If you live in the United States, you’re hopefully preparing to celebrate Memorial Day, a day to honor the troops that have died in service to our country. While the goals and validity of certain wars might be contested, we can all agree that the fallen deserve our gratitude and respect.
If they were still alive today, what might they teach us? What did they learn during their time in the service? Fortunately, a few of their brothers in arms have written books about how combat changed the way they lead, persevere, and find purpose. So this Memorial Day, we recommend picking up one of the six excellent reads below.
The Attributes: 25 Hidden Drivers of Optimal Performance
By Rich Diviney
Retired Navy SEAL Commander Rich Diviney shares stories from the military, business, sports, relationships, and even parenting to show how understanding your own attributes and those of the people around you can create optimal performance in all areas of your life. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead
By Jim Mattis and Bing West
A clear-eyed account of learning how to lead in a chaotic world, by General Jim Mattis—the former Secretary of Defense and one of the most formidable strategic thinkers of our time—and Bing West, a former assistant secretary of defense and combat Marine. View on Amazon
Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning
By Mike Hayes
A former Commander of SEAL Team TWO recounts dramatic stories and offers battle- and boardroom-tested advice that will motivate readers to do work of value, live lives of purpose, and stretch themselves to reach their highest potential. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
Leaders: Myth and Reality
By Stanley McChrystal, Jeff Eggers, and Jay Magone
Stanley McChrystal, the retired US Army general and bestselling author of Team of Teams, profiles thirteen of history’s great leaders, including Walt Disney and Coco Chanel, to show that leadership is not what you think it is—and never was. View on Amazon
Embrace the Suck: The Navy SEAL Way to an Extraordinary Life
By Brent Gleeson
Through candid storytelling, behavioral science research, and plenty of self-deprecating humor, combat veteran Brent Gleeson shows you how to use pain as a pathway, reassess your values, remove temptation, build discipline, suffer with purpose, fail successfully, transform your mind, and achieve your goals. View on Amazon
Once a Warrior: How One Veteran Found a New Mission Closer to Home
By Jake Wood
In this raw, adrenaline-filled narrative, former Marine sniper Jake recounts how, over the past 10 years, he’s built the disaster response organization Team Rubicon, and seen the work provide a lifeline back to purpose for the heroes among us. View Our “Book Bite” Summary
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