What Book Has Most Influenced You in Your Life?

I can’t say there’s one single book that has influenced me the most. I feel that every great book I read shifts my perspective in some way. Among those, Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman stands out. It opened my eyes to how our thinking systems work, how we make decisions, and how biases can creep in without us even realizing it.

When I first read the book, I earmarked pages that resonated with me or seemed worth revisiting. Over time, I returned to those sections a few times, each time deepening my understanding. A few months ago, my son asked to borrow the book, and before handing it to him, I flipped through those pages again. That’s when I had a “wow” moment—I realized how familiar those ideas had become because I’d been practicing some of them.

One concept I applied directly was Kahneman’s structured method for interviewing candidates:

1. Define key traits or skills in advance.

2. Use standardized questions for consistency.

3. Score each trait separately.

4. Combine the scores for an overall assessment.

This straightforward approach helped me conduct interviews more objectively and effectively.

Another lasting takeaway was his insight that people remember the peak and the end of an experience the most. I think about this every time I prepare my presentations. I always ask myself: Does my presentation have a clear peak? Does it end on a high note?

This book has truly stayed with me, influencing not just how I think, but how I approach decisions, presentations, and interactions in my personal and professional life.