The gift of success

Career boosting books to give (or to keep)

M OST of us spend an average of 2,080 hours at work each year, our noses pressed firmly to the proverbial grindstone. And that doesn’t count the occasional all-nighter we have to pull when a deadline is about to be missed, or the constant texts, e-mails and message alerts.

For the lucky ones, it’s in the name of doing something they love, saving the world, or making a mint. But that’s not the case for most people. So how do we make our jobs less frustrating, more enjoyable and free of the stumbling blocks that can suck the joy out of the other 6,680 hours each year that are supposed to belong to us?

These six books that could prove insightful.

For the workaholic

“It Doesn’t Have To Be Crazy at Work” Jason Fried, David Heinemeier Hansson (HarperBusiness ) $27.99

This is for the guy or gal who can’t pull themselves away from work, even when they’re supposed to be watching their kid play ball, enjoying a movie with a friend or getting a good’s night sleep. The authors challenge those who can’t resist checking their phones every time they buzz to stick with the task at hand instead. Forget FOMO (fear of missing out) and embrace JOMO (joy of missing out).

At the very least, this book will make workaholics consider whether the old grind is wearing them down without returning rewards that are worth the sacrifice.

For the virtual worker

“Can You Hear Me? How To Connect With People in a Virtual World” Nick Morgan (Harvard Business Review Press) $30

Imagine going to your company’s holiday party online, drinking virtual cocktails and making small talk with your coworkers via e-mail. It’s not quite the same as the real-world bash at Porter House Bar and Grill, right?

“Can You Hear Me?” is like a Fodor’s Guide for the digital workplace. It’s chock-full of tips such as standing up in your home office during conference calls and pacing as you talk when you’re trying try to make a point, telling stories instead of just facts when you want the recipient to “hear” your emotion, and writing e-mail subject lines so that the e-mails are read rather than ignored or deleted.

For the aspiring entrepreneur

“Crushing It! How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Businesses and Influence — And How You Can, Too” Gary Vaynerchuk (HarperCollins) $29.99

This one’s for your pal whose life seems to be a drag until they start talking about their side gig. It doesn’t matter if their passion is teaching Zumba or buying products on Craigslist and selling them on eBay — “Crushing It!” offers encouragement and marketing advice to turn a hobby into something that pays the bills, and then some.

Vaynerchuk, who grew his family’s wine business from $3 million to $60 million via e-commerce and social-media tools, provides accessible guidance, including the knowledge that the brass ring of “grown-up-hood,” as Vaynerchuk calls it, is building a profitable business around something you love.

For anyone whose co-workers make them crazy

“Business Chemistry: Practical Magic for Crafting Powerful Work Relationships” Kim Christfort and Suzanne Vickberg (Wiley) $28

Personality typing has been around forever, and there’s a science to figuring out what makes people click or clash. Deloitte researchers Kim Christfort and Suzanne Vickberg categorize four kinds of workers. Pioneers thrive on coming up with great ideas but are less passionate about bringing them to life. Guardians value order in the workplace and are often averse to trying new things. Drivers care about getting things done regardless of what gets in the way, and Integrators want to make sure that everyone feels good and gets along. So what happens when a driver tells a pioneer to stop dreaming and start doing while an integrator and guardian are in the same meeting? “Business Chemistry” helps workers succeed in situations just like that.

For anyone who needs a lesson plan for success

“Truthful Living ; The First Writings of Napoleon Hill” Napoleon Hill and Jeffrey Gitomer (Amazon Publishing) $19.95

Over the past century, more than 100 million people have read self-help author Hill’s recipes for being “happy, healthy and wealthy.” In “Truthful Living,” best-selling author Gitomer takes Hill’s previously unpublished lecture notes from classes he taught at the George Washington Institute in Chicago during the early 1900s and makes them relevant to the modern worker. The book is composed of 23 annotated lessons followed by realworld, step-by-step instructions for transforming your success, income and life.

For anyone who wants to start over or do good

“Thirst: A Story of Redemption, Compassion and a Mission To Bring Clean Water to the World” Scott Harrison with contributions by Lisa Sweetingham (Currency) $27

“Thirst” chronicles Harrison’s journey from a sex-drugsand-alcohol-addicted nightclub promoter to his founding of the nonprofit Charity: Water, with projects that have brought clean water to 8,497,062 people in 26 countries.

Harrison’s memoir holds nothing back. There’s guilt, selfloathing and spiritual bankruptcy. But there’s also the story of what can happen if you forget yourself, lasso your misplaced energies and throw them in a new direction that aims to do good. Plus, for anyone who is interested in charity work, there’s plenty of practical guidance as well.