My Three Favorite Mindset Books for Veterans

Get your head on straight, whether it's been six months or six years (or more) since you got out.

Anyone who knows me knows I read. A LOT. I usually have 2-4 books going at a time, all nonfiction. I once even had a breakdown related to the number of self-help books in my Kindle library.

But there are

But there are some books that stand out to me as being more helpful for veterans who are interested in personal development. Here are my top three (at least for now).

Becoming a Changemaker by Alex Budak

I LOVED diving into the transformative world of "Becoming a Changemaker" by Alex Budak—an invigorating, well-researched manual that lights the path to cultivating the mindsets and leadership skills essential for steering, influencing, and spearheading change. This book has become my compass for making a positive impact on my personal life, career, and the communities I serve (look for its proverbial fingerprints on future projects).

With a rich variety of case studies and fresh insights derived from Budak's original research on the shared traits of successful changemakers, this guide is tailor-made for veterans of diverse backgrounds, ages, levels, and industries, offering actionable steps to break free from inertia and initiate change from any starting point.

Created from Budak's immensely popular class at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business—hailed by changemakers like Olympic athlete Alicia Wilson as 'life-changing'—this book unveils accessible concepts and tools like Microleadership and the Changemaker Canvas. It demonstrates how we as veterans can assume a leadership role regardless of our current position. Core principles such as 'Confidence without Attitude,' 'Question the Status Quo,' and 'Beyond Yourself' serve as a robust framework, empowering vets to tap into their unique changemaker potential.

Favorite quote:?"(MINDSET + LEADERSHIP) x (ACTION) = IMPACT" (I actually have this formula on the home screen of my iPad!)

Who it's for:?Anyone who has an idea for something bigger than themselves.

Buy it on Amazon

Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader

Look, there are literally MILLIONS of leadership books out there, and most of them say pretty much the same thing. But this book, written by leadership expert Herminia Ibarra, actually does something new: it gives clear strategy AND tactics on how mid-career professionals can move up the leadership ladder.

In "Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader," Ibarra unveils a transformative path for managers and executives across all echelons with her signature vulnerability and insight. The secret lies in making subtle yet pivotal changes in your job, networks, and self.?This isn't about thinking first and then acting; it's about acting to learn and cultivate what Ibarra terms "outsight"—the priceless external perspective gleaned from hands-on experiences and bold experimentation.

Ibarra guides you to redefine your role, infusing it with strategic contributions. She encourages you to diversify your network, expanding connections to diverse stakeholders. Perhaps most liberatingly, she invites you to play with your self-concept, allowing your familiar but possibly outdated leadership style to metamorphose.

The book includes various self-assessments and pragmatic counsel, inviting you to confront your most pressing leadership challenges. Through actionable insights, the book empowers you to craft a plan that empowers you towards becoming a more adept leader, turbo-boosting your career. It's a call to embrace experiential learning (something vets tend to inherently be good at) and to lead not just by thinking, but by doing. In the realm of leadership, it's time to learn as you lead.

Who it's for:?Veteran leaders ready to take on their next big challenge in the workplace.

Favorite quote:?"The paradox of change is that the only way to alter the way we think is by doing the very things our habitual thinking keeps us from doing."

Buy here:?Amazon

Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age by Bruce Felier

This book is a groundbreaking exploration of life's profound transitions, illuminated with meaning, purpose, and skill. And it just so happens to have shown up at a time when I was going through a significant identity transition (leaving my job).

Bruce Feiler, the visionary mind behind New York Times bestsellers like "The Secrets of Happy Families" and "Council of Dads," delves into the narratives that infuse our lives with significance. Driven by a personal crucible, he crisscrossed the nation, capturing hundreds of life stories from individuals in all fifty states (many of them veterans). These stories span the spectrum of major life changes—losses and gains, career shifts, relationship metamorphoses, and journeys toward health and renewal. He meticulously coded these tales in the aftermath, unraveling patterns and insights crucial for navigating the turbulent seas of change.

What emerged from Feiler's odyssey is a revelation—a world where transitions are abundant, demanding that we cultivate the skills to navigate them deftly. The antiquated notion of one job, one relationship, one fount of happiness has crumbled. In the wake of this upheaval, fear pulses through us—we are scared that our lives have deviated from the expected script, unfolding out of sequence. Yet, the solace lies in the realization that we are not alone.

"Life Is in the Transitions" unfolds a luminous vision of the nonlinear life, where each of us confronts a multitude of disruptors. Astonishingly, we all spend half our lives in this state of flux. Perhaps you, or a veteran you know, is navigating this terrain right now.

Feiler's most riveting discovery is a robust toolkit tailor-made for navigating these pivotal times. Drawing from his reservoir of insights, he unveils specific strategies, empowering each of us to reimagine and reconstruct our lives, often emerging stronger than before.

In "Life Is in the Transitions," an expert storyteller delivers an indispensable message, inviting readers of any age to ponder deeply upon times of change. It invites us to transform these moments into crucibles of creativity and growth—a testament to the resilience inherent in the human spirit.

Who it's for:?Veterans struggling with ANY transition: Job, family, medical, etc.

Favorite quote:?"Transitions are not going away; the key to benefiting from them is to not turn away. Don't shield your eyes when the scary parts start; that's when the heroes are made. Primed to expect that our lives will follow a predictable path, we're thrown when they don't. We have linear expectations but nonlinear realities."

Buy it on Amazon.?

What's on your mindset reading list?

If you've read a book that would be helpful for veterans (even if it's not explicitly marketed to vets), let me know in the comments! I'm always looking for my next great read.

This post was originally published on my Substack: https://jillhintonwolfe.substack.com/