Reading isn’t just a pastime—it’s a tool for broadening perspective, sharpening thinking, and deepening understanding. But without intention, it’s easy to fall into the trap of reading the same types of books over and over, reinforcing what we already know rather than expanding into new territory.
A reading prescription is a structured yet flexible way to ensure your reading habits support growth in key areas of life—intellectually, professionally, and personally. It’s not about hitting a book count or forcing yourself through dense material. It’s about choosing books that challenge, inform, and enhance the way you live.
This framework isn’t meant to replace spontaneous reading but to ensure that some part (say 25-40%) of your annual reading is deliberately curated for long-term growth. Here is a sample reading prescription, arbitrarily dredged from my own preference and intention. Each category has an example book to get your thinking started. Feel free to modify and substitute. The idea is to come up with your own, curated list.
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1. Fiction: The Indispensable Teacher of Human Nature
When patients ask me how to train for long-term mental resilience, I usually point them toward sensible endurance strategies, strength training, nutrition frameworks or sleep optimization. But what about training for emotional intelligence? For developing empathy? For understanding human nature in a way that isn’t theoretical but lived?
Fiction is the answer.
📚 The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese – A beautifully told, multigenerational novel set in South India, weaving together themes of medicine, love, loss, and identity. It’s the kind of book that immerses you so deeply in another world that you walk away seeing your own life differently.
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2. Biography: Learning from the Greats
History repeats itself, but human nature is even more predictable. Learning from the lives of those who came before us offers a kind of shortcut—allowing us to see patterns, absorb lessons, and sidestep mistakes without having to live them firsthand.
📚 Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow – An extraordinary story of ambition, genius, and relentless work ethic. Hamilton’s life is a case study in building something from nothing, thinking strategically, and navigating setbacks without losing momentum.
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3. Memoir: Personal Lessons from Lives Lived
While biographies provide a zoomed-out look at historical figures, memoirs offer a personal, inside-out perspective on success, struggle, and reinvention. They show how people navigate life’s inflection points—sometimes planned, sometimes forced—and what we can take from their experiences.
📚 Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey – Part life philosophy, part storytelling, this book reads like a fireside chat—offering insight, humor, and hard-earned wisdom on risk-taking, mindset, and finding meaning in unexpected places.
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4. Mental Training: Mastering the Inner Game
It doesn’t matter whether you’re training for an ultramarathon, leading a team, or just trying to stick to a better routine—mental interference is often the biggest obstacle to success. Learning how to control focus, quiet doubt, and get out of your own way is an essential skill in any field.
📚 The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey – A book about tennis that’s not really about tennis. This is a must-read for anyone interested in performance psychology, teaching you how to unlock flow state, eliminate self-doubt, and perform at your best under pressure.
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5. Personal Finance: Mastering Money Management
Most people don’t have a money problem—they have a decision-making problem when it comes to money. Financial independence isn’t about getting rich; it’s about removing financial stress so you can focus on what truly matters.
📚 How to Think About Money by Jonathan Clements – A no-nonsense approach to building financial security, focused not just on earning but on spending, investing, and aligning money with happiness.
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6. Investing: Growing Your Wealth
Once money is managed well, the next step is learning how to make it work for you. Whether through real estate, index funds, or alternative investments, long-term wealth comes from strategic thinking, not luck.
📚 The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore, Mel Lindauer, and Michael LeBoeuf – A simple but powerful blueprint for building wealth through disciplined investing, based on the principles of Vanguard founder John Bogle.
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7. Relationships: The Science of Connection
We tend to think of relationships in personal terms—friendships, marriage, or family—but human connection is also a public health issue. Research has shown that loneliness is a major risk factor for disease and death, on par with smoking or obesity. Strong relationships don’t just improve quality of life—they extend it.
📚 Mating in Captivity by Esther Perel – A thought-provoking look at modern relationships, desire, and intimacy. This book reframes the tension between love and passion, offering insights that apply far beyond romantic relationships.
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8. Parenting: Nurturing Resilience & Growth
Even if you’re not a parent, understanding childhood development helps you better understand people in general—how personalities form, why people struggle in certain environments, and how to foster resilience.
📚 The Orchid and the Dandelion by W. Thomas Boyce – A fascinating look at why some people (orchids) need the right environment to thrive, while others (dandelions) are naturally resilient in any condition. This framework applies not just to parenting but to coaching, leadership, and team dynamics.
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9. Creativity & The Arts: Expanding Your Perspective
Creativity isn’t just for artists—it’s about seeing patterns, making connections, and thinking differently. Books in this category help unlock creativity in any field, whether business, medicine, or athletics.
📚 The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin – A deeply thoughtful book on the creative process, filled with insights applicable to any kind of work or personal growth.
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10. Intellectual Playground: Exploring New Frontiers
This is the category where you get to follow curiosity and explore fields you wouldn’t normally study. It could be longevity science, quantum physics, history, or philosophy—whatever challenges your thinking and expands your perspective.
📖 Longevity Science – Outlive by Peter Attia – A practical and evidence-based guide to optimizing healthspan, not just lifespan.
📖 Neuroscience – The Brain That Changes Itself by Norman Doidge – A fascinating look at neuroplasticity and how the brain rewires itself.
📖 Quantum Theory – Something Deeply Hidden by Sean Carroll – An engaging introduction to quantum mechanics and the many-worlds interpretation.
📖 History – Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari – A broad and compelling narrative of human evolution and civilization.
📖 Philosophy – The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday – A modern take on Stoicism, teaching how to turn obstacles into opportunities.
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Final Thoughts: A Smarter Approach to Reading
The best thinkers don’t just read widely—they read with purpose. What’s in your reading prescription this year?
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