Here’s a list of 10 of my favourite books. These are the books I return to whenever I need a reminder on how to make magic. If you’re like me and you like visual art, stand-up comedy, tennis, and psychology, this list is for you! PS—if you buy any of the books via the links below, I might get a commission ;)

Art Matters by Neil Gaiman & illustrated by Chris Riddell – Just in case you need a reminder that your imagination can change the world—PICK UP THIS BOOK! I love, love, love Neil Gaiman and his speech on making good art… whenever I feel lost about what direction I should take with my art, I think about whether it takes me closer or farther away from “the mountain.”

The Rogue Artist’s Survival Guide by Rafi Perez – Rafi’s ‘rogue artist’ series was super helpful for mentally retraining myself to think like the badass artist I am. Read this encouraging account if you want to make art your full-time gig but you’re scared (understandably) to make the leap and want someone who’s walked the path tell you about it. He also has a book on art marketing specifically! Super helpful.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert – As a fellow ENFP, Elizabeth’s journey in Eat, Pray, Love really spoke to me! So when she came out with this book on living creatively beyond fear, I picked it up to see what she had to say. A great book for those interested in expanding their magic and overcoming self-imposed limitations. As she says in the book, “Argue for your limitations and you get to keep them.” I think about phrase that whenever I’m about to say or think that I’m a “bad swimmer.” I’m not, I just haven’t put in the time and effort to learn to be a good one.

I Can’t Make This Up by Kevin Hart – If you feel like you need to be dealt a better hand in life to be a successful artist, here’s someone who didn’t have the perfect start in life, and who made happen anyway, big time! To be honest, I fell more in love with Kevin after reading this book than after seeing any of his stand-up specials. This book’s message is super positive and inspiring, although it’s co-written by Neil Strauss, the guy who wrote The Game (which, I think, is the book that popularized the pick-up artist phenomenon *GROSS*)… however, this is actually a very well-written book and it will probably make you laugh and cry.

The Decision: Overcoming Today’s BS for Tomorrow’s Success by Kevin Hart – Audiobook highly recommended! I listened to this during long routine walks around my local golf course, at the height of the pandemic in 2020. It got me out of the negative mode I was in. While it didn’t make me hate my job any less, it gave me hope and helped me feel in control of my actions, my outlook, and my life. The title is pretty self-explanatory. Make a decision. Do it. Don’t fall for your own BS.

Be Water, My Friend: The True Teachings of Bruce Lee by Shannon Lee – For those interested in Bruce Lee’s philosophy. I learned so much from this book and found parts of myself reflected back in reading his daughter’s perspective. I read it before I read anything about tennis and sport psychology. Although it approaches art/life from a martial arts perspective, the fundamental teachings are the same. I borrowed this from my sister, but she still hasn’t read it, lol.

The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey – For tennis players trying to improve their game, on and off the court! Great lessons in this book that can be applied to almost everything in life. Observe and drop the judgment! It’s the way to peak performance in whatever industry, niche, or thing you’re trying to do. How did I get my hands on this book? Actually, a guy I met via Bumble gave it to me on our second meetup. Despite the super nice and touching gesture, it just didn’t work out, but I’m grateful every day that he gifted this to me.

How To Be A Bawse by Lilly Singh – For miserable university students who actually would rather become video creators, comics, and YouTube influencers. This is the story of how Lilly Singh started and built up her creative empire, with conservative Asian parents, pretty much just like mine. My sister gave me this book for my birthday one year. And she gave me the next one, too:

We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu – For failed accountants who want to be actors and end up becoming Marvel superheroes via a tweet. I found the premise of this book kind of funny, because my brother actually is an accountant. But I think he’s probably decent at it, unlike Simu. Simu fell asleep on the job and literally got fired because he had no passion for it whatsoever. Based on this book and the one above, I think my sister was trying to tell me something. If you hate your job and can’t do it, don’t. Find a way to do what you love and what you’re genuinely good at.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield – Anybody who has ever encountered writer’s block or been stuck in an uncreative mode will appreciate this book. Steven calls it “resistance,” and his book basically anthropomorphizes this struggle by calling the whole creative process a “war of art.” Sometimes using different words to approach the same topic works wonders for learning, and that’s exactly what happened for me when I read this book.

Have you read any of the books above? Let me know in the comments what books would make your list or which ones you’ve read and loved!