The 7 Best Books on Creativity, Innovation, and Writing Great Content

As a leader, it can feel like you live and die by the quality of your ideas. So what can you do to consistently generate innovative ideas and content?

See your biggest problems as your biggest opportunities.

These seven books will help you generate ideas, write great content, and lead your team to innovate. In no particular order ...

1. Building a Story Brand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen – Donald Miller

We are experts on ourselves, and we want our branding to show off who we are.

But in Miller's paradigm-shifting method, you'll learn to clarify your message and make your audience the hero.

Find the book here.

2. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success In a Distracted World - Cal Newport

You become what you focus on. If you can’t focus on the most important things at work, you won’t get them done.

If you want to lead your team into the future, you need to be a focused leader. Deep Work is the way to get there.

Find the book here.

3. Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction – Derek Thompson

Breakthroughs are not a result of chance. They are the result of action.

This book will help your ideas break through the noise of our distracted world and reach more people than you could ever imagine.

Find the book here.

4. Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die – Chip Heath, Dan Heath

Why do some ideas explode while others just “do okay”?

Chip and Dan show you how to make your ideas stickier by leveraging psychological principles such as the velcro theory of memory, human scale principle, and the creation of curiosity gaps.

Find the book here.

5. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable – Seth Godin

You were created to stand out. To make a difference. Unfortunately, ideas can either be remarkable and widely shared, or they can quickly become invisible.

Purple Cow will help you make your ideas impossible to ignore.

Find the book here.

6. Switch on Your Brain: The Key to Peak Happiness, Thinking, and Health – Dr. Caroline Leaf

When you change the questions you're asking, you change the way you're thinking.

In this book, Dr. Caroline Leaf will give you the key strategies to completely change how you lead, think, and write.

Find the book here.

7. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles – Steven Pressfield

Coming up with creative and innovative ideas can be difficult, and sometimes we’re our own enemy.

Steven Pressfield reveals the internal mind games we all play, and how you can win your inner creative war.

Find the book here.

So much of the creative battle is fought in your mind. For more on rewiring your brain to win your daily battles against self-doubt and negative thinking, try my book Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life.

Remember: People with ideas are not innovators. People who follow through with ideas are innovators. If you want to become a leader who takes ideas and puts them into action, listen in to this episode of my leadership podcast on "High-Impact Habits for Successful Leaders."

44 Leadership Books Every Leader Needs to Read

This post is part three of a four-part series covering the 44 leadership books every leader needs to read.

Part 1: The 13 Best Books for Building Great Habits and Achieving Your Goals

Part 2: The 14 Best Books on Leading People and Developing Great Culture

Part 4: The 10 Best Books to Strengthen Your Leadership and Grow Your Organization

This list is far from complete. These 44 will get you well on your way to being a world-class leader, but there are more I could include.

Sharpen Your Leadership in a Changing World (Three Free Trainings)

Leadership is influence—and you are a leader. That’s why it’s critical you keep sharpening your leadership.

I’d love to help.

When I look at all of the podcasts and principles I’ve worked on, three stand out. These trainings will help you build a strong leadership foundation—both personally and professionally.

Learn practical ways to influence people, manage your time wisely, and communicate better. You can get the three-part series here for free!