6 Underrated Books Every Productive Person Should Read (TPS589)

Ever wonder why some books quietly change your life while the big bestsellers barely move the needle? In this episode, we spotlight six underrated reads that never make the productivity “top 10” lists—but absolutely should. These are the books that have shaped how we think, plan, lead, and make decisions, even though they rarely get the attention they deserve. If you’re looking for your next meaningful read (and not just the next trendy one) this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Masterclass.com/TPS for up to as much as 50% off. Try Gusto today at gusto.com/TPS , and get 3 months free when you run your first payroll. Get 20% off your first order: dripdrop.com and use promo code tps. Visit asianefficiency.com for more productivity tips and tactics. Cheat Sheet: Become a member of TPS+ and get ad-free episodes a week before anyone else with other great bonuses like the famous “ One Tweak A Week ” shirt. An unexpected air-fryer trick you’ll wish you knew sooner [00:29] Top 3 Productivity Resources [01:30] What really makes a book “underrated”? [04:40] The journaling book that unlocks 3,001 questions about yourself [07:32] The framework that helps you finally finish what you start [18:56] How AI can quietly supercharge your productivity systems [24:36] A smarter way to get past resistance and overwhelm [25:38] Why “The Road Less Stupid” might save you from costly mistakes [26:40] How a simple pre-mortem can prevent future regrets [28:19] The visual-thinking skill most presentations are missing [34:59] The human-evolution insight that explains modern behavior [40:49] Four habits that set exceptional leaders apart [46:58] Links: Masterclass Gusto DripDrop 25X Productivity Coaching Atomic Habits — James Clear The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Stephen R. Covey The Power of Full Engagement — Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz How to Have a Good Day — Caroline Webb How to Stop Worrying and Start Living — Dale Carnegie 30 Lessons for Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans — Karl Pillemer 3001 Questions All About Me Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done — Charlie Gilkey The Road Less Stupid: Advice from the Chairman of the Board — Keith J. Cunningham Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations — Nancy Duarte Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind — Yuval Noah Harari The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive — Patrick Lencioni Productivity Academy The Productivity Show on Youtube The Productivity Show Youtube Clips Become a member of TPS+ Take the Productivity Quiz If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Stitcher , Overcast , Pocket Casts or your favorite podcast player. It’s easy, you’ll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show. You can also leave a review!