When you hear “Integrity”, your first instinct is likely to think “Doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” If you then proceed to wipe your hands clean and think “okay, what’s next?”…hold on. While you’re not wrong, you’re a long way from right.

We all think we understand integrity. In fact, Integrity is one of my 5 Core Values (along with Purpose, Betterment, Responsibility, and Gratitude). Like many people, I felt I had a grasp on what Integrity was is—"Do what you say you're going to do." (sound familiar?)

As I looked deeper, I realized that definition didn’t hold up. What if you simply don’t commit to anything? Does that mean you’re living with integrity? Of course not.

Zig Ziglar once said, "Money isn't the most important thing in life, but it's reasonably close to oxygen on the 'gotta have it' scale." For many of my clients, material wellbeing—which includes financial security—is already figured out. This strong foundation enables them to explore deeper questions like, "What’s my purpose?"

But getting to that place of stability isn’t accidental—it requires intentional behaviors and mindsets. Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Money highlights the very reasons my clients have achieved this foundation, and why financial security is essential before they can focus on higher pursuits.

While Brooks’ previous book Strength to Strength focuses on how to find meaning in the later stages of life, in “Build the Life You Want” Brooks and Winfrey emphasize that happiness isn’t something we stumble upon—it’s something we create. They break happiness down into four key pillars:

1. Family and Friends: Relationships are essential. The authors discuss how prioritizing meaningful connections can enhance your overall well-being.

2. Work and Purpose: They talk about the importance of aligning work with your passion, but more importantly, how to approach your work with purpose, no matter the task.

3. Faith and Spirituality: You don’t have to be religious to experience spiritual growth. The book dives into how we can all find deeper meaning in our daily lives.

4. Health and Fitness: Physical and mental health are intertwined, and the book offers simple, actionable tips for nurturing both.

While Buy Back Your Time is written with entrepreneurs in mind, the strategies Martell shares are just as applicable to anyone seeking to reclaim control over one of the most precious resources we have: time. Martell emphasizes that time is not just a resource, but one that permeates every dimension of wellbeing—from our professional life to our mental, social, and even spiritual health.

The book guides readers through a practical framework to:

• Assess the value of their time and identify tasks that don’t serve their long-term goals.

• Systematically delegate or eliminate these tasks, creating space for high-leverage activities.

• Focus on their unique abilities, the areas where they have the greatest impact, and work that fuels them, rather than drains them.

For the entrepreneur overwhelmed by constant demands or the high achiever who feels pulled in a hundred different directions, Martell’s approach to “buying back” time offers a liberating shift in mindset. The process begins with evaluating what your time is worth and making informed decisions about what to keep and what to delegate—whether that's at work or in life more broadly.

Let's Get Real, or Let's Not Play is a must-read for anyone who needs to deeply connect with their clients, whether you're in sales, consulting, or coaching. Khalsa and Illig present a framework that helps professionals build trust, uncover real needs, and co-create solutions that truly work.

The book introduces several methodologies and mentalities that make this possible, such as “Move off the Solution”, which reminds us that if you want to truly have a “win-win” with potential clients, you have to know what they truly need to succeed. It’s ORDER Model methodology is a time-tested approach to securing new deals that are true wins for the client. And the Yellow Light/Red Light qualifying process makes it easy to learn when to slow down…or to walk away.

For over 75 years, people have been using “How to Win Friends and Influence People” as a guide to better their connections with the people around them. With powerful anecdotes and clearly outline principles found in sections like '“ Fundamental Techniques in Handling People” and “Six Ways to Make People Like You”, this book is a guide to help you better your relationships at home, at work, and in life.

Take-aways: Out of almost every factor measurable in the human experience, the #1 predictor of a human’s happiness and satisfaction in life is positive, meaningful connections with others. It keeps us healthy physically, helps us live longer, and brings a sense of fulfillment and happiness to our lives. With great anecdotal stories, and powerful scientific evidence from the world’s longest study on human happiness, the authors share why relationships matter, and how to develop them for yourself.

Take-aways: How we view and thus impact, the world is based heavily on where we are in our stage of life. As we go from a younger, more innovative mindset to a more experienced one, we find ourselves faced with the choice. To curse our new “limitations”, or embrace this inevitable change, and find satisfaction and significance through a new meaning of service.

Take-aways: PERMA (Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment) is the updated formula for creating a purposeful, meaningful, happy life. Positive Psychology is proving it.

Take-aways: Accountability is a mindset, one that is based on free-will. By believing that you “get to” do what life offers instead of “having to” deal with your circumstances, you take ownership of your choices, and ultimately, your results. This permeates everything we do, from our physical health, to our leadership abilities, and even our financial success.

Take-aways: Behind every story of success is a series of opportunities, and seemingly insignificant actions that lead to extraordinary results. While the level of effort necessary to reach prominent success is long and high, there may be more at play then just “the grind.” What does this mean for us mortals? Success isn’t genetic OR luck…. it exists at the crossroad of Preparation (within our control) and Opportunity (within our control to be open to it).

Take-aways: The old way of measuring growth in our country (GDP) isn’t working anymore (if it ever did). It fails to consider two important aspects of humanity: well-being and sustainability. This book takes a look at how the governments of other countries are using policy to put the well-being of their people at top priority, through the GNH (Gross National Happiness). The book provides sound evidence for the benefit of the “Happiness" Movement”, and resources so that anyone in the community, from the citizen to the policymaker, can begin the process of making “happiness and well-being the purpose of [your] government.”

Take-aways: If you want to receive (and you have to, it’s one of the 5 Laws of Stratospheric Success), you must start by putting others first. By focusing on what you have to offer the world, you’ll find that your value is directly tied to your ability to bring others value.