Elevate Letter #32: 19 incredible books to read in 2025

🎉 Celebrating Our December Month Stars! 🌟

We're excited to highlight some amazing members of our newsletter community!

Special shoutout to :

What made them special?

• They opened and read EVERY newsletter we sent

• They clicked through EVERY resource we shared

• They participated in EVERY poll

• They consistently shared their thoughts and insights

As a thank you, they're receiving our premium "30-Days Better Habits Course”. This is the Extended Version of our The Art of Habits Guide

Want to join our celebrated readers? It's simple:

• Open and read our newsletters

• Click through to explore our resources

• Join our polls and share your thoughts

Every interaction counts, and we love seeing you engage with our content. Stay tuned for more opportunities to be featured and receive special perks!

Keep reading, keep growing! 🌱

A short quote that contains a lot of wisdom 🧠

Remember this:​

If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done.

Is your comfort zone holding you back?

19 incredible books to read in 2025 - Video from Ali Abdaal 📚

One of my big goals for 2025 is to read 50 books.

And I’m here to gently nudge (okay, bully) you into reading more this year along with me.

For my reading list, I’m planning a mix of fiction and non-fiction across a bunch of topics. Because as much as I enjoy self-help books, variety makes reading feel more like a joy than a job.

That’s why I loved this video from Ali Abdaal.

His list has some solid non-fiction picks, plus a refreshing dose of fiction to keep things interesting.

If you're looking to load up your 2025 reading list, it's a great place to start.

My new favorite procrastination hack: The "To-Start" List ✅️

If you're like me, to-do lists can be a mixed bag.

At first, they seem so helpful—tidy, organized, and full of possibilities.

But then, reality sets in. Each task starts to feel like a huge mountain, and it’s hard to even know where to start.

So, I’ve started trying something new:
The "To-Start" List.

Here’s how it works:
Instead of writing down big, overwhelming tasks, just list the first step you need to take for each one.

That’s it. No big goals, no pressure—just the starting point.

For example:

• Instead of "Write the newsletter," try "Write the first sentence of the newsletter."

• Instead of "Finish the project," write "Open the project file."

It’s amazing how much easier it feels when your only job is to take the first step.

And here’s the best part: Once you start, momentum takes over. Suddenly, that task you were dreading doesn’t seem so bad, and you’re halfway done before you know it.

Your challenge this week:
Turn your to-do list into a to-start list. For every task, write down just one small, actionable step to get started. Try it out and see how much easier it feels to tackle your tasks!

How to master any skill quickly 📌

​Dan Koe on the fastest way to acquire a new skill:

How to master any skill fast:

• Stop studying

• Outline a project

• Start building it

• Hit a roadblock

• Research how to overcome it

• Repeat until completed

​Most people get trapped in tutorial hell and have nothing to show for years of “learning.”

I love this advice for a couple reasons:

1. You gain specific knowledge: Rather than the generic knowledge you get from tutorials, you learn exactly what you need for your specific goals. This targeted learning sticks better because it's immediately applicable and contextual.

2. You end up with something to show for it: Every project you finish is proof of what you can actually do. You’re not just “learning”—you’re creating. You build both your skills and your portfolio at the same time.

Stop watching tutorials about doing the thing—just start doing the thing.

P.S. : If you haven’t read our previous Elevate Letter editions here they are 😀 

»Elevate Letter #31: 7 Hacks to Crush Your To-Do List Every Day

»Elevate Letter #30: The 12 Foundations for Good Life

»Elevate Letter #29: 10 Soft Skills To Future-Proof Your Career

»Elevate Letter #28: The anti-procrastination hack that works 99% of the time (for me)