9 Books to Help You Balance and Re-Design Your Creative Life
Ever feel stuck in your creative life?
Your decisions have led you here and now you want to change.
When it comes to building the life you want, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
That’s because you’re coming at it from a unique place of curiosity, excitement, fear, desperation or any number of other emotions.
Maybe you have an idea of what you need to do, but no motivation.
Maybe you have belief in yourself, but need the first push.
Maybe you have some of the skills, but no direction.
Back in 2017, I burned out.
I knew I needed to make a radical change.
I had no idea where to begin.
It all felt important at the same time.
To get myself moving, I started learning.
My go-to resource—books.
Why?
I realized the only way I’d be able to find my way out of burnout and rebuild my life was to find mentors who knew how to do the things I didn’t.
I was too stuck to the habits that got me there.
And clearly, they weren’t working out so well for me.
Since I first burned out, I’ve read something like 75 books on self-development, burnout, mental health, and creative life. Some have been more useful than others.
These nine are some of the best I could recommend to any Creative trying to improve their life.
9 Books to Help You Balance and Re-Design Your Creative Life
Today, we’re going to look at 9 different books. Each is carefully curated to help you along any point of the creative life journey. Whether you need a little nudge or a fresh start.
I’ll admit, it’s a bit of a “choose-your-own-adventure.”
Depending on what you need right now, feel free to start somewhere in the middle.
If you want to start from scratch, I highly recommend the order presented for you here.
The book series will take you from big-picture thinking down to the tiniest of tactical details once you’re ready.
First — we need to shift our mindset and prepare for the journey ahead.
Then — we need to understand our relationship with the creative process and how to overcome the obstacles that prevent us from becoming someone new.
Finally — we need to acquire the time management and focus tools to help us build the future we want over time.
Stage 1 - Big Picture
1. “Designing Your Life” by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans - Life Design
2. “Start Finishing” by Charlie Gilkey - Goalsetting
3. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear - Habit Building
Stage 2 - Creative Resilience
4. “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield - Creative Process
5. “The 5 Second Rule” by Mel Robbins - Overthinking
6. “The Obstacle is the Way” by Ryan Holiday - Resilience
Stage 3 - Creative Balance
7. “Make Time” by Jake Knap and John Zeratsky - Time Management
8. “Deep Work” by Call Newport - Productive Focus
9. “Keep Going” by Austin Kleon - Creative Life
1 / Designing Your Life
Authors: Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Theme: Life Design
Why You Should Read This
To better understand the puzzle of your life. Then reassemble the pieces into whatever you want to build for yourself.
Key Topics from the Book
Use design thinking to approach life's challenges and decisions.
Surround yourself with positive influences and community.
Focus on the process rather than seeking a specific results.
Design your work to align with your values and strengths.
Continuously experiment, iterate, and make adjustments.
Shift from problem-focused to design-focused mindset.
Prioritize activities that bring joy and engagement.
Create a clear vision for your values and your life.
A Memorable Quote
“You can't know where you're going until you know where you are.”
— Bill Burnett
2 / Start Finishing
Author: Charlie Gilkey
Theme: Goalsetting
Why You Should Read This
To reimagine the big-picture goals you have with a long-term mindset. To help you realize your potential and get things done.
Key Topics from the Book
Projects are mirrors for our inner and outer worlds
Replace your goals with “projects”
Leave yourself a breadcrumb trail
Pick an idea that matters to you
We are made to slay dragons
Make space for your project
“Someday” can be today
Don’t look too far ahead
Get to your best work
A Memorable Quote
“Whatever your best work is, it’s something that only you can do. Only you have the set of experiences, expertise, skills, and perspectives to do it. In this great orchestra of creation which we’re all a part, no one can play your instrument the way you do.”
— Charlie Gilkey
3 / Atomic Habits
Author: James Clear
Theme: Habit Building
Why You Should Read This
To create positive consistency in your life. You are what you do every day. So make sure you're wiring your habits for success.
Key Topics from the Book
The key to building good habits is making them obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.
The 1% rule: Small improvements over time lead to significant results.
It's important to focus on the process rather than the outcome.
Habits are formed through repetition and consistency.
The importance of habit stacking to create new habits.
Small habits can have a big impact on our lives.
The role of environment in shaping our habits.
The power of habit tracking and measurement.
Slowly forward, never backward
Outcomes lag behind habits
A Memorable Quote
"In order to improve for good, you need to solve problems at the systems level. Fix the inputs and the outputs will fix themselves.”
— James Clear
4 / The War of Art
Author: Steven Pressfield
Theme: Creative Process
Why You Should Read This
To navigate the challenges of the creative process and find your calling as a creative pro.
Key Topics from the Book
Overcoming self-sabotage is key to unlocking creative potential.
Professionalism is essential for success in any creative endeavor.
The importance of showing up and doing the work consistently.
Resistance is the enemy of creativity and must be overcome.
The creative process requires discipline and persistence.
Fear and self-doubt are common obstacles for creatives.
The creative process requires dedication and sacrifice.
Procrastination is a form of resistance to fight.
The creative journey is a lifelong pursuit.
Ignore criticism and focus on the work.
A Memorable Quote
“Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.”
— Steven Pressfield
5 / The 5 Second Rule
Author: Mel Robbins
Theme: Overthinking
Why You Should Read This
To reduce your overthinking by building up your courage to take action.
Key Topics from the Book
Taking action within 5 seconds can help overcome hesitation and take control of your life.
The rule can help you become more present and mindful in your daily life.
The rule can help you take risks and step outside of your comfort zone.
Small moments of courage can lead to big changes in your life.
Courage can be the difference between action and inaction.
Reduce overthinking and create better habits.
Break bad habits and create positive ones.
Boost your confidence and overcome fear.
The 5 Second Rule is simple, not easy.
A Memorable Quote
“The 5 Second Rule: The moment you have an instinct to act on a goal you must 5-4-3-2-1 and physically move or your brain will stop you.”
— Mel Robbins
6 / The Obstacle is the Way
Author: Ryan Holiday
Theme: Resilience
Why You Should Read This
To change your mindset about obstacles. The problems we face in our lives are the paths to personal growth. The attempts and failures to overcome them will shape who we become.
Key Topics from the Book
Obstacles are the catalyst for personal growth
Develop mental fortitude and emotional resilience
Take deliberate action to overcome obstacles
Embrace the discomfort of uncertainty
Let go of what you don’t control
Find the hidden opportunity
Learn from failure and adapt
Cultivate perseverance
A Memorable Quote
“It’s okay to be discouraged. It’s not okay to quit. To know you want to quit but to plant your feet and keep inching closer until you take the impenetrable fortress you’ve decided to lay siege to in your own life—that’s persistence.”
— Ryan Holiday
7 / Make Time
Authors: Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky
Theme: Time Management
Why You Should Read This
To find better balance and joy with your time as a creative pro.
Key Topics from the Book
Set boundaries and establish a cutoff time for work to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Take breaks and incorporate movement throughout the day to improve focus and creativity.
Embrace boredom and allow yourself time for unstructured thinking and creativity.
Use technology intentionally to enhance productivity, not to consume your time.
Design your day to make time for the things that bring you joy and fulfillment.
Build a daily highlight, a meaningful activity that energizes and motivates you.
Avoid the trap of constant busyness and learn to say no to nonessential tasks.
Optimize your energy levels by understanding your peak performance times.
Cultivate a habit of reflection to evaluate how you're spending your time.
A Memorable Quote
“Every distraction imposes a cost on the depth of your focus. When your brain changes contexts—say, going from painting a picture to answering a text and then back to painting again—there’s a switching cost. Your brain has to load a different set of rules and information into working memory. This “boot up” costs at least a few minutes, and for complex tasks, it can take even longer. The two of us have found it can take a couple of hours of uninterrupted writing before we’re doing our best work; sometimes it even requires several consecutive days before we’re in the zone.”
— Jake Knapp
8 / Deep Work
Author: Cal Newport
Theme: Productive Focus
Why You Should Read This
To navigate way through a distraction heavy world. Do the work you were meant to do. Seek focused effort and eliminate shallow tasks.
Key Topics from the Book
Deep work is a mindset and a deliberate choice to prioritize meaningful work over shallow tasks.
Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.
Shallow work refers to non-demanding, logistical-style tasks that can be performed while distracted.
Deep work allows for the development of expertise and the production of valuable, rare skills.
Distractions and shallow work prevent us from reaching our potential and best work
We have a limited amount of brainpower each day that must be replenished
Thoughtful sculpting of our schedules can allow us to perform deep work under our own terms
Multitasking and constant switching between tasks hinder deep work.
Deep Work is valuable, rare, and meaningful
A Memorable Quote
“Your goal is not to stick to a given schedule at all costs; it’s instead to maintain, at all times, a thoughtful say in what you’re doing with your time going forward—even if these decisions are reworked again and again as the day unfolds.”
— Cal Newport
9 / Keep Going
Author: Austin Kleon
Theme: Creative Life
Why You Should Read This
To find balance and inspiration in your everyday creative life. How to use your time a way that fits with the creative life you want to live it.
Key Topics from the Book
Embrace the imperfect, messy process
Find inspiration in the mundane and boring
Stay consistent with your creative practice
Cultivate curiosity and a sense of wonder
Prioritize self-care and mental well-being
Find joy in small, daily accomplishments
Seek out new experiences and take risks
Take breaks to disconnect and recharge
Art is for life (not the other way around)
A Memorable Quote
“Whenever life gets overwhelming, think about your days. Try your best to fill them in ways that get you a little closer to where you want to be. Go easy on yourself and take your time. Worry less about getting things done. Worry more about things worth doing. Worry less about being a great artist. Worry more about being a good human being who makes art. Worry less about making a mark. Worry more about leaving things better than you found them.”
— Austin Kleon
Final Thoughts
If you’ve read some of these books before, I’d recommend re-reading them under the context of your life as it is right now.
There’s no need to rush the experience more than you have to.
Don’t read all 9 books in a weekend, or even a few weeks.
Space them out over a year.
→ Read one.
→ Write down how it can help you.
→ If there are exercises, do them as you go.
→ Put them into action.
→ Watch yourself transform into a different kind of human.
Are there any books you’d recommend adding to this list?
What books have inspired your own journey?
TL; DR
To change your life, you need new ways of thinking.
Books give you quick access to mentors who can guide you.
9 books to help you balance creative life:
“Designing Your Life” by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
“Start Finishing” by Charlie Gilkey
“Atomic Habits” by James Clear
“The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield
“The 5 Second Rule” by Mel Robbins
“The Obstacle is the Way” by Ryan Holiday
“Make Time” by Jake Knap and John Zeratsky
“Deep Work” by Call Newport
“Keep Going” by Austin Kleon
That's all for now.
Stay creative, my friends—and have a great week!
