Recommendations you can check.
Performance coach and author of Do Hard Things; writes the Steve Magness newsletter.
11 things
The Explorer's GeneBook Alex Hutchinson
What Hutchinson argues is that our lives are more productive, more meaningful, and more fun when we sometimes ditch the maps and find our own way. It’s a kind of love letter for trying new things and sometimes getting a bit lost.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
Wisdom Takes WorkBook Ryan Holiday
I also loved his treatise on Lincoln. Well worth a read, especially in our current climate where social media is rotting our brains.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
Why Greatness Cannot Be PlannedBook Kenneth Stanley and Joel Lehman
I’m biased, but in a world that often tells us to set SMART or big hairy audacious goals, this one resonated deeply.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
As if Running on Air: The Diaries of Jack LovelockBook Jack Lovelock
It’s a running nerds dream. A glimpse into how he trained to become Olympic champion, but even more so how he looked at racing. I just loved the parts where we see him struggling with anxiety and pressure, or figuring out how to peak at the right time.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
EndureBook Alex Hutchinson
In Endure , Hutchinson took the science of fatigue in a book that has now become a classic.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
The Art of Spending MoneyBook Morgan Housel
The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel Housel does what he does best: takes a topic we think we understand and reveals how little we actually grasp.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
American KingsBook Seth Wickersham
From managing the unreal expectations of Arch Manning to what in the world you do once the lights are off, it’s a fascinating glimpse into the psychology of a position that demands both supreme confidence, but the humility to do the work.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
Personal Memoirs of U.S. GrantBook Ulysses S. Grant
In Grant’s own words, he traces his journey from a struggling leather shop clerk to commanding general to president. We get to see what made Grant special, a kind of quiet resilience.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
Conquerors of TimeBook Lynn McConnell
What makes the book special is how McConnell excavates Lovelock’s mind.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
A Story Is a DealBook Will Storr
A Story is a Deal by Will Storr The book reveals what really drives human behavior: our relentless pursuit of connection and status.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
Win the Inside GameBook Steve Magness
It’s the book I wish I had as a teenager achieving success in running or when I started my writing career. If you haven’t read it yet, consider doing so.
The Best Books of 2025: ten books that made him think deeply
2025-12-13·stevemagness.org ↗
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