If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re a purpose-driven leader in a season of building something meaningful. Maybe it’s a business, a platform, a personal brand. Maybe you’re leading a team, writing a book, raising a family—or all of the above. And if you’re anything like me, you’re not just chasing success. You’re chasing significance.
I’ve come to learn that purpose-driven leaders don’t need to have all the answers. But they do ask better questions. They are grounded in what matters. Learning how to lead without losing themselves in the process.
Books have been a major part of that journey for me. Not just as resources, but as roadmaps—some gentle, some jarring, but all necessary. Some helped me find language for things I was feeling but couldn’t explain. Others offered practical tools that I now use almost daily. A few I haven’t even finished yet, but they’re already shifting how I see the road ahead.
So this list? It’s not a ranking. It’s more like a bookshelf of companions. I’ve read many of these with a highlighter in hand and a question on my heart. I hope you’ll do the same.
Let’s dig in.
The Bible
Why Read It: Because if we’re going to talk about being a purpose-driven leader, we need to talk about alignment.
I know recommending the Bible might seem obvious or even cliché, but hear me out. This isn’t about religion—it’s about priority. Romans 8 reminds me that our calling is according to His purpose. That phrase right there? It keeps me anchored when the world tells me to build faster, louder, or for applause.
Matthew 6:33 makes it clear: “Seek first the kingdom…” That’s the filter. That’s the alignment check. Before I launch anything, before I say yes to a project, before I define success, I come back to that. First things first.
This isn’t just the first book on the list. It’s the one that makes sense of all the others.
There are tons of options to choose from, but I have been enjoying a chronological bible, so I can read events and passages in historical sequence.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Why Read It: Because big results come from small decisions you make every day as a purpose-driven leader.
I revisit this book often. One principle that changed the game for me is habit stacking—linking a new habit to something I already do. And the “1 in 60” rule? That reminder that a one-degree shift in direction today will take you somewhere completely different a year from now? That’s become part of how I audit my life and leadership.
This is the book I recommend when someone tells me they feel stuck. Because often, it’s not that we don’t know what to do—it’s that we haven’t made the doing automatic. Clear helps you do that.
10X Is Easier Than 2X by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy
Why Read It: Because sometimes what feels like a big leap is actually the simpler move for a purpose-driven leader.
I’m gonna be honest—I haven’t finished this one yet. But what I’ve read so far has me rethinking everything. The idea that 10x growth requires less effort than 2x because it forces you to eliminate everything that’s not essential? Whew. That’s not just a mindset shift—it’s a blueprint for freedom.
It’s helping me dream in a different dimension. Not “How can I do more?” but “What’s the boldest, clearest, most me way to multiply my impact?” And that’s a question every leader should wrestle with.
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
Why Read It: Because leadership without vulnerability becomes performance.
This one met me at a time when I was dealing with what Brené calls “stealth expectations”—those unspoken assumptions that quietly run the show. Her breakdown of the Stockdale Paradox hit me hard: the idea that you have to balance unwavering faith with brutal honesty about where you are.
She helped me realize that hustling for acceptance doesn’t just hurt you—it can keep your team, your audience, even your relationships from getting the real you. And when that happens, nobody wins.
The Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
Why Read It: Because clarity creates momentum, and simplicity scales.
I love this book. I revisit the section where Bob Iger is being considered for CEO at Disney, and a political consultant friend challenges him to boil down his vision into three core priorities. That one moment reshaped how he approached leadership—and the impact Disney went on to have.
There’s something powerful about knowing exactly what matters most. Iger’s story reminds me that leadership isn’t about being everything to everyone. It’s about knowing what only you can do—and doing it with excellence.
Choose by Ryan Levesque
Why Read It: Because building without market research is just guessing.
Levesque is an OG in the digital marketing space, and what I love about this book is how practical it is. He breaks down how to choose your niche, test your idea, and find the right audience before you launch anything as a purpose-driven leader.
If you’re thinking about creating a course, product, or content series—or even just pivoting your brand—this book will help you validate it with data, not just vibes. I wish I had read this earlier in my career.
Influencer by Brittany Hennessy
Why Read It: Because your influence needs infrastructure.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Brittany on my ConvoRoom podcast (and yes, you should go listen). What I love about her story is that she’s not just talking from theory—she built influencer strategy from the ground up at Hearst when nobody really understood the game.
This book is especially useful if you’re a content creator, public-facing leader, or brand-builder who wants to be taken seriously in digital spaces. It’s equal parts inspiration and instruction manual—and still one of the sharpest takes on the creator economy I’ve read.
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Why Read It: Because the most important decision you’ll ever make is who you build with.
I know—this is a curveball. But hear me out. The reason I’m including a relationship book on a leadership list is simple: who you choose as a partner, or how you show up in your relationship, directly affects your leadership.
You can be building an empire, but if your home is out of rhythm, everything else will feel harder than it needs to be. This book helped me better understand how to give and receive love—and how to build with someone from a place of emotional fluency, not guesswork.
Bonus Books I’m Still Reading (but already recommending)
Essentialism by Greg McKeown
My mother-in-love gave this to me, and I’m still working through it—but I already know it’s going to be a game-changer. Essentialism teaches you how to say no to the noise so you can say yes to what actually matters.
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
I haven’t cracked it open fully yet, but I heard a talk based on the book that helped me more than I expected. If you feel like rest is a luxury you can’t afford, this one will challenge that mindset at its core.
Start with Why by Simon Sinek
You’ve probably seen his viral TED talk. The book expands on it, and helps you build a brand, business, or platform with clarity at the center. Because when you lead from your “why,” everything else gets easier—and more magnetic.
A Final Word
You don’t need to read all of these this month. But if something in this list pulled on you—follow that nudge.
Pick one. Let it challenge you. Let it open something in you. And don’t just read to be informed—read to become the kind of leader the future needs.
Because purpose isn’t just what you do.
It’s who you’re becoming while you do it.
