
The Purpose Library @cong22
CongRegation Library
Finding inspiration or even reference points for CongRegation submissions can be difficult. This year is no exception except the theme of Purpose forces us to really think a big deeper. This is not something that is easy to instantly activate and my own experience is that in devouring books on the topic I am not only enriched but also leave with new and unexpected questions or mental ‘itches’ on aspects I would like to explore further.
With this in mind I have curated recommended books on the ‘Purpose’ and will add more as we inch closer to CongRegation in November. I am offering these books on loan to anyone who would like to read them. The rules are simple and self explanatory but I am happy to post them to you.
Rules:
- Only request a book if you really intend to read.
- Please set yourself a tight deadline of 2/3 weeks.
- Request only one book at a time.
- Be willing to forward on to another person if requested.
- Please add notations and notes to future readers – just don’t tear out pages or redact words.
- Enjoy.
The tick box on the side indicates if it the book is out on loan or not. Simply email me with your postal address quoting the book you are interested in.

Activate Brand Purpose by Scott Goodson and Chip Walker
The greatest challenge facing leaders is activating and actioning purpose based brands to the people who matter inside the company and out. Recent statistics prove that more than 87 percent of consumers would purchase a product, because a company advocated for an issue they cared about, and more than two-thirds would refuse to do so if the company supported an issue contrary to their beliefs.
We live in an age of activism – the conscious consumer is more socially aware than ever before, and this is reflected in their buying habits. Yet, activism on behalf of brands is lagging. While many claim to be “purpose driven”, far too often this purpose is relegated to a plaque above the CEO’s desk, and never goes any further. Or, worse, the “purpose” is transparently used as a marketing ploy, but never acted upon in any real way.
Activate Brand Purpose shows listeners how to transform their brand’s purpose into meaningful action by sparking a company-wide cultural movement, beginning internally and permeating externally. Regardless of whether your purpose is lofty and socially conscious, or all business, focus on galvanizing people, and they will respond if you can prove that you care about that purpose, and that you’ re working to realize it, rather than simply chasing the next dollar. This book contains a clearly explained, proven framework that will make this happen.

A Theory of Human Motivation Abraham Maslow
This is the article in which Maslow first presented his hierarchy of needs. It was first printed in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation”. Maslow subsequently extended the idea to include his observations of humans’ innate curiosity. His theories parallel many other theories of human developmental psychology, some of which focus on describing the stages of growth in humans. Maslow described various needs and used the terms “Physiological, Safety, Belongingness and Love, Esteem, Self-Actualization and Self-Transcendence” needs to describe the pattern that human motivations generally move through. Maslow studied what he called exemplary people such as Albert Einstein, Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Frederick Douglass rather than mentally ill or neurotic people.

The Secret Rhonda Byrne
In 2006, a groundbreaking feature-length film revealed the great mystery of the universe – The Secret. Later that year, Rhonda Byrne followed with a book that became a worldwide bestseller.
Fragments of a Great Secret have been found in the oral traditions, in literature, in religious and philosophies throughout the centuries. For the first time, all the pieces of The Secret come together in an incredible revelation that will be life-transforming for all who experience it.
In this book, you’ll learn how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life – money, health, relationships, happiness, and in every interaction you have in the world. You’ll begin to understand the hidden, untapped power that’s within you, and this revelation can bring joy to every aspect of your life.
The Secret contains wisdom from modern-day teachers – men and women who have used it to achieve health, wealth and happiness. By applying the knowledge of The Secret, they bring to light compelling stories of eradicating obstacles, and achieving what many would regard as impossible.
Discover the book which has been changing millions of lives around the world. No matter who you are, where you are right now, no matter what you want – when you realise The Secret you can have anything.

The Alchemist Paulo Coelho
Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations.
Paulo Coelho’s masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago’s journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life’s path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams

Powered by Purpose Sarah Rozenthuler
Winner of the 2021 Think Global People Award for Thought Leadership Book and Best Thought Leadership Award from Relocate Magazine
“The world needs organisations to do good whilst making profit. Powered by Purpose is a practical guide for leading an organisation that fulfils both of these needs.” Bill Winters, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank
“Compulsory reading for any leader searching for purpose and looking to authentically transform their organisation, people and planet for positive impact.” Esther Foreman, CEO, The Social Change Agency
Companies with an authentic purpose outperform the market by 42%, according to recent research. They deliver better financial performance, more employee engagement and greater competitive advantage.
In organisations around the world, the pressure is on. Whether this is increasing consumer expectations, widening inequality or the growing disillusionment with globalization, the need to stay viable is greater than ever. The lauded leadership styles that were finely adapted to our past reality will not carry us forward.
Powered by Purpose outlines the four core leadership capacities that you need to help you feel alive at work, lead an enthusiastic team and generate competitive advantage:
- Cultivate Leadership Presence– how you can act in a way that others are inspired to follow
- Make Dialogue Authentic– how to talk about what matters most including people’s long term wellbeing
- Engage your Stakeholders– how to articulate your purpose in a way that engages and energises people
- Connect on Purpose– how to embody purpose so that it becomes part of your corporate DNA and day-to-day decision making
Powered by Purpose will help you make the difference you want to see in the world.

The Power of Meaning Emily Esfahani Smith
In a culture obsessed with happiness, this wise, stirring book points the way toward a richer, more satisfying life.
Too many of us believe that the search for meaning is an esoteric pursuit–that you have to travel to a distant monastery or page through dusty volumes to discover life’s secrets. The truth is, there are untapped sources of meaning all around us–right here, right now.
To explore how we can craft lives of meaning, Emily Esfahani Smith synthesizes a kaleidoscopic array of sources–from psychologists, sociologists, philosophers, and neuroscientists to figures in literature and history such as George Eliot, Viktor Frankl, Aristotle, and the Buddha. Drawing on this research, Smith shows us how cultivating connections to others, identifying and working toward a purpose, telling stories about our place in the world, and seeking out mystery can immeasurably deepen our lives.
To bring what she calls the four pillars of meaning to life, Smith visits a tight-knit fishing village in the Chesapeake Bay, stargazes in West Texas, attends a dinner where young people gather to share their experiences of profound loss, and more. She also introduces us to compelling seekers of meaning–from the drug kingpin who finds his purpose in helping people get fit to the artist who draws on her Hindu upbringing to create arresting photographs. And she explores how we might begin to build a culture that leaves space for introspection and awe, cultivates a sense of community, and imbues our lives with meaning.
Inspiring and story-driven, The Power of Meaning will strike a profound chord in anyone seeking a life that matters.

The Purpose Path: A Guide to Pursuing Your Authentic Life’s Work
Nicholas Pearce sits at the unconventional intersection of academia, business, and faith. With examples and advice, he shows how he and other people in a variety of fields and at different life stages have asked and answered these five questions in order to start, shape, or even radically change their careers. Inspiring, thought-provoking, and practical, The Purpose Path is an essential book for anyone who seeks the clarity and courage to advance their authentic life’s work every day.
Many of the world’s most successful companies―Apple, Disney, Google―are not simply profit-driven, but purpose-driven. They let the reason for which they were created drive what they do every day. But what about us – how do we define our purpose, the why behind the work we do? How can we find the inspiration to pursue more than just a paycheck and ultimately fulfill our authentic life’s work?
In The Purpose Path, award-winning management expert Nicholas Pearce invites readers to courageously embark upon the journey of aligning their daily work with their life’s work. This one-of-its-kind guidebook is for anyone–at any level, age, or professional stage–seeking to have more than just a job or career, but a meaningful calling.
Readers will go on a journey of self-discovery that’s organized around five key questions:
What is success? Who am I? Why am I here? Am I running the right race? Am I running the race well?
Drawing upon his years of experience as a global executive adviser, business school professor, and pastor, Pearce shows how people in a variety of fields have asked and answered these five questions as they launch, grow, or even completely change their careers. Inspiring, thought-provoking, and practical, The Purpose Path is an essential read for anyone longing to connect their soul with their role.

A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“A wake-up call for the entire planet . . . [A New Earth] helps us to stop creating our own suffering and obsessing over the past and what the future might be, and to put ourselves in the now.” —Oprah Winfrey
With his bestselling spiritual guide The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of readers to discover the freedom and joy of a life lived “in the now.” In A New Earth, Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence.
Illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, A New Earth is a profoundly spiritual manifesto for a better way of life—and for building a better world.
The Purpose Path Nicholas Pearce
When you’ve found your life’s purpose, work becomes meaningful to you. If you want to discover and live your purpose, read Nicholas Pearce’s book. Not only will it inspire you to become who you were born to be, it also will show you how. – Ken Blanchard, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The One Minute Manager(R)
How to build a meaningful career with a moral center and a purpose in the world.
Some of the world’s most successful companies–Google, Disney, Starbucks–are not simply profit-driven, but purpose-driven. They identify the purpose behind why they do what they do, and let their why drive what they do every day. Nicholas Pearce argues that we all should do the same: discover our why and commit to the journey of aligning our daily work with our life’s work. The Purpose Path is for people in any field who long to have more than just a job or a career, but a true vocation that allows them to connect their soul with their role. The Purpose Path is organized around five key questions:
What is success?
Who am I?
Why am I here?
Am I running the right race?
Am I running the race well?
Nicholas Pearce sits at the unconventional intersection of academia, business, and faith. With examples and advice, he shows how he and other people in a variety of fields and at different life stages have asked and answered these five questions in order to start, shape, or even radically change their careers. Inspiring, thought-provoking, and practical, The Purpose Path is an essential book for anyone who seeks the clarity and courage to advance their authentic life’s work every day.

The Power of Purpose Alicia Garza
An essential guide to building transformative movements to address the challenges of our time, from one of the country’s leading organizers and a co-creator of Black Lives Matter
In 2013, Alicia Garza wrote what she called “a love letter to Black people” on Facebook, in the aftermath of the acquittal of the man who murdered seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin. Garza wrote:
Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter.
With the speed and networking capacities of social media, #BlackLivesMatter became the hashtag heard ’round the world. But Garza knew even then that hashtags don’t start movements—people do.
Long before #BlackLivesMatter became a rallying cry for this generation, Garza had spent the better part of two decades learning and unlearning some hard lessons about organizing. The lessons she offers are different from the “rules for radicals” that animated earlier generations of activists, and diverge from the charismatic, patriarchal model of the American civil rights movement. She reflects instead on how making room amongst the woke for those who are still awakening can inspire and activate more people to fight for the world we all deserve.
This is the story of one woman’s lessons through years of bringing people together to create change. Most of all, it is a new paradigm for change for a new generation of changemakers, from the mind and heart behind one of the most important movements of our time.

The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel H Pink
Everybody has regrets, Daniel H. Pink explains in The Power of Regret. They’re a universal and healthy part of being human. And understanding how regret works can help us make smarter decisions, perform better at work and school, and bring greater meaning to our lives.
Drawing on research in social psychology, neuroscience, and biology, Pink debunks the myth of the “no regrets” philosophy of life. And using the largest sampling of American attitudes about regret ever conducted as well as his own World Regret Survey—which has collected regrets from more than 15,000 people in 105 countries—he lays out the four core regrets that each of us has. These deep regrets offer compelling insights into how we live and how we can find a better path forward.
As he did in his bestsellers Drive, When, and A Whole New Mind, Pink lays out a dynamic new way of thinking about regret and frames his ideas in ways that are clear, accessible, and pragmatic. Packed with true stories of people’s regrets as well as practical takeaways for reimagining regret as a positive force, The Power of Regret shows how we can live richer, more engaged lives.

The Earned Life: Lose Regret, Choose Fulfilment by Marshall GoldSmith and Mark Reiter
Our lives exist on a continuum between two poles: fulfilment and regret. We invest enormous resources of time and energy into staying healthy, being recognised for our achievements, nurturing our relationships and making money. When we make the right investments, we earn our lives: our choices, risks and efforts lead us a rewarding outcome that we regard as fair and just, regardless of external validation. But how can we know if we’re investing in the right things? How can we ensure that our ‘earned rewards’ add up to an overarching sense of purpose in our lives?
In The Earned Life, pioneering leadership coach Marshall Goldsmith shows us how to live our own lives—not someone else’s version of them. The key to living the earned life, unbound by regret, requires our commitment to a habit of earning and connecting it to something greater than the isolated achievements of our personal ambition. Taking inspiration from Buddhism, Goldsmith implores readers to accept impermanence and avoid the Great Western Disease of ‘I’ll be happy when…’. He offers practical advice for shedding the obstacles, especially our failures of imagination, that prevent us from creating our own lives. With this audiobook as their guide, listeners can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done.
Packed with illuminating exercises and stories from Goldsmith’s storied career as a coach to some of the world’s most high-achieving leaders, The Earned Life is a powerful roadmap for ambitious people seeking a higher purpose.

An Introduction to Philosophy by Jacques Maritain
Jacques Maritain’s An Introduction to Philosophy was first published in 1931. Since then, this book has stood the test of time as a clear guide to what philosophy is and how to philosophize. Inspired by the Thomistic Revival called for by Leo XIII, Maritain relies heavily on Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas to shape a philosophy that, far from sectarian theology in disguise, is driven by reason and engages the modern world. Re-released as part of the Sheed & Ward Classic series, An Introduction to Philosophy is sure to enliven the minds of students and general readers for years to come. From the new introduction by Ralph McInerny: You are about to read a magnificent introduction not only to a kind of philosophy but to philosophizing itself. Jacques Maritain was a relatively young man when he wrote this book, but his effort is one that attracts any philosopher more and more as he grows older. However odd and unusual what he says becomes, the philosopher yearns to show how even the most abstruse claims can be put into relation with what the reader already knows. That, in its essence, is what teaching is. In this book, the reader will find a wise and certain guide into philosophizing as such. And, in the end, he will find that what he reads is really only a refinement and development of what he and everybody else already knew.

The Vitality Mark by Mark Rowe
We all know the basic vital signs that indicate being alive, but true vitality means really feeling alive: feeling energised, invigorated, enthusiastic and optimistic every day. Through his work as a lifestyle-medicine practitioner, Dr Mark Rowe has come to see how the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of our wellbeing all impact on our health and our ability to stay well. Getting all these elements working in an interconnected, synergistic way forms the essence of vitality, or ‘the VitalityMark’ as Dr Rowe has come to define it. The Vitality Mark helps you to identify the gaps in your wellbeing and offers a programme to make small, sustainable improvements that will increase your vitality over time and put the bounce back in your step. ‘I promise that reading this book will change your life … one small, simple step at a time.’ Dr. Doireann O’Leary ‘Dr. Rowe’s book comes to help save the day, save your life and, most importantly, add life to your years as well as your days.’ Dr. Beth Frates, Harvard Medical School.

The Meaning Revolution: The Power of Transcendent Leadership by Fred Kofman
Fred Kofman’s approach to leadership has little to do with the standard practices taught in business school and traditional books. Bringing together economics and business theory, communications and conflict resolution, family counseling and mindfulness mediation, Kofman argues in The Meaning Revolution that our most deep-seated, unspoken, and universal anxiety stems from our fear that our life is being wasted–that the end of life will overtake us when our song is still unsung. Material incentives–salary and benefits–account for perhaps 15 percent of employees’ motivation at work. The other 85 percent is driven by a need to belong, a feeling that what we do day in and day out makes a difference, that how we spend our time on earth serves a larger purpose beyond just ourselves.
Kofman claims that transcendental leaders, wherever they are in the hierarchy, are able to put aside their self-interests and help others to feel connected with others on a team or in an organization on a great mission and part of an ennobling purpose. He argues that every organization involved in work that is nonviolent and non addictive has what he calls an “immortality project” at its core. And the challenge for leaders is to identify and expand on that core, to inspire all stakeholders to take part.

Life on Purpose – Victor Strecher
A pioneer in the field of behavioral science delivers a groundbreaking work that shows how finding your purpose in life leads to better health and overall happiness. Your life is a boat. You need a rudder. But it doesn’t matter how much wind is in your sails if you’re not steering toward a harbor-an ultimate purpose in your life. While the greatest philosophers have pondered purpose for centuries, today it has been shown to have a concrete impact on our health. Recent studies into Alzheimer’s, heart disease, stroke, depression, functional brain imaging, and measurement of DNA repair are shedding new light on how and why purpose benefits our lives. Going beyond the fads, opinions, and false hopes of “expert” self-help books, Life on Purpose explores the incredible connection between purposeful living and the latest scientific evidence on quality of life and longevity. Drawing on ancient and modern philosophy, literature, psychology, evolutionary biology, genetics, and neuroscience, as well as his experience in public health research, Dr.
Vic Strecher reveals the elements necessary for a purposeful life and how to acquire them, and outlines an elegant strategy for improving energy, willpower, and long-term happiness, and well-being. He integrates these core themes into his own personal story-a tragedy that led him to reconsider his own life-and how a deeper understanding of purposeful living helped him not only survive, but thrive. Illuminating, accessible, and authentically grounded in real people’s experiences, Life on Purpose is essential reading for everyone seeking lasting improvement in their lives.

Truth be Told by David Gallagher/John O’Brien
Harness the opportunities for marketing in the age of purpose and learn why it’s so important to be a ‘truth teller’ by creating authentic communication campaigns, generating honest content and avoiding accusations of ‘purpose washing’.
Purpose as a business philosophy has resulted in organizations struggling to make sense of what they need to do and made ‘purpose washing’ commonplace. Identify the challenges and opportunities in the age of purpose and learn how to create authentic messaging, activate successful campaigns and asses the value that these have for key audiences. Purpose has become a leadership and managerial imperative for business large and small, non-profit organizations and charities. However, many businesses don’t know how to clearly execute this, and the marketing and PR function of many companies struggle disproportionately as a result. This had led to an increase in cynicism and the growth of ‘purpose washing’. However, when purpose is created with an authentic culture, the opportunity for building brand reputation and positive customer engagement is significant. Truth Be Told will help readers understand exactly how to achieve this and present the core truths of their company or organization, to drive clear, authentic purpose powered communication.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
16 MILLION COPIES SOLD ‘A book to read, to cherish, to debate, and one that will ultimately keep the memories of the victims alive’ John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas A prominent Viennese psychiatrist before the war, Viktor Frankl was uniquely able to observe the way that both he and others in Auschwitz coped (or didn’t) with the experience. He noticed that it was the men who comforted others and who gave away their last piece of bread who survived the longest – and who offered proof that everything can be taken away from us except the ability to choose our attitude in any given set of circumstances. The sort of person the concentration camp prisoner became was the result of an inner decision and not of camp influences alone. Frankl came to believe man’s deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose. This outstanding work offers us all a way to transcend suffering and find significance in the art of living.