Books that changed how I see Creativity

Creativity has never felt like something I simply do. It has always been a lens I look through, one that colors how I see people, projects, and even the smallest moments in a day. Over the years, I have come to realize that creativity is not limited to art, film, or design. It is about how we notice things, how we connect ideas that do not seem to belong together, and how we create meaning from the ordinary rhythm of life.

For a long time, I believed creative growth came from constant output: producing more, doing more, achieving more. But as I began to travel, build new projects, and learn the value of slowing down, I discovered that the best ideas often appear in quiet moments of reflection. Books have always met me there, in those still places. They have kept me company on long flights, early mornings, and moments of uncertainty when I am unsure what comes next.

Some of the books on this list have challenged how I define success, like The Almanack of Naval Ravikant and Feel Good Productivity. Others have reminded me to savor the small details that make life beautiful, such as Slow Down and Pacific Coasting. A few have simply opened my heart and invited me to dream differently, like Love Does and Hero on a Mission. Together, they have shaped how I think, create, and move through the world.

This is not a definitive list of must-reads. It is a snapshot of what has shaped me so far, a living and evolving collection that grows as I do. Whether you are building a business, exploring a new hobby, or trying to reconnect with your sense of inspiration, I hope one of these books finds you at the exact moment you need it most.

Please allow your mind to wander freely. Here is my little collection I hold near and dear to my heart.

Non Fiction Books

Emily Post Etiquette

Atlas of the Heart - Brené Brown

Love Does - Bob Goff

Creative Doing - Rick Rubin

Pacific Coasting - Danielle Kroll

Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature

Feel Good Productivity - Ali Abdaal

Hero on a Mission - Donald Miller

Creative Doing - Herbert Lui

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness

It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work - Jason Fried

Daily Practice

A Calendar of Wisdom - Leo Tolstoy

Catching Whimsy - Bob Goff

The Daily Stoic - Ryan Holiday

Notes to Mindfullness - Intelligent Change + @ChelseaKauai

Cookbooks

Salt, Acid, Fat, Head - Samin Norsat

Fiction Books

Wings - Aprilynne Pike

Podcasts

I will teach you to be Rich - Remit Sethi

Recommendations Given to Me!

The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific (Not what it sounds like - apparently - It's about a man who leaves his corporate job and lives in a new country and finds a piece of himself he didn't know was missing)

Last updated January 5, 2025