Indistractable is Eyal’s second book.
In his first book – Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products – Eyal provided his reader’s practical insights to create user habits that stick and actionable steps for building products people love.
Nir Eyal shares his so-called Hook Model with his readers. That’s a four-step process, which, when embedded into products, subtly encourages customer behavior. Through consecutive “hook cycles,” these products bring people back again and again without depending on costly advertising or aggressive messaging.

One could say, Indistractable is the antidote to what Eyal supported with his first book Hooked.
In Indistractable, he gives shares some guidelines and measures with his readers, that can be applied to overcome distractions. Distractions, mainly but not only caused by those habit-forming products he describes in Hooked.

It’s a great book. If you only stick to some of the measures, Eyal shares in his book, you will benefit from it already. You will be able to have more control over your attention. You will be able to focus more on the tasks, people, and essential things than before. Finally, you can choose what makes an impact on your life.

Nir Eyal writes about his so-called Indistractable Model.

The Indistractable Model

The Indistractable Model consists of four parts:

• Master INTERNAL TRIGGERS
• Make time for TRACTION
• Hack Back EXTERNAL TRIGGERS
• Prevent DISTRACTION with pacts

The part of the INTERNAL TRIGGERS is about how to deal with discomfort. Eyal also encourages you in this chapter to look for the root cause of the distraction rather than looking for an easy fix.

The TRACTION chapter is mainly about how important it is to have a clear plan of your day scheduled. Ideally, you have your timebox setup for your days set for weeks in advance.
If you do this, you know what you want to do when. It also helps you to see if you experienced a distraction or not. That’s an important step to become indistractable.

The most important question you have to ask yourself when it comes to EXTERNAL TRIGGERS is, “Is this trigger serving me, or am I serving it?”. This part of the book is mainly about defending your FOCUS and about how to hack back all the external triggers like your phone, meetings, notifications, and so on.

Pacts will help you to overcome DISTRACTIONs with precommitment. Eyal shares, why it’s better to plan ahead to be less likely distracted.

There is more

Nir Eyal also provides some good advice about “How to make your workplace indistractable”, “How to raise indistractable children,” and “How to have indistractable relationships”.

Even Google launched some content to take care of this recent, how it seems, hot topic on “How to manage and handle distractions.”
They call it, “Find a balance with technology that feels right for you.”
You can find more info about it here.

Google also has launched and supports the creation of experiments/tools, which you can use and which should help you find a better balance with technology.

On their webpage, you find a showcase of ideas and tools. Have a look at their Digital Wellbeing Experiments here.

I do recommend this book to you if you want to achieve more, want to have control over your attention back, and want to choose your life!

If you are interested in all the other books I read in 2019, then you can find them in this blog article.

You are curious why I share this experience with you, no problem. You can get a hint here.
If you want to know more about me or even get in contact with me, you can find more info on my contact page.

The topics of the books cover a variety of ranges like personal development, soft skills, programming, DevOps, management, leadership, marketing, fitness, and wealth.
I’m pretty sure that you find some interesting books which allow you to expand your knowledge horizon or help you to see the world with different eyes.

I love to read a good book! However, also if the book is not just full of rich content or catchy or whatever, I usually finished it. I believe that you can always learn new things and grow your knowledge base by reading books.

Some of those books inspired me a lot. As a result, I have new goals in life, like getting fitter and healthier, to start running or to make more use of my time, for example.

Besides all of this more professional kind of books, I read a lot of other genres like science fiction, hard science fiction, and fantasy action & adventure.

Hopefully, my list of books inspires you and you also gain some new knowledge by reading through some of the books I recommend here.

Enjoy reading!

Table of contents – Books by topics

• Personal development / Soft skills
• Programming / DevOps
• Management / Leadership
• Marketing / Branding
• Fitness / Health
• Wealth / Money
  
  

Personal development / Soft skills

Stop Being Lazy: How to Overcome Laziness, Defeat Procrastination, Increase Productivity, and Break Through Barriers Like an Unstoppable Bulldog

Author: John Sonmez

This book takes you into the personal journey of John Sonmez out of laziness and into a life of empowerment and self-discipline. In this book, he will share with you:
The mindset that had him trapped in laziness, fear, and procrastination and how he broke free

If you’re ready to give up laziness, he’ll show you how he did it and how you can too.

Get your book here: amazon.de

As a Man Thinketh

Author: James Allen

The book is a literary essay by James Allen, published in 1903. Allen described it as “… [dealing] with the power of thought, and particularly with the use and application of thought to happy and beautiful issues.

You should be able to quickly grasp and follow its teaching and put into practice the methods which it advises. It shows how, in his thought-world, each man holds the key to every condition, good or bad, that enters into his life, and that, by working patiently and intelligently upon his thoughts, he may remake his life, and transform his circumstances.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds

Author: David Goggins

For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare — poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights.
But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes.

In Can’t Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities.

Get your book here: amazon.de

High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way

Author: Brendon Burchard

THESE SIX HABITS WILL MAKE YOU EXTRAORDINARY.
After extensive original research and a decade as the world’s highest-paid performance coach, Brendon Burchard finally reveals the most effective habits for reaching long-term success.

Each of the six habits is illustrated by compelling vignettes, cutting-edge science, thought-provoking exercises, and real-world daily practices you can implement right now.

HIGH PERFORMANCE HABITS is a science-backed, heart-centered plan to living a better quality of life. Best of all, you can measure your progress. A link to a professional assessment is included in the book for free.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

The Way of Men

Author: Jack Donovan

What is masculinity? Ask ten men, and you’ll get ten vague, conflicting answers. Unlike any book of its kind, The Way of Men offers a simple, straightforward explanation – without getting bogged down in religion, morality, or politics.

It’s a guide for understanding who men have been and the challenges men face today. The Way of Men captures the silent, stifling rage of men everywhere who find themselves at odds with the over-regulated, over-civilized, politically correct modern world. If you’ve ever closed your eyes and wished for one day as a lion, this book is for you.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

Author: Ryan Holiday

The Obstacle is the Way has become a cult classic, beloved by men and women around the world who apply its wisdom to become more successful at whatever they do.

Ryan Holiday shows us how some of the most successful people in history have applied stoicism to overcome difficult or even impossible situations. Their embrace of these principles ultimately mattered more than their natural intelligence, talents, or luck.

If you’re feeling frustrated, demoralized, or stuck in a rut, this book can help you turn your problems into your most significant advantages. And along the way, it will inspire you with dozens of true stories of the greats from every age and era.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life

Author: Nir Eyal

We are living through a crisis of distraction. Plans get sidetracked, friends are ignored, work never seems to get done.

Why does it feel like we’re distracting our lives away?

In Indistractable, behavioral designer Nir Eyal shows what life could look like if you followed through on your intentions. Instead of suggesting a digital detox, Eyal reveals the hidden psychology driving you to distraction, and teaches you how to make pacts with yourself to keep your brain on track. Indistractable is a guide to making decisions and seeing them through.

Empowering and optimistic, this is the book that will help you design your time, realize your ambitions, and live the life you really want.

If you are interested in reading my thoughts about this book, then you can find them in this article.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Programming / DevOps

Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) Handbook: How SRE implements DevOps

Author: Stephen Fleming

Well, you have heard a lot about DevOps lately, wait until you meet a Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)!

Google is the pioneer in the SRE movement, and Ben Treynor from Google defines SRE as “what happens when a software engineer is tasked with what used to be called operations.” The ongoing struggles between Development and Ops team for software releases have been sorted out by mathematical formula for green or red-light launches!

Get your copy here: amazon.de

The Complete Software Developer’s Career Guide: How to Learn Programming Languages Quickly, Ace Your Programming Interview, and Land Your Software Developer Dream Job

Author: John Sonmez

Technical Knowledge Alone Isn’t Enough – Increase Your Income by Leveling Up Your Soft Skills

Early in his software developer career, John Sonmez discovered that technical knowledge alone isn’t enough to break through to the next income level – developers need “soft skills” like the ability to learn new technologies just in time, communicate clearly with management and consulting clients, negotiate a fair hourly rate, and unite teammates and coworkers in working toward a common goal.

In his book, John gives you advice on how to deal with all that daily life challenges.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Management / Leadership

Measure What Matters: OKRs: The Simple Idea that Drives 10x Growth

Author: John Doerr

Legendary venture capitalist John Doerr reveals how the goal-setting system of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) has helped tech giants from Intel to Google achieve explosive growth—and how it can help any organization thrive.

In Measure What Matters, Doerr shares a broad range of first-person, behind-the-scenes case studies, with narrators including Bono and Bill Gates, to demonstrate the focus, agility, and explosive growth that OKRs have spurred at so many great organizations. This book will help a new generation of leaders to capture the same magic.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Radical Focus: Achieving Your Most Important Goals with Objectives and Key Results

Author: Christina Wodtke

The book is an actionable business book in the form of a fable.

Radical Focus tackles the OKR movement and better goal setting through the compelling story of Hanna and Jack’s struggling tea startup. When the two receive an ultimatum from their only investor, they must learn how to employ Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with a radical focus to get the right things done. Will they be able to accomplish the few critical actions that will save their startup? Or will they end up mired in distractions and choices as their time runs out?

Ready to move your team in the right direction? Read this book together, and learn Wodtke’s efficient system of decision making to create your focus and find success.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean

Author: Kim Scott

Radical Candor offers a guide to those bewildered or exhausted by management, written for bosses and those who manage bosses. Drawing on years of first-hand experience, and distilled clearly to give practical advice to the reader, Radical Candor shows you how to be successful while retaining your integrity and humanity. Radical Candor is the perfect handbook for those who are looking to find meaning in their job and create an environment where people love both their work and their colleagues and are motivated to strive to ever greater success.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Besser fix als fertig: Hirngerecht arbeiten in der Welt des Multitasking

Author: Bernd Hufnagl

The neurobiologist Bernd Hufnagl shows what the assertion of not working brain-justified has to do with our instincts, reward systems, but also with our declining willingness to change.

This book is a plea for more patience and mindfulness in our hectic multitasking everyday life.

It offers a new, more differentiated view and compares the knowledge and experience to the logic of the working world of international corporations with the knowledge of the logic of our own software.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups

Author: Daniel Coyle

In The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle goes inside some of the world’s most successful organizations-including the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six, IDEO, and the San Antonio Spurs-and reveals what makes them tick.

Combining leading-edge science, on-the-ground insights from world-class leaders, and practical ideas for action, The Culture Code offers a roadmap for creating an environment where innovation flourishes, problems get solved, and expectations are exceeded.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Legacy

Author: James Kerr

In Legacy, best-selling author James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world’s most successful sporting team, the legendary All Blacks of New Zealand, to reveal 15 powerful and practical lessons for leadership and business.

Legacy is a unique, inspiring handbook for leaders in all fields, and asks:
What are the secrets of success – sustained success? How do you achieve world-class standards, day after day, week after week, year after year? What do you leave behind you after you’re gone?

Get your copy here: amazon.de

StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now Discover Your Strengths

Author: Tom Rath

Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?

Chances are, you don’t. All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.

To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in 2001. It ignited a global conversation and helped millions to discover their top five talents.

In its latest national bestseller, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveils the new and improved version of its popular assessment, the language of 34 themes, and much more. While you can read this book in one sitting, you’ll use it as a reference for decades. 

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

Author: Simon Sinek

In 2009, Simon Sinek started a movement to help people become more inspired at work, and in turn, inspire their colleagues and customers. Since then, millions have been touched by the power of his ideas, including more than 28 million who’ve watched his TED Talk based on START WITH WHY — the third most popular TED video of all time.

START WITH WHY shows that the leaders who’ve had the most significant influence in the world all think, act, and communicate the same way — and it’s the opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Marketing / Branding

The 1-Page Marketing Plan: Get New Customers, Make More Money, And Stand out From The Crowd

Author: Allan Dib

WARNING: Do Not Read This Book If You Hate Money

To build a successful business, you need to stop doing random acts of marketing and start following a reliable plan for rapid business growth. Traditionally, creating a marketing plan has been a time-consuming and challenging process, which is why it often doesn’t get done.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Der E-Mail Insider: Das einzigartige 33-Minuten Erfolgsrezept – Wie Du Dich schneller als Experte positionierst und viel leichter Kunden gewinnst

Author: René Rink

Sell without selling?
In times of overstimulation and distrustful customers, nothing is so crucial in the daily competition for the attention of the interested parties as to the building of trust.

This is where the daily e-mail comes into play.
With this one e-mail, it is possible to convey authentic and reader-relevant contents that sell as if by the side!

In this book, marketing expert René Rink shows you all the tools, strategies, and tactics you need to win in the competition for attention and trust.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

Fitness / Health

Fitness Fibel 2.0 – Der wahre Weg zum Traumkörper
[The Fitness Guide: The True Way to the Dream Body]

Author: Sjard Roscher

A FITNESS BOOK LIKE NO OTHER – FROM ATHLETES FOR ATHLETES !?

• You want to build muscle and get you in top shape finally?
• Are you curious about to know what’s the right training for you?
• Do you finally want to know how to make your nutrition plan?
• Do you want to reach your goals finally?

Sjard’s book helped me a lot to find my way to get fitter and into top shape. Before I read his book, I thought that I’m not even able to achieve my current physical constitution.

Get your copy here: fitnessfibel.de

Wealth / Money

The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime!

Author: M. J. Demarco

Since you were old enough to hold a job, you’ve been hoodwinked into believing that wealth can be created by blindly trusting in the uncontrollable and unpredictable markets: the housing market, the stock market, and the job market. This soul-sucking, dream-stealing dogma is “The Slowlane” – an impotent FINANCIAL GAMBLE that dubiously promises wealth in a wheelchair.

Demand more. Change lanes and find your explosive wealth accelerator. Hit the Fastlane, crack the code to wealth, and find out how to live rich for a lifetime.

Get your copy here: amazon.de

You are curious why I share this experience with you, no problem. You can get a hint here.
If you want to know more about me or even get in contact with me, you can find more info on my contact page.