Readers are Leaders: 2026 Reading Report

Welcome to my Annual Reading Report: 2026.

Reading is a fundamental foundation of who I am and what I do—in life and in business. It keeps me sharp, fresh, and grounded.

That’s why, every January, I do two things: share the books that shaped my year and outline what I plan to read in the months ahead. Why? Because leaders are readers. If we want to grow, influence others, and make a real difference, we can’t afford to stop learning.

My goal for 2026? Read at least 24 books.

But here’s something I’ve learned: sometimes the best book to read isn’t a new one. It’s the one you’ve already read but haven’t fully lived out yet. There are nuggets in books I’ve already discovered that I’ve never fully integrated into my life and business. That’s why strategic re-reading is part of my plan this year.

Some books I will re-read entirely. Others, I’ll review the highlighted sections to glean new perspectives on old nuggets.

Below, you’ll find my complete 2026 reading list, plus my categorized favorites from years past.

• A Million Little Miracles. Mark Batterson

  • Batterson is quickly becoming my favorite author.

• High Road Leadership. John Maxwell.

  • What’s a list without a John Maxwell book?

• Wooden on Leadership. John Wooden.

  • Nuggets on every page.

• The Energy Bus. Jon Gordon

• Finding the Word You’re Wired to Do. Ken Coleman.

• The Go-Giver Influencer. Bob Burg/John David Mann.

  • A great, easy-to-read addition to the Go-Giver series.

• Re-reads.

  • As a Man Thinketh. James Allen.

  • Don’t Limit God. Andrew Wommack.

  • Acres of Diamonds. Russell H. Conwell.

Some of the books that are on my list for this year.

• Gradually Then Suddenly. Mark Batterson.

• Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Solution. Uri Levine.

• You². Price Pritchett.

• How Will You Measure Your Life? Clayton Christensen.

• Essentialism. Greg McKeown.

• The Encore Effect. Mark Sanborn.

• The Self-Aware Leader. Maxwell.

• How Successful People Think. Maxwell.

• The Influential Leader. Chip Bailey, Derick Kopp, Dr. Joshua Schumm. I am a co-author, but I’ll be reading it cover to cover this year.

• Beyond the Noise. Chip Bailey. Feedback has been good. Sometimes, when you write a book, you don’t always get the full perspective, so I want to read it!

• Re-reads.

  • The Dream Giver.

  • As a Man Thinketh.

  • Think and Grow Rich.

  • The Greatest Salesman in the World.

From time to time, I’ll rework this list — and add to it. A few years ago, this list started as a Top 10. But it’s impossible to leave off some of these books from a Classics list. They are filled with rich nuggets, timeless truths, and gems of wisdom.

1. Intentional Living. John Maxwell.

2. Think Ahead. Craig Groeschel.

3. Jesus The High Road Leader. John Maxwell & Chris Hodges.

4. Wooden on Leadership. John Wooden.

5. Own Your Past, Change Your Future. John Delony.

6. An Enemy Called Average. John Mason.

7. Never Split the Difference. Chris Voss.

8. The Road Less Stupid. Keith Cunningham.

9. Atomic Habits. James Clear.

10. High Road Leadership. John Maxwell.

11. The Dream Giver. Bruce Wilkinson.

12. The Go-Giver. Bob Burg and John David Mann.

13. Wild at Heart. John Eldredge.

14. Think and Grow Rich. Napoleon Hill.

15. The Greatest Salesman in the World. Og Mandino.

16. In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Mark Batterson.

17. The One Thing. Gary Keller.

18. Chase the Lion. Mark Batterson.

19. Rhinoceros Success. Scott Alexander.

20. Three Feet from Gold. Greg Reid.

21. Who Moved My Cheese? Dr. Spencer Johnson.

22. Thinking for a Change. John Maxwell.

23. The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis.

24. The Tale of Three Kinds. Gene Edwards.

25. Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. John Mark Comer.

• A Million Little Miracles. Mark Batterson.

• Think Ahead. Craig Groeschel.

• Jesus The High Road Leader. John Maxwell & Chris Hodges.

• The Dream Giver. Bruce Wilkinson.

• You Were Born for This. Bruce Wilkinson.

• Chase the Lion. Mark Batterson.

• The Prayer of Jabez. Bruce Wilkinson.

• The Greatest Salesman in the World. Og Mandino.

• Born to Win. Zig Ziglar.

• In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. Mark Batterson.

• Crazy Love. Francis Chan.

• The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis.

• The Go-Giver. Bob Burg and John David Mann.

• Wild at Heart. John Eldredge.

• The Tale of Three Kings. Gene Edwards.

• Think and Grow Rich. Napoleon Hill.

• Atomic Habits. James Clear.

• Never Split the Difference. Chris. Voss.

• Raving Fans. Ken Blanchard.

• The Greatest Salesman in the World. Og Mandino.

• Rhinoceros Success. Scott Alexander.

• Developing the Leader within You. John Maxwell.

• The Coaching Habit. Michael Bungay Stanier

• StoryBrand. Donald Miller.

• The Influential Leader. Chip Bailey • Derick Kopp • Dr. Joshua Schumm.

• Best of 2025:Wooden on Leadership(John Wooden).

• Best of 2024:Think Ahead(Craig Groeschel).

• Best of 2023: Never Split the Difference. (Chris Voss).

• Best of 2022: The Road Less Stupid(Keith Cunningham).

• Best of 2021: Intentional Living (John Maxwell),hands down.

• Best of 2020: The Coaching Habit(Michael Bungay Stanier).

• Best of 2019: The One Thing(Gary Keller).

• Best of 2018: Born to Win. Zig Ziglar.

• Best of 2017:The Greatest Salesman in the World. Og Mandino.