In recent years, a recurring end-of-year debate has dominated Nigeria’s literary corners on social media: how many books can one realistically complete in twelve months? This argument, often sparked by readers’ year-end revelations of their reading stats, ignites intense reactions and a cycle of book policing. Critics—mostly non-readers in these scenarios— question everything from the volume of books read to the quality of those selections, with some even going as far as labelling the readers with extensive reading lists as jobless or pretentious.

Above the chatter, one thing is undeniable: books matter—to everyone, and for different reasons. A student, 9-to-5er, artist, entrepreneur, creative, CEO, or civil servant, there’s more than one genre of books that suits each person’s taste and needs. 

As we move on from the holidays and into the demands of 2025, where Nigerians seem poised in a collective drive to crush their professional and personal goals under the “locked in” motto, BSide has curated five relevant books to fuel the drive.

          1.  Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt

Written out of the need to enable his readers to have a rewarding year by their goal’s standard, Michael Hyatt, in his seventh book, Your Best Year Ever, explores practical and research-driven strategies to design a fulfilling run.

Leveraging his experiences as a perennial author, public speaker, and podcaster, Michael highlighted a five-step roadmap to creating relevant step-by-step models to establish meaningful goals, develop a game plan to make them happen, and navigate the inevitable burnout that comes with striving for success. There’s no better time to start reading Your Best Year Ever than at the beginning of the year when energy is high and habits can be assembled or disassembled for a fulfilling run.

         2.  The Rudest Book Ever by Shwetabh Gangwar

Known for his candid approach to solving people’s problems on request via his YouTube channel, Shwetabh Gangwar shakes his audience out of complacency in The Rudest Book Ever. The book filters out the noise of pretensions and illusions that often prevent people from maximising their potential.

Gangwar’s direct and often profane style is not for the faint-hearted, but if you can handle it, The Rudest Book Ever delivers a much-needed wake-up call and a guide to critical thinking that’ll be handy in achieving your goals unapologetically in 2025.

       3. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson

Indian-American entrepreneur and investor Naval Ravikant has long been revered for his profound insights on wealth, happiness, and living a meaningful life. In The Almanack of Naval Ravikant, Eric Jorgenson compiles Naval’s thought-provoking ideas and advice drawn from his Twitter posts, podcasts, and essays.

The 242 pages of The Almanack of Naval Ravikant contain almost everything relevant to staying locked in for the year as well as tips on nurturing humanity’s most important craving: a happier, wealthier life. The book is available for free download at www.navalmanack.com.

       4.  The Science of Rapid Skill Acquisition by Peter Hollins

To truly stay “locked in,” cultivating or upscaling on relevant skills is non-negotiable. The pace of change today demands continuous learning, unlearning, and relearning to stay competitive. In The Science of Rapid Skill Acquisition, Peter Hollins breaks down scientific methods to accelerate learning for any purpose and at any point in your journey.

This book covers everything from processing information effectively to applying newly gained knowledge and leveraging it effectively to get ahead professionally and personally.

      5. Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte

With the constant influx of information in our digital age, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or disorganised. Tiago Forte’s Building a Second Brain tackles this challenge head-on by teaching readers how to manage their knowledge systems.

The book provides frameworks for organising your thoughts, capturing your best ideas, and ensuring nothing important slips through the cracks—all while staying productive and stress-free.