This Will Be My App of the Year: Audible for iOS

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I’ve got a big year ahead. Frighteningly big, actually.

This is why I’ve started reading more than ever before. I need to learn, grow, and convince myself that the path I’m heading down is the right one.

There’s just one issue – I never seem to have the time to sit down and read a good book.

But then it struck me – I do have time to listen to podcasts. Somehow, they rarely get kicked to the curb like books. I devour them, in fact.

So, I’ve decided to sign up to Audible. Again. But this time, I have a feeling it’s going to stick and, more significantly, become the most important app I have on my iPhone this year.

It’s not the first time

A bit like my on/off relationship with the Day One journaling app, I’ve flirted with Audible a fair bit in the past.

I’ve ‘read’ several books on it already, in fact. But whether it’s the presence of yet another subscription service or a gradual transition to podcast listening, Audible has never really felt like an essential app.

This is odd because I really like Audible. I think the pricing is bang-on, the app has developed really nicely, and it includes lovely touches like the gamification of your listening time, which makes the process of listening to audiobooks particularly addictive.

I’m ready to go back and give Audible the attention it deserves.

But why?

Why I need Audible this year

I’ve made some pretty big decisions for 2022, and, as a result, I feel like I need some help.

Up until now, podcasts have been my main source of inspiration and learning. They’ve helped me idiot check my own ideas, learn from some of the most influential people on the planet, and keep tabs on what’s going on in the world of tech.

But they’re not enough. Someone reminded me recently that books are one of the highest-return business investments available. For just a few quid, you gain access to knowledge and advice that would cost thousands via a business coach or mentor.

Audible takes this to another level. It enables you to digest that information practically anywhere, no matter what you’re doing. And, just like a regular book, it has that same, incredibly high return on investment. All you need is a smartphone, pair of headphones, and a cancel-anytime monthly subscription.

I spend a lot of time each week either walking, cycling, running, or on my feet filming. With the possible exception of the latter, that’s an awful lot of dead space for my brain.

So, why not fill it?

If what I have planned is going to work, I need to do some serious reading this year, but I can only do it while on my feet.

What I’m reading now

Some books do nothing more than confirm that you’ve been making a few decent decisions – either consciously or subconsciously.

That’s what I’ve discovered with my current Audible listen – Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Based on the theory that small habits work together to foster transformative change, Clear’s book is the audio equivalent of a page-turner.

If you’ve been running your own successful enterprise for any length of time, it’ll resonate with you. If you’ve somehow made the gym a habit but you can’t work out why, this book will reveal the subconscious choices you’ve made to create a habit out of what was originally a pain in the arse.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m discovering plenty of stuff I need to be doing, but Atomic Habits is a classic example of a book that confirms I’ve been making the right choices over the last few years of my life.

Waking early to write this blog post each day. Leaving my running trainers in a specific location after each run. Following a checklist during the production of every video, even though I always know what’s coming next.

This might be the most reassuring book I’ve ever read.

My reading wish list

Thanks to recommendations from a bunch of my favourite YouTubers and entrepreneurs, I’ve built a list of the books I intend to devour via Audible this year (and yes, I’m aware I might need to purchase a credit or two to make it possible!).

This is the list. I have a feeling there are some corkers in here.

• Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday
• Happy Sexy Millionaire by Steven Bartlett
• The Minimalist Entrepreneur by Sahil Lavingia
• Blindsight by Matt Johnson
• Irresistible by Adam Alter
• The Art of Resilience by Ross Edgley
• Billion Dollar Loser by Reeves Wiedeman
• Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
• Mindset by Dr Carol Dweck
• The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
• Off the Clock by Laura Vanderkam
• Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
• The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
• The Ape That Understood the Universe by Steve Stewart-Williams

What are you reading?

That wish list above isn’t big enough, in my book (excuse the pun). I want more recommendations, please!

So, what are you reading or listening to at the moment?

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