to undertake new physical challenges, journal more, and rethink their personal habits.
Discussed“And you know, you think about a book like The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter and talking about Misogi and these different things that we can we can undertake.”
Where to get it
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Why We Sleep
Matthew Walker's book Why We Sleep was recommended on ChooseFI by guests Dr. Bobby Dubois and host Brad Barrett. The speakers praised the book as an authoritative resource on the neurobiology and evolutionary purpose of sleep, citing its insights into optimal sleep duration and the benefits of a cold sleeping environment.
Discussed“Bobby, I'm curious just to take another big step back. You referenced in our last episode uh Dr. Matthew Walker and his book Why We Sleep. I'm curious if you could go into your understanding of literally why we sleep.”
Where to get it
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The Five Love Languages
On ChooseFI, the hosts and listeners discussed Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages across several episodes. Contributors recommended the book as a game-changing framework for understanding relationships, gift-giving, and how different people show and receive love, and related these principles to financial independence and spending choices.
Recommended“and Don said if you haven't I suggest reading the five love languages”
Where to get it
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Outwitting the devil
On ChooseFI, guests Dominick Quartuccio and Ava Wetrick recommended Napoleon Hill's Outwitting the Devil as a profound cautionary tale about drift, drawing from their own personal awakenings and book club selections, while host Brad Barrett also engaged with listener voicemails discussing the book's principles.
Recommended“and it was called outwitting the devil now this book if you don't know Napoleon Hill was basically big during the depressioner”
Where to get it
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Deep Work
On ChooseFI, hosts and guests frequently recommended the book to emphasize the importance of focused productivity and uninterrupted environments. Brad Barrett and Jonathan discussed struggling with distractions and feeling scatterbrained, while guests named the title as a favorite text for improving professional habits and deep thinking.
Recommended“there is a book by Cal Newport called Deep work”
Where to get it
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Just Keep Buying
Nick Maggiulli's book Just Keep Buying was frequently featured on ChooseFI. Brian Feroldi, Brad Barrett, Tyler, Lexi, and Nick Maggiulli himself discussed the text across multiple episodes. Guests and hosts praised it as a fantastic non-fiction guide for mindset and wealth building, used the title phrase to illustrate continual index fund investing, noted its inclusion in local book club readings, and explored the opportunity costs of financial decisions.
Recommended“So if you read any book or study market history at all, the best thing for investors to do is just Nick Julie said this in his book title, just keep buying, right? continually plow money into”
Where to get it
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Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor
On ChooseFI, Brad Barrett, Navish Bahl, and Chad Carson frequently discussed The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor by Chad Carson across multiple episodes, including in October 2023, December 2023, and November 2025. Brad Barrett introduced the book to highlight its aligned message on financial independence and fewer rental properties, recommending it for listeners interested in alternative real estate perspectives and mindset. Navish Bahl also recommended it during the hot seat segment as a crucial blueprint for utilizing home equity.
Recommended“So that's uh Chad Carson, our great friend, has a book called The Small and Mighty Real Estate Investor. And I think this is fantastic.”
Where to get it
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MONEY Master the Game
On ChooseFI, several guests and hosts credited the book with introducing them to the financial independence movement and index fund investing. While one contributor humorously critiqued its length, others discussed how the core principles and portfolio strategies outlined in the text shifted their perspectives on personal finance.
Discussed“So we first heard about financial independence actually through a Tony Robbins book. It's called Money Master the Game. Please don't read it. It's 800 pages too long.”
Where to get it
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Influence
Robert B. Cialdini's book, Influence, was recommended and discussed on ChooseFI by hosts Brad Barrett and Alan Donegan. Donegan recommended it as a foundational text for learning negotiation and understanding human interaction. Barrett repeatedly brought up the book across multiple episodes to illustrate psychological principles, such as the rule of reciprocity and compliance studies, during discussions on earning power and human behavior.
Discussed“like sometimes I'm thinking back to like the Robert chini's book influence and like I think the psychological study was something silly”
Where to get it
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Choose FI
The book Choose FI by Chris Mamula, Brad Barrett, and Jonathan Mendonsa was frequently discussed and recommended on the ChooseFI podcast. In episode 166R, MK mentioned the book when talking about the upcoming conference bookstore. During episode 281, Michelle shared that she had her husband read the book to introduce him to financial independence, Valerie mentioned gifting it to family members, and Chris noted that he had read and enjoyed it. In episode 356, another listener named Chris shared in a voicemail that reading the book while deployed on a submarine inspired him to start listening to the podcast. Additionally, Jonathan mentioned John Zeratsky's book Make Time in episode 157R.
Discussed“And we'll be speaking with author John Zeratsky from the book Make Time.”
Where to get it
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Retire Often
Jillian Johnsrud's book Retire Often was featured on ChooseFI by Brad Barrett, Ginger, and Aubrey Williams. Brad recommended the book and its release date to listeners seeking background on mini-retirements, while Ginger and Aubrey referenced it to illustrate finding courage to live outside expected norms and experimenting with starting businesses.
Discussed“Yeah, it does require courage and I think it's something like it is something we talk about a lot in this community, you know, like I'm even thinking of I just finished Jillian John's book retire often.”
Where to get it
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Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement
Throughout multiple episodes of ChooseFI, Brad Barrett discussed and praised 'Tax Planning To and Through Early Retirement' by Cody Garrett and Sean Mullaney. In September 2025, Barrett introduced the authors and celebrated their newly published work. He later returned to the book in January 2026, March 2026, and September 2026, consistently lauding its breakthrough success, high sales volume, and compelling approach to financial planning within the independence community.
Recommended“As we mentioned, your book, tax planning, two and through early retirement, it's incredible. It's hard stop to end a story. I think it's pretty hard to make a book about tax planning really interesting and compelling and a must read.”
Where to get it
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Design Your Future
On ChooseFI, host Jonathan mentioned Dominick Quartuccio's book Design Your Future as part of listener review giveaways. Brad Barrett also referenced the book to discuss building a purposeful life alongside financial independence and formally introduced Quartuccio as a guest using the book's title.
Discussed“and I know that you've read Dominic's book uh design your future right and like you can hear me quoting his exact phrasing there but that's what's so cool is like there's nothing that says you need to leave your job”
Where to get it
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Unstoppable
On ChooseFI, Brad Barrett and Jonathan promoted the book while previewing and conducting an interview with the author. They discussed the core themes of health, fitness, decision-making frameworks, and the author's personal journey of striving for balance.
Discussed“David one of the things that comes through when I'm reading your book is that you have this OCD component to your life that just drives you in all these different areas”
Where to get it
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The Gap and The Gain
The Gap and The Gain by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan was discussed on ChooseFI. Brad Barrett repeatedly recommended the book, describing its simplicity and explaining how it helped him and others shift their mindset from negative gap thinking to positive gain thinking, moving away from an obsession with perfection. Ron Babcock also brought up the book, sharing that reading it hit him hard and significantly helped him reframe his perspective, reduce feelings of regret, and manage his mindset regarding success in his comedy career.
Discussed“I was reading that I think I found out about it through the the email newsletter but that Gap in the gain book”
Where to get it
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Can't Hurt Me
David Goggins's Can't Hurt Me was recommended on ChooseFI by Brad Barrett and Jonathan. The hosts praised the book and enthusiastically highlighted the audiobook version as an exceptional production, describing the author's remarkable physical and mental transformation driven by willpower.
Recommended“it's hard to remember all the books I've read so can't hurt me by David Goggins get the audiobook for everybody out there”
Where to get it
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Mindset
Carol S. Dweck's Mindset was discussed across multiple episodes of ChooseFI. In November 2024, Justin David Carl and Brad Barrett endorsed the book and its growth mindset concepts during a discussion on personal development and recommended it as a listener takeaway. In May 2023 episodes, Jonathan and Brad Barrett noted they had been reading the book to explore the contrast between fixed and growth mindsets, with Jonathan listing it among the books he read that year.
Recommended“so I'm a huge fan of growth mindset by Carol D I'm pretty sure she's part of Stanford alumni”
Where to get it
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Thinking, Fast and Slow
Daniel Kahneman's Thinking, Fast and Slow was highlighted on ChooseFI by multiple speakers. Coach Carson mentioned purchasing the book as a recent splurge and bringing it to Ecuador, while Annie Duke described it as a central piece of decision-making literature that everyone should read. The host also noted the massive influence Kahneman's work had on their life.
Recommended“well I love the idea of doing a follow-up on this because sincerely I would love to go into all of the books that I love and encourage people to read those books but for now I will say that Daniel Conor women has had a huge influence in my life and partly because of his work but also because”
Where to get it
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How to Win Friends and Influence People
On the ChooseFI podcast, Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People was highlighted as a transformative read. Host Brad Barrett and a previous guest, Nick True, discussed the book, with True explaining that reading it during his freshman year of college profoundly impacted his empathy and understanding of human connection. Barrett also referenced Ryan Carson's philosophy on adding value to others, which was influenced by Carson's perspective on Carnegie's work. The hosts discussed the enduring impact of the book's principles despite its seemingly modern, marketing-oriented title.
Discussed“and it reminds me actually of a quote that you said on a podcast I listen to when you're talking about uh the book How to Win Friends and Influence People”
Where to get it
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Keys to a Successful Retirement
On ChooseFI, host Jonathan and Brad Barrett repeatedly recommended Fritz Gilbert's book Keys to a Successful Retirement. Brad introduced Fritz as a guest on the show to discuss retirement bucket strategies and promote his new release. Later, Laura also mentioned receiving and reading the book, noting that it focuses on finding purpose and passion projects after retirement.
Discussed“and not the financial side but Fritz Gilbert his book he sent it actually because I think Eric and Jason had him on their podcast and then he sent me his book keys to a successful retirement and that covers sort of like once you retire”
Where to get it
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Goodbye, things
Fumio Sasaki's book Goodbye, Things was featured on ChooseFI. Brad Barrett recommended the quick read after discussing noise-canceling headphones, noting a recommendation from Ginger, and later hosted Liz from Liz Gets Loaded for a dedicated book club episode. During the book club, Court listed it among her favorite fire-related books, and Liz discussed the title and background of the author during the show summary.
Book club“Today I am talking with Liz from Liz Gets Loaded about the book "Say Goodbye to Things" by Fumio Sasaki.”
Where to get it
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The 5 Love Languages for Men
On ChooseFI, guests Larry Hagner and Jillian Johnsrud recommended Gary Chapman's book The 5 Love Languages for Men as a valuable framework for understanding partner needs and improving communication. Host Jonathan and Brad Barrett also discussed the profound personal impact of the book on relationships and communication.
Recommended“and just in a short version you have to understand what the five love languages are and you have to understand how she needs to be loved and you also have to understand your love language so you can communicate to her your needs I swear if every married person had that book and they read it and they implemented”
Where to get it
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The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
On ChooseFI, the host Jeff and guest Dominick Quartuccio discussed Marie Kondo's book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Jeff explained that he wrote an article about decluttering and evaluating material things based on whether they spark joy after reading Kondo's paradigm-shifting work, while Quartuccio used the book's philosophy metaphorically to suggest organizing one's information consumption habits.
Discussed“so that article that I wrote I wrote that after reading the Marie Marie condo book that's called the uh the life-changing magic of tidying up”
Where to get it
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Predictably Irrational
On ChooseFI, Brad Barrett frequently referenced Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational. He praised the book and discussed how its chapters on social norms and decoy pricing provided actionable consumer psychology insights for everyday situations within the financial independence community.
Discussed“I actually immediately thought back to like Jonathan you're saying about learning and pulling out these actionable techniques about this book that I read by Dan ariely called predictably irrational and there was a chapter there that was incredibly powerful on social norms”
Where to get it
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The Body Keeps the Score
On ChooseFI, host Brad Barrett referenced Bessel van der Kolk's book The Body Keeps the Score across multiple episodes. He brought up the work to explore the connection between physical health and mental well-being, specifically how the human body stores trauma, stress, and fear.
Discussed“and we're talking about about the body keeps the score and I have a longer quote here but I think it's a good one he said”
Where to get it
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Armas de titanes
Armas de titanes by Tim Ferriss was discussed on ChooseFI across several episodes between 2016 and 2023. The hosts frequently referenced Tim Ferriss's written works and podcasts—including his broader bibliography like The 4-Hour Workweek—crediting them as major personal inspirations and foundational resources that originally sparked their ideas for launching online businesses and pursuing financial independence.
Recommended“he wrote the four-hour work week he wrote the four hour body and different books and his blog and his podcast have definitely had an impact on my life”
Where to get it
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Grit
On ChooseFI, guests Ryan Carson and Allison Goddard, along with Brad Barrett, recommended Angela Duckworth's book Grit. They discussed how the book's core themes of hard work, perseverance, and a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset deeply resonated with their personal stories and pursuit of success.
Recommended“especially I think it's Angela Duckworth and her book grit and the fixed mindset versus growth mindset from Carol dweck”
Where to get it
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Factfulness
On ChooseFI, the book Factfulness by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund was recommended and discussed across multiple episodes. On the May 28, 2023 episode, Brad Barrett mentioned reading the book and highlighted its premise regarding the ten reasons people are wrong about the world and why things are better than expected. Barrett also recommended the book on the December 31, 2022 episode to illustrate that the world has arguably never been better, and David Hauser received a recommendation for it from Brad Barrett on May 26, 2023.
Discussed“I read a book called fact fullness it's 10 reasons we're wrong about the world and why things are better than you think”
Where to get it
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Good to Great
On ChooseFI, Jim Collins's book 'Good to Great' came up in various contexts across multiple episodes. A speaker mentioned discovering Collins's work through a blog series that later evolved into a published book. Grumpus Maximus discussed being inspired by an interview with Collins regarding financial independence. Additionally, Jonathan introduced 'Good to Great' as the primary inspiration for the theme of moving from good to great in episode 342.
Recommended“he is a brilliant series called the stock series I think I'm not sure at last counties probably up to about 30 different blog posts in that particular series and he's actually turned it into a published book called The Simple path to wealth”
Where to get it
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Wisdom from Rich Dad, Poor Dad
The book Wisdom from Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki was referenced across multiple episodes of ChooseFI. In May 2023 episodes, guests like Zeona McIntyre mentioned reading the book in her youth, which sparked her interest in real estate and wealth building. Joanna Penn noted that the book addressed her own lack of financial education, and Chris shared that reading it early on led him to focus on real estate before discovering the ChooseFI community.
Recommended“so I've always had that Fascination and I think I thought that might turn into being like a real estate agent or something when I was younger but it didn't go that route so I think I've always had it in the back of my mind that like I was gonna try to figure out how people do that and”
Where to get it
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Smart Couples Finish Rich
On ChooseFI, David Bach's book 'Smart Couples Finish Rich' was discussed across several episodes. Jillian mentioned reading the book years ago to introduce the 'be, have, do' framework, while Brad Barrett highlighted it as a formative personal finance read from his early days that does not receive enough airtime in the personal finance space.
Discussed“for me another one was smart couples finish Rich by David Bach who doesn't really get enough airtime in the personal finance”
Where to get it
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Dave Ramseys Complete Guide To Money The Handbook Of Financial Peace University
On ChooseFI, Dave Ramsey's book 'Dave Ramseys Complete Guide To Money The Handbook Of Financial Peace University' was discussed across multiple episodes. Teresa shared that her cousin's church offered Financial Peace University, providing a foundational framework for her. Brad Barrett read a listener email about teaching the class, and Jesse Mecum credited reading the book at age fourteen with establishing his strict stance on avoiding student debt.
Discussed“my cousin David, his church was offering Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and he sponsored me or someone at the church sponsored me to take that class”
Where to get it
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Just the Good Stuff
On ChooseFI, the podcast hosts and guests repeatedly discussed the investment framework known as 'the simple path to wealth' authored by Jim Collins. Participants referenced the advice laid out in the book regarding low-cost index fund investing, controlling fees, and the foundational tables detailing the history of the four percent rule.
Discussed“if you look at the tables and the simple path to wealth that Jim puts at the back of the book showing where the 4% rle came from”
Where to get it
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The Infinite Game
On ChooseFI, Brad Barrett and the podcast hosts frequently referenced Simon Sinek's book 'The Infinite Game' across multiple episodes, including 'There's Water In The Cup', 'Join the Rebellion', and 'Emergency Fund for the Zombie Apocalypse'. Brad Barrett brought up the title to help conceptualize long-term decision making, encouraging listeners to think in terms of decades rather than short-term results and applying these foundational principles to both personal relationships and financial independence strategies.
Discussed“and Jonathan you and I have been reading a book called The Infinite game by Simon sinek”
Where to get it
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The Richest Man in Babylon
On ChooseFI, guests Jesse Mecham, Travis Shakespeare, and Stephen Heptig mentioned George S. Clason's The Richest Man in Babylon while discussing their early financial education. Mecham listed it among foundational money books, Shakespeare shared a humorous anecdote about misinterpreting its advice to save ten percent of income, and Heptig cited it as part of his self-education journey after hitting zero in his bank account.
Discussed“I read the richest man in Babylon. Uh, I remember rich dad, poor dad, and kind of being like, okay, like I can see which way you want to go with this.”
Where to get it
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Get Good with Money
Get Good with Money by Tiffany the Budgetnista Aliche was enthusiastically recommended and discussed on ChooseFI by Jonathan Mendonsa and Brad Barrett. Jonathan compared the book favorably to Dave Ramsey's work for a new generation, urging listeners to buy it for guidance on financial wholeness. Brad Barrett highlighted inspiring quotes from the book and noted its role as a companion to Tiffany's new workbook.
Discussed“and this is a companion to her book get good with money which is actually what we talked about on episode 310 the last time she was on”
Where to get it
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Reset : How to Restart Your Life and Get F. U. Money
David Sawyer's book Reset: How to Restart Your Life and Get F. U. Money was discussed on ChooseFI during episode 141 and its follow-up 141R. Brad Barrett and Jonathan Mond recommended the book, noting its universal value and specific usefulness for UK listeners seeking financial independence. Barrett and Mond discussed the full subtitle of the book and referenced reviews, such as one from the UK blog Monovator, which described Reset as an elegant synthesis of personal finance strategies.
Recommended“this book is a book that will be universally helpful for anybody but I think also if you're one of our friends across the pond you're going to get so much value from both this episode and the book reset”
Where to get it
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Pathfinders
JL Collins's book Pathfinders was featured on ChooseFI in November and June of 2023. In the November 6, 2023, episode, Brad Barrett introduced the book at the beginning of the interview as a sequel or companion to The Simple Path to Wealth, detailing stories of people on the quest for financial independence. Barrett referenced a Princess Bride quote within the text and ultimately recommended Pathfinders to the audience at the conclusion of the episode. Jonathan also noted earlier in June 2023 that it is one of the primary books he recommends to newcomers.
Discussed“and he's here as a friend of course but more importantly right now is his new book Pathfinders just came out so this is either a sequel or a companion to the simple path to wealth and it's Pathfinders extraordinary stories of people like you on the Quest for financial Independence and the book is phenomenal”
Where to get it
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Essentialism
On ChooseFI, Essentialism by Greg McKeown was recommended by guests like JT Alstead, who read it annually to center himself, and by Jillian, who related the book to intentional living and financial independence. Host Brad Barrett also expressed his fondness for the text during discussions about the disciplined pursuit of less.
Recommended“yeah absolutely so I I love essentialism by Greg MCU it's like a yearly read for me right”
Where to get it
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We're Talking Millions!
On ChooseFI in February 2023, Paul Merriman and Brad Barrett discussed the book We're Talking Millions! by Richard Buck and Paul A Merriman. Barrett recommended the book, noting that it reads like a financial manual offering twelve simple steps and a high-level overview to supercharge retirement savings.
Recommended“we are bringing Paul Merriman back on the show and he has a new book called we're talking Millions”
Where to get it
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Sapiens
On ChooseFI, guest David Hauser recommended Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari as one of his favorite books that fundamentally changed his viewpoint on many things. Later in the series, Frank Vasquez and Brad Barrett discussed the book, exploring the cross-section of ideas and the overarching theme that human beings are storytelling animals.
Discussed“I'm always looking for the cross-section of different ideas that come to the same conclusion. Have you read like Yuval Harari's Sapiens? I certainly have read portions of it, yep!”
Where to get it
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The Miracle Morning
On ChooseFI, Dominic Quartuccio recommended The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod for establishing an optimal morning routine, while Bill Powell discussed reading the book and modifying its strict structure to fit his own lifestyle. Brad Barrett also referenced the text to warn against letting perfectionism become the enemy of good habits.
Discussed“there was a book I read it was the miracle morning yeah and it was a good book and you know I read it and I tried to force the structure on myself and it it it was square peg round hole”
Where to get it
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Happy Money
Happy Money by Ken Honda was featured on ChooseFI during a dedicated book club episode where Brad Barrett and Jillian Johnsrud discussed its core premise. Brad Barrett shared a listener critique regarding the book's mindset-focused claims about wealth. Separately, Chris Hutchins referenced the book on the podcast to illustrate the psychological advantages of prepaying for experiences.
Book club“Today we're talking about the book Happy Money by Ken Honda.”
Where to get it
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The Happiness Trap
On ChooseFI, Russ Harris's book 'The Happiness Trap' was recommended across multiple episodes by Jasper Lee and Brad Barrett. Jasper Lee suggested the title as a helpful self-help resource utilizing acceptance and commitment therapy, prompting Brad Barrett to add the book to his cart during the recording because it provides useful tools for evaluating thoughts.
Recommended“And the book that he mentioned, the happiness trap, is one that I actually went out and purchased. And one of the things that they present you with is this thought helpful?”
Where to get it
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The Paradox of Choice
Barry Schwartz's book The Paradox of Choice was discussed on ChooseFI by hosts Brad Barrett and Martin. The hosts brought up the book to illustrate their approach to living simply as satisficers rather than maximizers, and to explain how having an overwhelming number of options can cause mental fatigue and decision paralysis.
Recommended“we are like the prototypical satisficers if you've ever read the book The Paradox of choice like we are not the maximizers”
Where to get it
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The year of less
On ChooseFI, Brad Barrett and Shannyn Allan discussed The Year of Less by Cait Flanders. Brad Barrett quoted from the introduction to ask about the guest's upbringing and later recommended it to listeners. Shannyn Allan also recommended the book during her interview, explaining that it inspired her own shopping ban.
Discussed“seven and a half years ago you described in the intro to your book you said as a teenager I would often come home from school to find my bed littered with newspaper articles stories about interest rates retirement savings plans”
Where to get it
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Ultralearning
On ChooseFI, Scott Young's book 'Ultralearning' was discussed by Brad Barrett and Brandon in episodes covering the evolution of financial independence and intensive learning experiments. Brandon cited the book as the direct inspiration for undertaking a challenging music-learning project, and Brad referenced a core quote from the text to emphasize that deep fulfillment comes from overcoming difficult challenges and realizing personal potential.
Discussed“And if memory serves correctly, and I might be wrong about this, but you were reading a book called Ultralearning, right? Oh yeah. So it's by this author Scott Young.”
Where to get it
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A Pattern Language
On the ChooseFI podcast, A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray Silverstein was recommended during the hot seat segment when Gretchen Rubin named it as a favorite book that she often gives as a gift, describing it as a fascinating work on how to look at spaces by a rogue architect. A listener from the UK also recommended the book, which the host noted was a second endorsement following Gretchen Rubin's suggestion.
Recommended“Second the recommendation that Gretchen made for a pattern language which is another really great book”
Where to get it
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Changing Your Money Mindset
Vicky Robin's book 'Your Money or Your Life' was discussed on ChooseFI. On August 25, 2024, guest Kyle Nolan referenced the book as an influential work that shaped his perspective on financial independence. Later, on February 23, 2025, Cody Garrett brought up the title while discussing how to calculate the true worth of one's time against the hassle of managing savings accounts.
Recommended“I think about Vicky Robins book your money or your life really like if you were to calculate how much your time is worth is it worth the hassle of chasing down some of these high yield savings accounts”
Where to get it
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Finding Flow
Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalhi was recommended on two ChooseFI episodes. In The Hot Seat: Community Edition, Ginger described the book as a shorter and more accessible version of Flow. Ginger also recommended Finding Flow in episode 415 | Four Thousand Weeks | ChooseFI Book Club to align with a broader discussion about achieving flow states.
Recommended“this month I finished the book flow by sent me hail and we talked about him before and his book finding flow which I've read several times and I'm very familiar with it's kind of the more accessible short version”
Where to get it
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Flow
On ChooseFI, the host recommended Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's book Flow during community and book club episodes. The host discussed finishing the book and encouraged listeners who had not yet read it to pick it up while exploring concepts related to lifestyle, mindset, and flow states.
Recommended“this month I finished the book flow by sent me hail and we talked about him before and his book finding flow”
Where to get it
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Never Split the Difference
On ChooseFI, Aaron mentioned Never Split the Difference as a book he read recently that helped with negotiation, while Julia Harder also recommended the book as one of her favorites during the hot seat segment.
Recommended“as for a podcast or book that I've read recently I'd have to say never split the difference it's not specifically a financial book and I do read quite a few of those”
Where to get it
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Poor Charlie’s Almanack
Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charles T. Munger was recommended across multiple ChooseFI episodes. In 525 | Travel Builds Connections and Unlocks Rewards, Brad Barrett suggested the book for developing a mental framework and clear thinking. Earlier, in the episode 034R | What’s Your Risk Tolerance?, Barrett also recommended the compilation of Charles T. Munger's wit and wisdom as part of a personal development reading challenge.
Recommended“if you haven't read this it's a similar in a in a weird way so poor Charlie's Almanac which is basically the wit and wisdom of Charles TM so Charlie Munger”
Where to get it
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The E-myth
On the June 2, 2023 and May 25, 2023 episodes of ChooseFI, Joe Saul-Sehy and Michael Kitces respectively recommended The E-myth by Michael E. Gerber. Kitces cited the book as having one of the most profound impacts on his professional life, while Saul-Sehy praised it as an essential read for both business owners and employees aiming to understand core business principles.
Recommended“totally you know listen to people like John wurillo and his uh built to sell podcast and his book his fantastic book read the e-myth I think the e-myth even if you work for the man if you work for somebody else I think the e-myth is a fan fantastic book to read about what's really important in a business”
Where to get it
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The E-Myth Revisited
Michael E. Gerber's book The E-Myth Revisited was recommended on ChooseFI by guests Joe Saul-Sehy and Larry Hagner. Appearing on episodes in May and June 2023, both speakers endorsed the book as an essential read for small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Recommended“so anybody who owns a business that's listening to this or think about going into business totally you know listen to people like John wurillo and his uh built to sell podcast and his book his fantastic book read the e-myth”
Where to get it
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The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
On the ChooseFI podcast, Brad Barrett recommended John C. Bogle's The Little Book of Common Sense Investing across multiple episodes, including discussions on investment fees. Barrett cited the book as a brilliant educational resource that shaped his understanding of low-fee index fund investing and the Vanguard model.
Recommended“and so then I moved on to a book called the little book of Common Sense investing by John Bogle the founder of Vanguard right I mean it's it's brilliant”
Where to get it
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The Nature Fix
On ChooseFI, Amanda recommended The Nature Fix by Florence Williams as a recent book she enjoyed about how humans are connected to nature. Greg also cited the book in another episode as a fantastic resource to learn more about the science of nature exposure and its benefits.
Recommended“podcast book or blog that I've enjoyed recently that would be the nature fix by Florence Williams it's all about how we humans are fundamentally connected to Nature”
Where to get it
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Turning the Flywheel
On ChooseFI, guests discussed Jim Collins's work while exploring financial independence and investment strategies. A guest on the 018 episode praised Collins's stock series as a valuable tool for learning both the mechanics and psychology of investing, while a guest on the 223 episode cited reading Collins's blog and his book The Simple Path to Wealth during their financial education.
Recommended“learning to invest is probably the most valuable skill one could ever learn and Jim Collins has laid it out in an easy to use stock Series This two-hour reading Adventure explains not only how to invest but the psychology behind it”
Where to get it
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48 Days to the Work You Love
On ChooseFI, Jonathan Mendonsa referenced 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller to illustrate the concept of finding work that aligns with one's passions. Jamie Masters also mentioned reading Miller's book when she was trying to figure out her own career path.
Recommended“Dan Miller uh has has a book in in a popular podcast series and it's you know it's 48 days to the to the work you love”
Where to get it
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A Complaint Free World
Will Bowen's book A Complaint Free World was featured on ChooseFI. In December 2022, Brad Barrett described it as one of the most important books he had ever read, bringing it up after a discussion about reducing complaints. Barrett also referenced the book in an earlier December 2022 episode, recalling how reading it years prior caused a seismic shift in his thinking regarding negativity and mindset.
Discussed“if you actually look around and listen and I think uh the book I read I think is called a no complaint World by uh will Bowen I read it years ago and it just it was one of those kind of like seismic shifts in my thinking”
Where to get it
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Common sense on mutual funds
On ChooseFI, Frank Vasquez recommended John C. Bogle's Common Sense on Mutual Funds, referred to as Common Sense Investing in speech, pointing listeners to chapters 18 and 19 to learn about macro allocation. In another episode, the guest Ed, known as the Millionaire Educator, mentioned coming across Bogle's book on mutual funds while living in Saudi Arabia, which helped him understand the importance of low-cost and passive investing.
Discussed“I came across bogle's um uh what was it on mutual funds and that's where I understood the importance of low-cost investing and also passive investing”
Where to get it
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Digital Minimalism
On ChooseFI, Cal Newport's book Digital Minimalism was recommended by a guest named Court as part of a reading list. Additionally, Brad Barrett discussed how the book highlights members within the financial independence community.
Discussed“and I think in his new book digital minimalism he highlights both Pete from Mr Money Mustache and Liz and Nate from Frugal Woods which is really really cool”
Where to get it
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Financial Feminist
Tori Dunlap's book Financial Feminist was featured on ChooseFI in two episodes. In From Vision Board to Action: A FI Success Story | Rakesh, a guest named Rakesh recommended the book as wonderful and helpful. Later, in Money is Your Best Form of Protest | Tori Dunlap, Brad Barrett introduced Dunlap by highlighting her best-selling book and her website focused on investing and money management.
Discussed“she's the author of The New York Times best-selling book Financial feminist and her site her first 100K docomo for getting started with investing and putting a money plan together”
Where to get it
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From Strength to Strength
On ChooseFI, Frank Vasquez recommended Arthur Brooks's book From Strength to Strength to listeners interested in navigating the second half of life. Later, Frank reflected on having previously read the book and discussed his interest in another recent work co-authored by Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey.
Recommended“Another one's called Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks.”
Where to get it
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GRIT The Power of PASSION and PERSEVERANCE
On an episode of ChooseFI featuring guest Ryan Carson, the book GRIT The Power of PASSION and PERSEVERANCE by Angela Duckworth was explicitly recommended to listeners interested in perseverance and internal motivation. Later in the podcast's run, Allison Goddard also brought up Duckworth's book during a hot seat segment, noting that its core message about the value of hard work over natural talent deeply resonated with her personal journey.
Recommended“there's a book I'd recommend everybody it's called grit by Angela Duckworth”
Where to get it
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How to Decide
On ChooseFI, Brad Barrett recommended Annie Duke's book How to Decide alongside her other work, stating they would positively impact readers' lives. Barrett later referenced the book to explain how to properly consult others for advice without biasing them by keeping them as close as possible to the decision-maker's original state of knowledge.
Discussed“and and yeah as Annie said in her book how to decide she said you want them quote as closely as possible into the same state of knowledge that you were in at the time you made your decision”
Where to get it
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Millionaire Women Next Door
On ChooseFI, Dr. Thomas J. Stanley's book was referenced by host Brad Barrett in two episodes. In February 2017, Barrett mentioned Millionaire Women Next Door while emphasizing the importance of playing both offense and defense in achieving financial independence. Later, in May 2023, Barrett brought up the author's more famous related work, The Millionaire Next Door, while discussing guest Rocky Lalvani's background and his embodiment of the archetypal millionaire next door.
Discussed“so Rocky in one of our early conversations you mentioned to me that you are The prototypical Millionaire Next Door and I'm a huge fan of the late Dr Thomas Stanley who wrote the book The Millionaire Next Door”
Where to get it
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Mutual funds for dummies
On ChooseFI, Dr. Jim Dahle discussed discovering Eric Tyson's Mutual Funds for Dummies at a bookstore after realizing he owned inappropriate loaded mutual funds, noting it was the first real financial book he read. Brad Barrett later recounted this story to highlight how Jim, now known as the White Coat Investor, took control of his finances.
Discussed“and he literally went to a bookstore and bought mutual funds for dummies that's amazing to think of where Jim the white code investor is now and not all that long though he bought mutual funds for dummies”
Where to get it
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Never Eat Alone
On ChooseFI, Brad Barrett mentioned that he had been reading Keith Ferrazzi's Never Eat Alone to improve his networking practices. Barrett referenced the book again in a different episode while discussing hosting dinners and building connection events.
Recommended“actually I don't think I mentioned this to you Jonathan but I've been reading a book called Never Eat Alone it's by an author named Keith farazi and so it's Never Eat Alone in other secrets to success one relationship at a time”
Where to get it
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Playing with FIRE
On ChooseFI, Kim recommended Scott Rieckens's book Playing with FIRE while explaining her method for testing out new locations during geoarbitrage. In another episode, Rakesh mentioned the book to describe how it directly influenced his decision to move to a lower cost of living area.
Recommended“so I'm going to borrow this from the Playing with Fire book where you make your list of the top 10 things you do every week that make you feel happy”
Where to get it
The other 241 books mentioned on ChooseFI, ranked, with the latest episode and time
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
- The two-income trap by Elizabeth Warren
- The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
- I will teach you to be rich by Ramit Sethi
- Playing with Fire by David J. Schlafer
- The $100 startup by Chris Guillebeau
- The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss
- The big short by Michael Lewis
- The Premonition by Michael Lewis
- Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware
- Tribe of Mentors by Timothy Ferriss
- Walden by Henry David Thoreau
- Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke, MD
- First to a Million by Dan Sheeks
- The Mindful Millionaire by Leisa Peterson
- Buy What You Love Without Going Broke by Jen Smith
- Never Worry About Money Again by Jesse Mecham
- Tipped by Barbara Sloan
- Fire the Haters by Jillian Johnsrud
- The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
- The Purpose Code by Jordan Grumet
- The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist
- Warren Buffett and the interpretation of financial statements by Mary Buffett
- How to retire happy, wild, and free by Ernie J. Zelinski
- Principles by Ray Dalio
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
- Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday
- 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin
- Build the Life You Want by Arthur C. Brooks
- Cashing in on the American Dream by Paul Terhorst
- David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell
- F.I.R.E. For Dummies by Jackie Cummings Koski
- Flash Boys by Michael Lewis
- Stress Free for Good by Frederic Luskin
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The One Week Budget by Tiffany The Budgetnista Aliche
- Your Journey to Financial Freedom by Jamila Souffrant
- A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
- A Healthy State of Panic by Farnoosh Torabi
- A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Gordon Malkiel
- Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Anything You Want by Derek Sivers
- Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
- Blue Chip Kids : what Every Child and Parent Should Know about Money, Investing, and the Stock Market by David W. Bianchi
- Can I Retire Yet? by Darrow Kirkpatrick
- Cut the clutter by Ewer Cynthia Townley
- Cut the clutter and stow the stuff by Lori Baird
- Dad by William Wharton
- Discipline Equals Freedom by Jocko Willink
- Doing Good Better by William MacAskill
- Enemies of Peace by M.K. Williams
- Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker
- Everyday Cheapskate by Mary Hunt
- Expectations Investing by Michael J. Mauboussin
- Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink, Leif Babin
- Falling Upward by Richard Rohr
- Free Stuff Everyday by Mike Essex
- Getting Things Done by David Allen
- Happy Money by Elizabeth Dunn, Michael Norton
- How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable by Jl Collins
- How to Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable by Ben Aldridge
- How to raise an adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
- How to win customers by Heinz M. Goldmann
- How to win customers and keep them for life by Michael LeBoeuf
- How? by Kevin Kelly
- Internal time by Till Roenneberg
- Irresistible by Adam Alter
- It Didn't Start with You by Mark Wolynn
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
- Learning from the Student's Perspective by Alison Cook-Sather, Brandon Clarke, Daniel Condon, Kathleen Cushman, Helen Demetriou, Lois Easton
- Lonely Planet Japanese Phrasebook by Yoshi Abe
- M Is for Money by Rob Phelan
- Mama Bear Apologetics® Guide to Sexuality by Hillary Morgan Ferrer
- Millionaire teacher by Andrew Hallam
- Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson
- Money for the Rest of Us: 10 Questions to Master Successful Investing by J. David Stein
- Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams
- Official Pocket Player's Guide to Star Trek by Tom Braunlich
- ONE SIMPLE IDEA by Stephen Key
- Open by Andre Agassi
- Parent Like a Millionaire (Without Being One) by Kristy Shen
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
- Quiet by Susan Cain
- Rapt by Winifred Gallagher
- Recursion by Blake Crouch
- Retire Before Mom & Dad by Rob Berger
- Retire secure! by James Lange
- RetroSuburbia by David Holmgren
- Richer, Wiser, Happier by William Green
- Risk Savvy by Gerd Gigerenzer
- So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport
- Stealing Fire by Steven Kotler
- Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
- Stop Stealing Dreams by Seth Godin
- Taking Stock by Jordan Grumet
- Teach and Retire Rich by Dan Otter
- TED Talks by Chris Anderson
- The 401(K) Millionaire by Knute Iwaszko
- The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom
- The art of frugal hedonism by Annie Raser-Rowland
- The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron
- The Big Fat Surprise by Nina Teicholz
- The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
- The Bogleheads' guide to retirement planning by Taylor Larimore
- The Book: A Cover-to-Cover Exploration of the Most Powerful Object of Our Time by Keith Houston
- The Bucket List Journal by Ben Nemtin
- The Chamber by John Grisham
- The Daily Stoic Journal by Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman
- The End of Jobs by Taylor Pearson
- The evolution of everything by Matt Ridley
- The Future Is Faster Than You Think by Peter H. Diamandis
- The Gift Of Failure by Jessica Lahey
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- The House Hacking Strategy by Craig Curelop
- The interpretation of financial statements by Benjamin Graham
- The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill in Sixteen Lessons (Illustrated) :: From the Author of Books like : Think and Grow Rich, Outwitting the Devil by Napoleon Hill, The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill (Illustrated)
- The life you can save by Peter Singer
- The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick, Michelle Charrier
- The Memo by John Hope Bryant
- The millionaire real estate investor by Gary Keller
- The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman, Michael E. Long
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
- The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story by Michael M. Lewis
- The One Thing You Need to Know by Marcus Buckingham
- The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
- The Second Mountain by David Brooks
- The Spider by Barry Levine
- The Stand by Stephen King
- The story of stuff by Annie Leonard
- The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
- The surrender experiment by Michael A. Singer
- The Ultimate Sales Machine by Chet Holmes
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
- The Warren Buffett Way by Robert G. Hagstrom
- The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
- Think Like a Rocket Scientist by Ozan Varol
- Trillions by Nicholas Fisk
- VJ by Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn
- What Color Is Your Parachute? for Retirement by John E. Nelson
- Widen the Window by Elizabeth Stanley
- Work Optional by Tanja Hester
- Your Money and Your Brain by Jason Zweig
- 10% Happier by Dan Harris
- 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari
- ART FEAR by TED ORLAND AND DAVID
- Attached by Amir Levine, M.D.
- Baby Bargains by Alan Fields
- Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
- Bleak by Benjamin Honeycutt
- Blue Crimes and International Criminal Law by Zoi Aliozi
- Bogle on mutual funds by John C. Bogle
- Bono: Stories of Surrender by Bono
- Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
- Building wealth one house at a time by John Schaub
- Built to Last by Collins, James C.
- Cashflow Quadrant by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Chicken Soup for the Soul 20th Anniversary Edition by Jack Canfield
- Choose Yourself! by James Altucher
- Danziger's Travels by Nick Danziger
- Dollars and Sense by Dan Ariely
- Dollars and Sense by Dan Ariely
- Drive by Daniel H. Pink
- Dying for a Paycheck by Jeffrey Pfeffer
- Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
- Enough by John C. Bogle
- Financial Freedom by Grant Sabatier
- Financial Peace Revisited by Dave Ramsey
- Financially stupid people are everywhere by Jason Kelly
- Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae
- Goals! How to Get Everything You Want--Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible by Brian Tracy
- Harry Potter by Unknown
- How to Make Money in Stocks by William J. O'Neil
- If You Made a Million by David M. Schwartz
- Invest in Your-SELF by Marc Eisenson, Gerri Detweiler, Nancy Castleman
- Invest in Yourself by Patricia McGowan
- Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman
- Lost Connections by Johann Hari
- Made Whole by Tiffany the Budgetnista Aliche
- Money Letters 2 My Daughter by Jackie Cummings Koski
- New New Thing, The by Michael Lewis
- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
- Peak Mind by Amishi Jha
- Practical ethics by Peter Singer
- Principles of Healing in Bali by Tim Ferris
- Side hustle by Chris Guillebeau
- Simplicity parenting by Kim John Payne
- Smart Couples Finish Rich, Revised and Updated by David Bach
- Social Security Made Simple by Mike Piper
- Stacked by Joe Saul-Sehy
- Steal like an artist by Austin Kleon
- Stocks for the Long Run by Jeremy J. Siegel
- Story of a Soul by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
- Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
- Summary: Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong about the World--And Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling by In a. Nutshell Publishing
- Superfans by Pat Flynn
- The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel
- The Automatic Millionaire, 20th Anniversary Edition by David Bach
- The Beach by Alex Garland
- The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova
- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- The Book Publishing Industry by Albert N. Greco, Jim Milliot, Robert M. Wharton
- The bread baker's apprentice by Reinhart, Peter.
- The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
- The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman
- The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni
- The First National Bank of Dad by David Owen
- The four tendencies by Gretchen Rubin
- The Gap by Josephine Patterson
- The Good Life by Robert Waldinger, Marc Schulz
- The happiness advantage by Shawn Achor
- The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
- The Happy Body by Jerzy Gregorek
- The House of God by Samuel Shem
- The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
- The Intelligent Asset Allocator: How to Build Your Portfolio to Maximize Returns and Minimize Risk by William J. Bernstein
- The intelligent investor by Benjamin Graham
- The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., Zoë François
- The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
- The Real Crash by Peter D. Schiff
- The Soul of Wealth by Daniel Crosby
- The Street Lawyer by John Grisham
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
- The Sweet Spot by Bill Yosses, Peter Kaminsky
- The Time Paradox by John Boyd
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Ez Reader
- To Sell Is Human by Daniel H. Pink
- Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl by The Motley Fool, LouAnn Lofton
- What You Don't Know about Retirement Planning Can Hurt You by Dan White
- When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
- Wild by Cheryl Strayed
- WILTON WEDDING CAKES by WILTON.
- Women with Money by Jean Chatzky
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
- Zig Ziglar's little instruction book by Zig Ziglar
Guests who recommended books
- Dominick Quartuccio (22)
- Frank Vasquez (15)
- Brian Feroldi (14)
- Alan Donegan (12)
- JL Collins (8)
- Vicki Robin (7)
- Grumpus Maximus (7)
- Allison Goddard (7)
- Chris Hutchins (6)
- Kyle Nolan (6)
- Travis Shakespeare (6)
- David Sawyer (6)
- Joanna Penn (6)
- Dr. Bobby Dubois (5)
- Rachel Camp (5)
- JT Alstead (5)
- Becky Heptig (5)
- Mary Kate Williams (5)
- David Hauser (5)
- Gretchen Rubin (5)
- Dan Sheeks (5)
- Cody Garrett (4)
- Ron Babcock (4)
- Kyle Homson (4)
- Chad Carson (4)
- Vincent Pugliese (4)
- Joe Saul-Sehy (4)
- Jamie Masters (4)
- David McKeegan (4)
- Ava Wetrick (4)
- Jesse Mecham (3)
- Paula Pant (3)
- Jackie Cummings Koski (3)
- Tim Ferriss (3)
- Ryan Brennan (3)
- Bill Powell (3)
- Jack Lewars (3)
- Nathan Barry (3)
- Ryan Carson (3)
- Mrs Adventure Rich (3)
Latest mentions
“This reminds me of something that James Clear talked about in Atomic Habits in terms of basically I'm the type of person that, and it's even just going to the gym for a minute or five minutes the first time you have your shoes and your clothes all laid out.”
“I know there's another book out there, thinking and bets, Annie Duke, you know, you can't judge your actions by the output, because you can't control what happens.”
“I think it was the author of Psychology of Money that talked about, you know, every now and then he'll just rent that really nice car that like he's, quote unquote, supposed to own because of his level of wealth.”
“Today we're talking about the book Happy Money by Ken Honda.”
“And ultimately, we come back to the question at the heart of Jesse's book, and maybe one worth asking about every dollar you have. What is this money for?”
“I read the millionaire next door when I was 14 and like enjoyed it, you know, like that's a little odd. I read the richest man in Babylon.”
“I read the richest man in Babylon. Uh, I remember rich dad, poor dad, and kind of being like, okay, like I can see which way you want to go with this.”
“Uh, I remember rich dad, poor dad, and kind of being like, okay, like I can see which way you want to go with this. I just remember taking to the topic.”
“And in that book, the author Bill Perkins talks about exactly this, gifts to your children. And it's like, do you wait to do this until you've passed and it goes through your state when maybe you're in your 90s and your kids are in their 70s.”
“As we mentioned, your book, tax planning, two and through early retirement, it's incredible. It's hard stop to end a story. I think it's pretty hard to make a book about tax planning really interesting and compelling and a must read.”
“Today I am talking with Liz from Liz Gets Loaded about the book "Say Goodbye to Things" by Fumio Sasaki.”
“We've all seen in the last couple of weeks the author of Outlive who a lot of us would have considered one of the pinnacle people in the longevity movement is essentially a total scumbag, right?”
“They have a new book called parent like a millionaire and I really dove deep into specifically what those in the FI community could take away from from their experience from my own experience and I love their book cuz it's it's kind of like a Trojan horse on getting people outside the FI community into the FI community under”
“And it was fascinating because I was listening to an old episode with JL Collins, the original episode he did on Choose a VI about the simple path to wealth.”
“hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life. Yeah, it's Jerzy Gregorek. Jerzy Gregorek. I just wanted to say Gregorek. All right, there it is. I think that's how you pronounce the last name, but [laughter] that's how it's spelled. Now now I'm questioning, but yeah, he wrote a book called The Happy Body.”
“We then started reading through the simple path to wealth together and it has been a special time for both of us.”
“JL Collins lesserknown book, How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable, is a great quick read that solidified for both of us that owning a house is a lifestyle choice more than an investment.”
“And the book that he mentioned, the happiness trap, is one that I actually went out and purchased. And one of the things that they present you with is this thought helpful?”
“My parents were reading a book on personal finance. It was I will teach you to be rich which is about practical money management.”
“one of the first books that I read after I will teach you to be rich was blue chip kids which I also think is was really important in getting me interested.”
Episodes
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