- Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins
- Creation: Life and How to Make It by Steve Grand
- Data-Driven Marketing: The 15 Metrics Everyone in Marketing Should Know by Mark Jeffery
- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
- Also a favourite of Evan Williams and Max Levchin
- Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation by James Womack and Daniel Jones
- Memos from the Chairman by Alan Greenberg
- Sam Walton: Made in America by Sam Walton
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb
- The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done by Peter F. Drucker
- Also a favourite of Tim Ferriss and Guy Kawasaki
- The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement by Eliyahu Goldratt
- The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen
- Also a favourite of Mark Cuban, Macolm Gladwell, Steve Jobs, Guy Kawasaki, Evan Williams and Max Levchin
- The Mythical Man-Month by Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.
- The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
My Bookshelf
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in this post are “affiliate links”. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally or believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I think you’ll agree with me when I say:
Books are a cheap, quick and easy way of improving your knowledge.
But there’s a problem…
How do you select the best books on your chosen topic? You don’t want to waste your time and money on bad books; you want to buy those that will be beneficial…
…books that will help you to achieve your goals.
Most people rely on book reviews. However, there’s a downside to this logic. In most cases, you have no idea who wrote the review.
Would you not prefer book recommendations from successful businessmen and entrepreneurs? People who have taken action and applied the knowledge they acquired from the books. People who know from experience that the information is valuable.
Well, that’s exactly what you will find below on this page. A list of must-read business books recommended by top businessmen and entrepreneurs.
Read the Right Book at the Right Time
I learned from Darren Hardy (CEO of Success Magazine) that you should concentrate on just one area of your life or one skill you want to improve.
Once developed and executed excellently, that skill would have the greatest impact on your career/life. It would help you accomplish your current most important goal.
Once identified, you should research the best resources to help you improve and further develop that skill, and then buy:
- The best 5 books on that topic
- The best 3 audio programs on that topic
- A ticket for 1 seminar on that topic
Once you have consumed the information from your purchases, make notes and then pick out those that are most useful.
Here’s why:
You won’t be able to do everything at once.
It’s important that you take what you’ve learned and reduce it down to the best three ideas. From those ideas, pick just one and implement it immediately.
Doing must follow learning.
Knowing what to do is not the same as doing what you know. You must implement what you learn, or to put it another way:
Once confident that you have familiarised yourself with this new skill, move on to the next idea.
Now, simply repeat this process until you have attained your goal. Once that’s done, move on to your next goal.
Following this goal-setting, skill-seeking, and action-taking cycle will help you achieve great things.
Invest in Yourself
High achievers share several traits. One is that they continuously strive to better themselves. They devote a lot of time and effort to personal development.
Personal development is a process that involves assessing your skills and qualities, contemplating what you want to achieve in life and then setting goals to help you get there. You need to increase self-awareness and knowledge and improve personal skills to achieve these goals.
You improve skills through practice, whereas you attain knowledge via various sources of information, i.e., text, audio, and visuals.
You can acquire information from the internet, books, audiobooks, videos, online courses, seminars, lectures, etc. Often, it’s free, but if you want the best information on a specific topic presented in an order that’s easy to follow, it’s more likely that you’ll have to pay for it.
I firmly believe that we should all strive towards continuous improvement, which is why you should invest in personal development.
If you think about it, personal development materials and coaches are essentially free. If they help you improve and as a result of that earn more money then they effectively pay for themselves.
In fact, according to Brian Tracy, an investment in personal development more than pays for itself:
If you want things to change for the better, you have to change. The best way to achieve this change?
Invest in yourself.
Must-Read Books for Entrepreneurs
If you’d like to jump straight to books in a certain category, please use the following contents box:
Contents
- Branding Books
- Entrepreneurship Books
- Financial Management Books
- Inspirational Books
- Management & Leadership Books
- Marketing Books
- Productivity Books
- Psychology Books
- Sales Books
- Self-Help Books
- Strategy Books
- Writing Books
- I Don’t Have Time to Read
Bonus Content
Filter Books Based On Category:
Branding Books
In short, branding is the way your customer perceives you. It goes way beyond a memorable logo. Good branding increases the value of your company, makes customer acquisition easier, and provides your employees with direction and motivation. With strong branding, you will set business apart from the competition.
Simon Middleton shows you how to create, manage and communicate your brand profoundly and effectively, in just 30 days, by following 30 clear exercises. How you work through the book is up to you, the result will be the same: an authentic, compelling, and highly distinctive brand that will attract and engage customers and fans.
If you’re planning to spruce-up your website to make it a more enjoyable experience for your visitors, this book by Steve Krug is a great place to start.
How to build a product or service into a world-class brand.
This book documents the 22 key principles of branding starting with “expansion” and “contraction” followed by “publicity” and “advertising.”
Entrepreneurship Books
So, you think you’ve got what it takes to start a new business? These books will provide you with direction, so you know what steps to take to not only get your business started but also grow it into a success.
This book sets out a method for building a business that becomes a valuable asset. It focuses you on transforming your organisation into something scalable, digital, fun and capable of making an impact. It’s time to, stand out, scale up and build a business that has a life of its own.
Most Entrepreneurs struggle with inconsistent income, low productivity, and don’t have enough time in a day to get everything they want done. Peter shows you the fastest and most effective ways to maximize your income, get bigger things done in less time, and helps you create your ideal lifestyle.
In this book, the author tells you everything he learned from starting, growing, and selling CD Baby. All compressed into an entertaining and useful one-hour read.
“The best business book I’ve ever read” ~ Bill Gates
This business classic written by longtime New Yorker contributor John Brooks is an insightful and engaging look into corporate and financial life in America.Gary Vaynerchuk shows you how to use the power of the Internet to turn your real interests into real businesses.
By the end of this book, you will have learned how to harness the power of the Internet to make their entrepreneurial dreams come true. Step by step, Crush It! is the ultimate driver’s manual for modern business.Do you want to leave your 9-5? Do you want to be your own boss? Are you an entrepreneur?
Dear Entrepreneur is an unmissable collection of candid and inspiring letters from business founders who have been there and done it or who are building successful businesses right now.Entrepreneur Revolution: How to develop your entrepreneurial mindset and start a business that works
Entrepreneur Revolution is a master class in gaining an entrepreneurial mind-set, showing you how to change the way you think, the way you network, and the way you make a living. Successful entrepreneur Daniel Priestley will show you how to embrace the Entrepreneur Revolution and thrive in the new age.
Everybody needs an EVIL PLAN. Everybody needs that crazy, out-there idea that allows them to ACTUALLY start doing something they love, doing something that matters. Everybody needs an EVIL PLAN that gets them the hell out of the Rat Race, away from lousy bosses, away from boring, dead-end jobs that they hate. Life is short.
How to shift your company beyond being transactional to truly transform and even transcend business…forever. Evolved Enterprise is an illustrated journey for 21st century entrepreneurs ready to explore how greater purpose, joy and meaningful impact create fierce brand loyalty, marketplace leadership and deliver exceptional profits.
Need more appointments? Need more sales? Need more motivation? Need no-nonsense advice? Read this book.
Brad Burton takes us on a personal rollercoaster ride, from telling his employer to shove his job up his arse, £25,000 in debt and no income, to MD of a fast-growing national business.This book provides essential information for anyone who wants to get out of the rat race to work as a free agent or start their own business. From the ins and outs of writing a business plan, to how to win customer loyalty, Geoff Burch in his usual provocative and anecdotal style gives the common sense advice you’ve been waiting for.
A common sense approach to growing a business.
“Making money is a knack, a knack that can be acquired. And if someone like me can become rich, then so can you – no matter what your present circumstances. Here is how I did it and what I learned along the way.” So writes Felix Dennis. He believes anyone of reasonable intelligence can become rich, given sufficient motivation and application.
Mark Cuban provides a catalogue of insider knowledge on what it takes to become a thriving entrepreneur. He tells his own rags-to-riches story of how he went from selling powdered milk and sleeping on friends’ couches to owning his own company and becoming a multi-billion dollar success story.
This book shares a story of successful start-ups, multi-million-pound rescues and family tragedy before focusing on the practical ‘how-to’ for you so you can take the steps needed to take your business from where it is now into multiples of profit.
Shattering the myth that you need money to make money, serial entrepreneur and millionaire Yanik Silver reveals the 11 X-Factors to turn your big idea into even bigger profits—without taking on debt, partnering with outside investors, or even writing a business plan.
This book features the original seven powerful methods that average people can use to make money on the Internet, and covers such topics as taking offline products online, niche marketing, successful Web-based business models, information marketing, affiliate programs, and more.
Why has Poke the Box become a cult classic?
Because it’s a book that dares readers to do something they’re afraid of. It could be what you need, too.
“A one-two punch! Half kick in the ass, half cheerleading encouragement.” ~ Steven Pressfield, The War of ArtReady, Fire, Aim has what you need to succeed in your entrepreneurial endeavors.
Self-made multimillionaire and bestselling author Masterson outlines a focused strategy for guiding a small business through the four stages of entrepreneurial growth.Many self-employed individuals work in isolation without help, guidance or support on how to conquer the many fears, issues and challenges that self-employment can present. Fraser shares his journey in self-employment and the many challenges he embraced and conquered in the early days of working for himself.
Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who’s ever dreamed of doing it on their own.
“If given a choice between investing in someone who has read REWORK or has an MBA, I’m investing in REWORK every time. A must read for every entrepreneur.” ~ Mark Cuban, co-founder HDNet, owner of the Dallas MavericksYou no longer need to work nine-to-five in a big company to pay the mortgage, send your kids to school and afford that yearly holiday. You can quit the rat race and start up on your own – and you don’t need an MBA or a huge investment to do it.
“The 4-Hour Workweek is a new way of solving a very old problem: just how can we work to live and prevent our lives from being all about work? A world of infinite options awaits those who would read this book and be inspired by it!” ~ Michael E. Gerber
From generating ideas to gaining your first paying customers, The 7 Day Startup is the bootstrapper’s bible for launching your next product.
Gerber walks you through the life of a business from entrepreneurial infancy, through adolescent growing pains, to the mature entrepreneurial perspective: the guiding light of all businesses that succeed. Most importantly, he draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business.
Rather than wasting time creating elaborate business plans, The Lean Startup offers entrepreneurs – in companies of all sizes – a way to test their vision continuously, to adapt and adjust before it’s too late. Ries provides a scientific approach to creating and managing successful startups in a age when companies need to innovate more than ever.
If you want to create the type of wealth that will change your life (I’m talking about $100,000+/per month here, not the typical guru swan song “make 10K a month” crap) you truly have to ditch the freaking 9-5, tear up the old plan, and get kicking on a new roadmap. I call it “Fastlane Entrepreneurship”. ~ M.J. DeMarco
The Millionaire Master Plan is a unique and fresh approach as to how you can not only get a sense of where you stand on the spectrum of personal wealth, but more importantly, how you can learn to ascend from your present state to a higher level.
The Millionaire Messenger reveals how everyday people can share their life’s lessons and advice with others and earn a fortune in the process. Author Brendon Burchard reveals a 10-step plan for making an impact and an income with what you know.
If you feel like a slave to your business rather than master of it, The Mindful Entrepreneur is for you.
Fusing proven, cutting-edge business strategy with powerful mindfulness practices, you’ll learn an immediately practical, holistic approach to achieving business success and personal fulfilment.A framework for personal development, you’ll discover the tools, knowledge, and resources you need to reach your potential. Howes anchors each chapter with a specific lesson he culled from his greatness “professors” and his own experiences to teach you how to create a vision, develop hustle, and use dedication to reach your goals.
Why do we do what we do? Why do we exist? Learning to ask these questions can unlock the secret to inspirational business. Sinek explains what it truly takes to lead and inspire and how anyone can learn how to do it.
In Tycoon, Peter offers his personal insight into the qualities and skills he believes every successful entrepreneur possesses. His Ten Golden Rules provide key building blocks for turning your ideas into successful businesses.
As instructive as it is innovative, Unlabel will empower you to channel your creativity, find the courage to defy convention and summon the confidence to act and compete in any environment. It’s a bold and honest approach to building an authentic personal brand, and a roadmap for growing a start-up into a sustainable business.
This no-nonsense guide distills the most important lessons Sethi learned building his dorm room blog into an 8-figure-a-year company.
If you want to build a business that makes you an extra 5-figures a month, this book will show you how.The great secret of our time is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel shows how we can find singular ways to create those new things. It starts by learning to ask the questions that lead you to find value in unexpected places.
Financial Management Books
Financial Management is important. You must manage your finances to prevent overspending and to account for all expenditure. These books will help to keep you on top of your finances. After all, no one wants a nasty surprise from the tax man.
In Automatic Wealth, self–made millionaire Michael Masterson draws upon his own experience and that of experts in the fields of retirement, investing, and real estate to offer you a complete program on achieving financial independence.
The title of this book speaks for itself and is the promise Jim makes to the reader: Do This. Get Rich!. Follow Jim’s guidelines and you will succeed as an entrepreneur. Period! You won’t get rich doing exactly what Jim did, so there are no hard and fast rules. Rather, this book contains a compass and a very detailed map.
Mark Homer became a financially free multi-millionaire businessman investor by the time he was in his early 30’s. In this unique book, he shows you in his renowned analytical, detailed and controversially sceptical nature how you can realistically achieve the low-cost high life for the long term, in the shortest possible timeframe.
Rich Dad Poor Dad tells the story of Robert Kiyosaki and his two dads, his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad, and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about investing. You don’t need to earn a high income to be rich, find out the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.
The greatest investment advisor of the twentieth century, Benjamin Graham taught and inspired people worldwide. Graham’s philosophy of “value investing”, which shields investors from substantial error and teaches them to develop long-term strategies, has made this book the stock market bible ever since its publication in 1949.
The bestselling The Millionaire Next Door identifies seven common traits that show up again and again among those who have accumulated wealth. Most of the truly wealthy in America don’t live in Beverly Hills or on Park Avenue-they live next door.
This book provides very simple but sound financial advice. If you’re struggling with your finances and want to get them under control, it’s worth a read.
Inspirational Books
Most of us can do with a little inspiration every now and then to keep us moving forward. The stories of those that have had great achievements are a great place to start.
From an ice cream van to Dragons’ Den – the autobiography of self-made multi-millionaire Duncan Bannatyne.
At 30, Duncan had no money. He saw a story about someone who had made himself a millionaire and decided to do the same. Five years later, he had done it; at the time of publication, he was worth £168 million.This book will change how you think about what drives you to succeed. Compelling evidence combined with inspiring stories and insights will unlock a powerful new mindset that will instantly boost your performance and open your eyes to what it really takes to excel.
This uplifting and humorous little book provides a unique insight into the world of advertising. It is a quirky compilation of quotes, facts, pictures, wit and wisdom – all packed into easy-to-digest, bite-sized spreads.
The number one Sunday Times bestseller – the witty and energetically written autobiography of Chris Evans.
The story of how one council estate lad made good, really very good and survived – just about – to tell the tale…Sunday Times Celebrity Book of the Year 2010.
This continues Chris’s story right where he left off in his first book, It’s Not What You Think. He was rich and famous and now owned his own radio station and media company. What could possibly go wrong?The number 1 international bestselling autobiography of entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.
Losing My Virginity is one of my favourite autobiographies. It’s a fun account of how Richard started his first business and grew it into the multinational corporation we know today. Plus, all of the excitement in between…In Screw It, Let’s Do It, Richard shares the secrets of his success and the invaluable lessons he has learned over the course of his remarkable career. He also looks to the future and shares his plans to take his business and ideas to the next level.
“A refreshingly honest reminder of what the path to business success really looks like … It’s an amazing tale” ~ Bill Gates
A great read, you will not be disappointed.Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography is the definitive portrait of the greatest innovator of his generation.
Bestselling author Walter Isaacson provides an extraordinary account of Jobs’ professional and personal life.This is one of my favourite fiction books.
The story follows Santiago, a young shepherd, on a journey to realise his “Personal Legend.” It’s a beautiful parable that has inspired people all over the world to live their dreams.Being brilliant, successful, and happy isn’t about dramatic change; it’s about finding out what really works for you and doing more of it! The authors lay out six common-sense principles that will ensure you focus on what you’re good at and become super brilliant both at work and at home.
The Motivation Manifesto is a pulsing, articulate, ferocious call to claim our personal power. World-renowned high-performance trainer Brendon Burchard reveals that humankind’s main motive is the pursuit of greater Personal Freedom.
If you’re feeling frustrated, demoralized, or stuck in a rut, this book can help you turn your problems into your most significant advantages. Along the way, it will inspire you with dozens of true stories of the greats from every age and era.
Alan Sugar was born in 1947 and raised on a council estate in Hackney. As a kid, he watched his dad struggle to support the family. This greatly impacted him, fueling a drive to succeed that would earn him a personal fortune.
This autobiography is forthright, funny, and sometimes controversial, like the man himself.Daily inspiration for each day of the year (or when you need it).
Management & Leadership Books
If you want to become a better leader and your success depends upon the people you manage, these books will give you an understanding of what is required and how to get there.
Tony shares the lessons he has learned in business and life, from running a pizza business, through LinkExchange, Zappos, and more. Tony shows how a very different kind of corporate culture is a powerful model for achieving success and how by concentrating on the happiness of those around you, you can dramatically increase your own.
Can a good company become a great one and, if so, how? After a five-year research project, Collins concludes that good to great can and does happen. In this book, he uncovers the underlying variables that enable any type of organization to make the leap from good to great while other organizations remain only good.
Made to Stick is a book that will transform the way you communicate ideas.
It shows you the principles of successful ideas at work and how you can apply these rules to making your own messages “stick.”This book is essential reading for coaches of all experience-levels and types and is of particular value for anyone looking to start a coaching business to short cut growing pains and quickly rise to become a high-level coach.
Communications coach Carmine Gallo has broken down the top TED talks and interviewed the most popular TED presenters to uncover the nine secrets of all successful TED presentations. Gallo provides a step-by-step method that makes it possible for anyone to deliver a TED-style presentation that is engaging, persuasive, and memorable.
A classic that’s well worth a read, even in our modern age. You will find that many of Sun Tzu’s principles can be applied to everyday life.
The Coaching Habit gives you seven questions and the tools to make them an everyday habit. Master them, and you’ll be able to work less hard and have more impact.
These 366 daily readings have been harvested from Drucker’s lifetime of work. At the bottom of each page, you will find an action point that spells out exactly how to put Drucker’s ideas into practice. It is as if the wisest and most action-oriented management consultant in the world is in the room, offering his timeless gems of advice.
The classic parable that started a worldwide movement.
Imparted with wit and grace, The Go-Giver is a heartwarming and inspiring tale that brings new relevance to the old proverb “Give and you shall receive.”“Don’s commandments for business failure will teach you more about business success than a whole shelf full of books” ~ Bill Gates
Unlike most business books, this one is actually fun to read.This book is for those who don’t want to be sheep and instead have a desire to do fresh and exciting work. If you have a passion for what you want to do and the drive to make it happen, there is a tribe of fellow employees, or customers, or readers, just waiting for you to connect them with each other and lead them where they want to go.
This book is the step-by-step guide every entrepreneur needs to build a business with the asset of working with virtual employees. Focusing on business growth, Ducker explains every detail you need to grasp, from figuring out which jobs you should outsource to finding, hiring, training, motivating, and managing virtual assistants.
Marketing Books
If you have an excellent product or service, then you want people to know about it. That’s what marketing is all about. These books will show you what is required for good marketing.
Ryan walks you through exactly how he’s helped generate over $120 million dollars in revenue and 52,000 email subscribers per day in 23 different markets (and counting) using a slightly counter-intuitive methodology named the “Ask Method.” The book shows you how you can use the same process for yourself…in practically any market.
Buzzmarketing explores the six secrets of great word-of-mouth campaigns and shows how any company can thrive by pursuing a buzz-driven strategy rather than just hoping for a lucky break.
Content Machine outlines a strategy for using content marketing to build a 7 figure business with zero advertising. By teaching the fundamentals of content marketing, how to create great content and how to stand out from the crowd, it simplifies the otherwise challenging process of creating content with impact.
DotComSecrets is a shortcut. Inside you will find the actual playbook Russell and his team created after running thousands of tests and perfecting what works online.
Click here to get this book for free.“Expert Secrets Is The Map That Will Allow You To Turn Your Specialized Knowledge, Talents and Abilities Into A Business That Will Work For You! This Is One Of The Shortcuts of The New Rich” ~ Robert Kiyosaki
Click here to get this book for free.This book has become a classic in the field of business, revolutionising marketing for small businesses all over the world and creating a new way to understand market share and how to gain it. The “Sixteen Monumental Secrets of Guerilla Marketing” make this a worthy purchase.
This book explains step-by-step how entrepreneurs can use smarter marketing and joint ventures to generate maximum profits from minimum investments.
Whether you have been blogging for years or just a few weeks, How to Blog For Profit offers solid advice and practical action plans for creating an authentic, successful, and profitable blog.
It’s worth grabbing for the Pinterest strategy alone.Jeff Walker, the creator of Product Launch Formula, shares his formula to sell almost anything online, build a business you love, and live the life of your dreams. Tiny home-based businesses have used this formula to produce launches that sold tens of thousands… hundreds of thousands… and even millions of dollars in just a few days.
This book is a recipe for ensuring demand outstrips supply for your product or service, and you have scores of customers lining up to give you money. It explains how to become oversubscribed, even in a crowded marketplace and provides practical tips alongside inspiring examples to alter your mindsets and get you bursting with ideas.
If you’re serious about taking yourself, your business, or your product to the next level, you can’t succeed without a platform. This is your chance to take out the guesswork, frustration, and wasted time/money that come with building yours the wrong way. Michael shares tried and true tactics that get results.
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing can mean the difference between success or failure for your product or company. Learn how to avoid the danger of ego and arrogance, the need to understand trends, and many other crucial marketing lessons. This book shows how to play by the rules and become a winner in your field.
Subscription is the key to increase cash flow, igniting growth and boosting the value of your company. Whether you want to transform your entire business into a recurring revenue engine or just pick up an extra 5 per cent of sales growth, The Automatic Customer will be your secret weapon.
The Power Of Why will give you keen insight into what customers really want in today’s marketplace. Step-by-step Richard Weylman illustrates how to change the way you position and promote your company and its products and services so that your value is clear and your company is distinct from all others.
An eye opening book about media manipulation. Ryan explains exactly how the media really works, shares his manipulator secrets and leaves you to choose what you do with the information.
This is a system that any author can immediately put in place to start building their platform. Whether you’re a seasoned author looking to step into the new publishing landscape, or you’re a brand new author, Your First 1000 Copies will give you the tools to connect with readers and sell more books.
Productivity Books
It’s unlikely that you’ll achieve much in business if you’re not very productive. The ability to get things done will give you a big advantage. I personally love it when I have a highly productive day. These books will help you develop a productivity plan that is right for you.
There’s an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that it’s probably the worst thing you’ll do all day. This book shows you how to zero in on the most challenging task of your day and get organised. You’ll not only get more done, but you’ll get the right things done.
Being an Essentialist is about a disciplined way of thinking. By applying a more selective criteria for what is essential, the pursuit of less allows us to regain control of our own choices so we can channel our time, energy and effort into making the highest possible contribution toward the goals and activities that matter.
Getting Things Done is a proven path for getting in control of your world, and maintaining perspective in your life. Much more than a set of tips for time management and organization, GTD is a total work-life management system that transforms overwhelm into an integrated system of stress-free productivity.
Based on the authors’ real-world experience coaching the world’s top executives, GOAL! presents a proven, step-by-step program for achieving any goal in your career or your life. The book’s unique 30-Day Goal Track and easy-to-follow worksheets will motivate you to take action and your goals and keep you disciplined to achieve them.
In the age of information overload, traditional time management techniques simply don’t cut it. How to be a Productivity Ninja provides a better way. It’s a fun, accessible and practical guide to staying cool, calm and collected, getting more done, and learning to love your work again.
This book unveils the principle of “Massive Action,” allowing you to blast through business clichés and risk-aversion while taking concrete steps towards your dreams. Find out where to start, what to do, and how to follow up each action with more action. Remove luck and chance from your business equation and lock in massive success.
This book redefines your “year” to be 12 weeks long. In 12 weeks, there just isn’t enough time to get complacent, and urgency increases and intensifies. The 12 Week Year creates focus and clarity on what matters most and a sense of urgency to do it now. In the end more of the important stuff gets done and the impact on results is profound.
The Now Habit offers a comprehensive plan to help readers lower their stress and increase their time to enjoy guilt-free play. Dr Fiore’s techniques will help any busy person start tasks sooner and accomplish them more quickly, without the anxiety brought on by the negative habits of procrastination and perfectionism.
Gary Keller has identified that behind every successful person is their ONE Thing. No matter how success is measured, personal or professional, only the ability to dismiss distractions and concentrate on your ONE Thing stands between you and your goals. The ONE Thing is about getting extraordinary results in every situation.
The War of Art identifies the enemy that every one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer this internal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success. It emphasizes the resolve needed to recognize and overcome the obstacles of ambition and then effectively shows how to reach the highest level of creative discipline.
Psychology Books
Do you think you would have an advantage if you understood human behaviour? If you knew why people make certain decisions? What if you knew the right things to say to influence a decision? That’s what you’ll learn from the following books.
The author explains why some people thrive under pressure and others choke. He weighs the value of innate ability against that of practice, hard work and will. From sex to maths, from the motivation of children to the culture of big business, Bounce shows how competition provides a master key with which to unlock the mysteries of success.
This is a book about ten great ideas. Each chapter is an attempt to savour one idea that has been discovered by several of the world’s civilizations – to question it in light of what we now know from scientific research and to extract from it the lessons that still apply to our modern lives.
Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say “yes” and how to apply these understandings. You’ll learn the six universal principles, how to use them to become a skilled persuader and how to defend yourself against them.
Why do smart people make irrational decisions every day? The answers will surprise you. In this astounding book, behavioural economist Dan Ariely cuts to the heart of our strange behaviour, demonstrating how irrationality often supplants rational thought and that the reason for this is embedded in the very structure of our minds.
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to achieve wealth effortlessly while others work just as hard but still struggle financially? In this fresh and original book T. Harv Eker explains how you too can master the inner game of money so that you will not only achieve financial success but keep it once you have it.
Learn how to manage your thoughts and discover lifelong happiness. In this book, the author demonstrates how we can change everything in our lives – earn more money, meet new friends, get a new job – yet still feel dissatisfied. Happiness, he says, is not ‘out there’ but within, a state of mind that is independent of circumstance.
Conventional wisdom holds that if we work hard we will be more successful, and if we are more successful, then we’ll be happy. But recent discoveries in the field of positive psychology have shown that this formula is actually backward: Happiness fuels success, not the other way around.
The How of Happiness is a different kind of happiness book, one that offers a comprehensive guide to understanding what happiness is, and isn’t, and what can be done to bring us all closer to the happy life we envision for ourselves.
Learn eleven practical steps on how to limit choices to a manageable number, have the discipline to focus on those that are important and ignore the rest, and ultimately derive greater satisfaction from the choices you have to make.
In The Success Principles, Jack Canfield helps you get from where you are to where you want to be, teaching you how to increase your confidence, tackle daily challenges, live with passion and purpose, and realize all your ambitions.
In this book, Malcolm Gladwell explains and analyses the ‘tipping point’, that magic moment when ideas, trends and social behaviour cross a threshold, tip and spread like wildfire.
Very thought provoking.This book reveals how our minds are tripped up by error and prejudice (even when we think we are being logical), and gives you practical techniques for slower, smarter thinking. It will enable to you make better decisions at work, at home, and in everything you do.
Sales Books
You have a high-quality product or service. Potential customers know about it, but they’re not buying. What do you do? You learn how to sell. These books will teach you how.
This is a great book on selling.
After he learned the world’s best sales techniques, Tom Hopkins applied his new skills and earned more than one million dollars in just three years. In this book, Hopkins shows how you can succeed in the profession of selling.One truly great pitch can improve your career, make you a lot of money and even change your life. Success is dependent on the method you use, not how hard you try. “Better method, more money… Much better method, much more money” says Klaff. If you want to learn how to pitch, read this book.
I believe this is one of the best sales and marketing books ever written.
The Ultimate Sales Machine shows you how to tune up virtually every part of your business by spending just an hour per week on each impact area you want to improve – sales, marketing, management, and more.Dramatically increase your ability to sell by learning how to control the mind of your prospect using 30 powerful psychological triggers to motivate, influence and persuade.
Self-Help Books
I believe that continued personal development is something that should never stop. Your competition is always improving so you should make sure that you are too. There’s a lot of books in this category. I’m sure you can find value in many of them.
Stop and think about it. If you had started something new and worked on it every week since one year ago, what might you have been able to accomplish? Twelve months, after all, is plenty of time to start accruing success. In this book, Vic Johnson takes you through 52 weeks of learning, growing and encouragement towards achieving your goals.
A classic short book that contains a lot of simple wisdom.
The author describes this book as “A book that will help you to help yourself”, “A pocket companion for thoughtful people”, and “A book on the power and right application of thought.”You are not doomed by your genes and hardwired to be a certain way for the rest of your life. You can create the reality they choose. Dr Joe Dispenza shares the knowledge to change any aspect of yourself, including the step-by-step tools to apply what you learn in order to make measurable changes in any area of your life.
Inspirational and eye-opening. In every part of society, the middlemen are being pushed out of the picture. No longer is someone coming to hire you, to invest in your company, to sign you, to pick you. It’s on you to make the most important decision in your life: Choose Yourself.
Say you’ve got a book, a screenplay or a startup in your head but you’re stuck, scared or just don’t know how to begin, how to break through or how to finish. This book takes you step-by-step from the project’s inception to its ship date, hitting each predictable “resistance point” along the way and giving techniques for overcoming each obstacle.
Get Off Your Arse Too is a self-help/business book for people who don’t like self-help/business books. It’s a whole lot of honesty about some of the strokes you need to pull to get through those first few years of business… and then what to do when you get there.
A classic that introduces and explains the various levels of reading and how to achieve them – from elementary reading, through systematic skimming and inspectional reading, to speed reading. There’s instruction for the techniques that work best for reading particular genres, and reading tests you can use to measure your progress.
Millions of people around the world have improved their lives based on the teachings of Dale Carnegie. In How to Win Friends and Influence People, he offers practical advice and techniques, in his exuberant and conversational style, for how to get out of a mental rut and make life more rewarding. A classic!
A classic in the field of self-improvement books. William Danforth says for an individual to be healthy, four key components in life need to be in balance at all times: Physical, Mental, Social, and Spiritual. This book will motivate you to be the best you can be in all four categories.
A great book that may introduce a new perspective on work and life.
Learn why it’s so important to become indispensable and overcome the fears that have held you back.Robert Greene shares the path to greatness. With this seminal text as a guide, you will learn how to unlock the passion within, become a master and start to live by your own rules.
Too often, life just races by. You don’t fully experience what’s happening now because you’re too busy thinking about what happened yesterday or what needs doing tomorrow. Life is happening right now; mindfulness will help you live in the moment, so it doesn’t pass you by. It will help to increase your enjoyment of life.
A classic and inspiring personal development book that everyone should read. Psycho-Cybernetics is a term coined by Dr. Maxwell Maltz, which means, “Steering your mind to a productive, useful goal so you can reach the greatest port in the world, peace of mind. With it, you’re somebody. Without it, you’re nothing.”
If you want a fun, motivational, quick read that’s packed with practical tips to boost your productivity, Steal Like An Artist is the book for you. This is an extremely enjoyable read, with a few illustrations for good measure. Who says books with pictures are only for kids?
Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day? Chances are, you don’t. All too often, our natural talents go untapped. From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths. This book and accompanying website will change the way you look at yourself.
This book examines habit building in depth. It covers the principles and philosophies of habit building, and what’s required to implement them. The second half of the book is dedicated to specific habits in every major area of life, covering the pros and cons of each, the path to implementing them, and specific notes about each one.
Don’t be fooled by the name of this book. It isn’t just a cookbook, it’s an introduction to the world of rapid learning. Thje author uses cooking to explain “meta-learning,” a step-by-step process that can be used to master anything. That is the real “recipe” of The 4-Hour Chef.
The information in this book is drawn from 3,000 years of the history of power. The text is bold and elegant and filled with fables and unique word sculptures. The 48 laws are illustrated through the tactics, triumphs and failures of great figures from the past who have wielded – or been victimised by – power.
Before you read this book, you’ll need to be open to a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works, what the author calls a “paradigm shift”. You can then be introduced to the seven habits which focus on self-mastery, working with others and continuous improvement. A classic that will benefit all that study it.
The Charge provides the keys to understanding and activating what it takes to feel alive in clear and concrete ways that will inspire and help everyone find the one thing we all are searching for: more life in our lives.
The Chimp Paradox is a powerful mind management model. The Chimp is the emotional machine that we all possess. It thinks independently from us and can make decisions. The purpose of this book is to help you to manage your Chimp and to harness its strength and power when it is working for you and to neutralise it when it is not.
In this controversial, but empowering self-help book, Dr Russ Harries, reveals how millions of people are unwittingly caught in the “The Happiness Trap”, where the more they strive for happiness the more they suffer in the long term. He then provides a means to escape through a groundbreaking new approach based on mindfulness skills.
The Jetstream of Success has been written to help you reinvent yourself more conducive to your goals. The book was not intended to be an easy read. In fact, it was designed to challenge you to take a leap of vision and piece together an ever-fuller understanding of yourself so you can redefine your life and as a result, your future.
A classic international bestseller.
Practical, empowering and hugely engaging, this book will not only inspire you, it will give you the tools to change your life for the better – starting from now.What if you could wake up tomorrow and any – or every – area of your life was beginning to transform? What would you change? The Miracle Morning shows you how to wake up each day with more energy, motivation, and focus to take your life to the next level. Are you ready? It’s time to wake up to your full potential…
The Power of Full Engagement is a highly practical, scientifically based approach to managing your energy more skillfully. It provides a life-changing road map to becoming more fully engaged on and off the job, meaning physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned.
Once you understand how habits work, you can transform your business, your community, and your life.
Charles Duhigg takes us to the thrilling edge of scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed. He brings to life a whole new understanding of human nature and its potential for transformation.A very practical and easy to follow book. With The Power of Less, you will be able to start a complete shift from wanting everything to needing nothing, be able to live your life simply without compromise, and discover that though we cannot have everything we want, we can obtain anything we will ever need.
This book shows how changing your thought patterns can produce dramatic improvements and turnarounds in your life. Using practical, easy-to-understand techniques and real world case studies, Joseph Murphy explains how you can apply and direct the power of your subconscious mind to attain your goals and dreams.
Pressure is a constant in all our lives. Dealing with it is a skill just like any other.
In this book the author shares his eight groundbreaking principles that will help you harness pressure and turn it to your advantage.According to Wallace D. Wattles, “There is a science of getting rich, and it is an exact science, like algebra or arithmetic. There are certain laws which govern the process of acquiring riches; once these laws are learned and obeyed by any man, he will get rich with mathematical certainty.” A short thought provoking read.
Often the rules for success are so simple and so obvious they aren’t even seen. But when you search for them, you, too, can find them. And during the search something wonderful happens: you acquire knowledge…you gain experience…you become inspired. And then you begin to realise the necessary ingredients for success
This classic book is a must read (although it can be a little dull in parts). Napoleon Hill devoted 25 years to finding out how the wealthy became that way. He shares this information via the thirteen simple steps that constitute his formula. Learn to understand and apply these steps and you will be a step closer to achieving riches.
This is a thought-provoking and motivational book that is more like a high-end magazine. Seth chose this format to be different from other authors and to increase engagement. The book is in full colour throughout and its goal is to push you to dig deep inside so you can do better work and impact the things you care about.
You don’t have to be crazy to talk to yourself. We all talk to ourselves and unfortunately, most of what we tell ourselves is negative, counterproductive and damaging. By learning how to talk to yourself in new ways, you will notice a dramatic improvement in all areas of your life. You will feel better and accomplish more.
A story of four characters who live in a maze and look for cheese to nourish them and make them happy. Cheese is a metaphor for what you want to have in life. The maze is where you look for what you want. The problem is that the cheese keeps moving. A great little book on how to adapt to change.
Strategy Books
If you want your business to continue to grow, you must work on the business, not just in the business. That’s where strategy comes into play.
Discover the 7-steps to profits…
In 90 Days To Profit turnaround experts, Erlend Bakke and Steve Shoulder teach you how to transform a struggling business from zero to profit in record time.Based on over a decade-long study of 150 key strategic moves spanning more than a hundred years and thirty industries. Discover a systematic approach to making the competition irrelevant, outlining principles and tools any organization can use to create and capture their own “blue oceans” – untapped new market spaces ripe for growth.
If you want a book on strategy, this is the one I recommend.
Learn not just how to develop an effective or “good” strategy, but, just as important, how to recognize when you have implemented a bad strategy.
Writing Books
If you’re planning to publish content, whether it’s online, in a magazine, or even a book, your writing is a skill that can always be developed further. These books will help you to improve your writing.
This is a book all about freewriting. If you struggle with writers block, this book should help.
This is one of the best books on the topic of writing that I’ve come across. It’s an enjoyable read that balances both humour and personal advice about the writing process. The book’s title comes from advice that the author’s father gave to her brother, who was struggling to write a report on birds, “Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.”
On Writing is both a textbook for writers and a memoir of Stephen’s life and will. If you’ve always wondered what led him to become a writer and how he became one of the bestselling authors of all time, this answers those questions. It’s a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have.
In You Are a Writer, Jeff Goins shares his own story of self-doubt and what it took for him to become a professional writer — and how you can follow the same path. He gives you practical steps to improve your writing, get published in magazines, and build a platform that puts you in charge.
I Don’t Have Time to Read
If you’re keen to increase your knowledge but can’t find the time to read, don’t worry. There are a couple of solutions:
Option 1: Audible
If you can’t find the time to sit down and read or simply don’t like reading, audiobooks are for you.
You can make use of the in-between moments of your life by listening to a narrated version of your book. Listen on your drive to work, during a workout, or even whilst you’re preparing a meal.
Amazon is king when it comes to books, so it makes sense that they provide the service I recommend: Audible
They offer a free trial, so you have nothing to lose.
Option 2: Blinkist
If you don’t have the time to consume an entire audiobook and just want to get to the nitty-gritty, check out the following:
Blinkist creates book summaries that they condense into engaging 15-minute audio and text. The audio is perfect for times such as your commute to and from work, when you’re busy with chores, or simply when you want to give your eyes a break.
There are currently over 5,000 bestsellers to choose from.
You’ll find many of the books listed above in the Blinkist library.
The Favourite Books of Influencers and Entrepreneurs
All the books listed above on this page have been recommended by many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs. However, some of you may be interested in the favourite books of a specific entrepreneur, pioneer or visionary.
Here’s a list of some of the more famous:
(Gathered from interviews, book contents and information they’ve shared online.)
Note: There are a number of fiction titles listed below as many of these businessmen were influenced by both fiction and non-fiction.
Favourite Books of Jeff Bezos
Favourite Books of Sir Richard Branson
- A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
- An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It by Al Gore
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- Black Box Thinking: Marginal Gains and the Secrets of High Performance by Matthew Syed
- Ending the War on Drugs by Richard Branson
- If I Could Tell You Just One Thing…: Encounters with Remarkable People and Their Most Valuable Advice by Richard Reed
- In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules by Stacy Perman
- Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela
- Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang
- Also a favourite of Donald Trump
- Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
- Stalingrad: The Fateful Siege by Antony Beevor
- Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action by Simon Sinek
- Also a favourite of Tony Robbins and Tony Hsieh
- Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
- Tales of the Unexpected by Roald Dahl
- The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart
- The Quiet American by Graham Greene
- The Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth by Tim Flannery
- Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang
- Winners: And How They Succeed: Alastair Campbell
Favourite Books of Warren Buffett
- An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming and What We Can Do About It by Al Gore
- Also a favourite of Richard Branson
- Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street by John Brooks
- Also a favourite of Bill Gates
- Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits and Other Writings by Philip A. Fisher
- Dream Big by Cristiane Correa
- Essays in Persuasion by John Maynard Keynes
- First a Dream by Jim Clayton and Bill Retherford
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Also a favourite of Daymond John
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
- Also a favourite of Charlie Munger and Max Levchin
- Jack: Straight from the Gut by Jack Welch & John A. Byrne
- Personal History by Katherine Graham
- Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger by Peter D. Kaufman
- Running on Empty: How the Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It by Peter G. Peterson
- Sam Walton: Made in America by Sam Walton – Jeff Bezos
- Security Analysis by Benjamin Graham
- Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises by Tim Geithner
- Also a favourite of Bill Gates
- Take on the Street by Arthur Levitt
- The Clash of the Cultures by John Bogle
- The Essays of Warren Buffett by Warren Buffett & Lawrence A. Cunningham
- The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham
- Also a favourite of Kevin Rose
- The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle
- Also a favourite of Charlie Munger
- The Man Behind the Microchip: Robert Noyce and the Invention of Silicon Valley by Leslie Berlin
- The Most Important Thing Illuminated by Howard Marks & Paul Johnson
- The Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success by William Thorndike Jr.
- The Ten Commandments for Business Failure by Donald R. Keough
- Also a favourite of Bill Gates
- Warren Buffett’s Ground Rules by Jeremy C. Miller
- Where Are the Customers’ Yachts? or A Good Hard Look at Wall Street by Fred Schwed Jr.
Favourite Books of Tim Cook
Competing Against Time by Jr. George Stalk
Favourite Books of Mark Cuban
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- Also a favourite of Steve Jobs
- Call Me Ted by Ted Turner
- Cold Calling Techniques by Stephan Schiffman
- How to Win at the Sport of Business by Mark Cuban
- Rework: Change the Way You Work Forever by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson
- Self-Made Success by Shaan Patel
- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- Also a favourite of Evan Williams and Donald Trump
- The Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie
- The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen
- Also a favourite of Malcolm Gladwell, Steve Jobs, Guy Kawasaki, Evan Williams, Max Levchin and Jeff Bezos
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- Also a favourite of Sheryl Sandberg
- The Only Game in Town by Mohamed El-Erian
- The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias
Favourite Books of Ellen DeGeneres
- Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
- Russell Simmons’ Book Super Rich: A Guide to Having it All by Russell Simmons
- The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
- The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
- Also a favourite of Oprah Winfrey and Jack Dorsey
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
- The Guru in You by Yogi Cameron Alborzian
Favourite Books of Jack Dorsey
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right by Atul Gawande
- The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
- Also a favourite of Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey
- The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
- Also a favourite of Max Levchin
- The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
- The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership by Bill Walsh
- The Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidananda
Favourite Books of Tim Ferriss
- Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Getting Real: The Smarter, Faster, Easier Way to Build a Successful Web Application by Jason Fried, Heinemeier David Hansson, Matthew Linderman
- Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood
- Letters from a Stoic by Seneca
- Surely You’re Joking Mr Feynman: Adventures of a Curious Character as Told to Ralph Leighton by Richard P. Feynman
- Also a favourite of Larry Page
- The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Al Ries and Jack Trout
- The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done by Peter F. Drucker
- Also a favourite of Guy Kawasaki and Jeff Bezos
- Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
- Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis
Favourite Books of Bill Gates
- A Separate Peace by John Knowles
- Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker
- Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street by John Brooks
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
- Epic Measures by Jeremy Smith
- How Asia Works: Success and Failure in the World’s Most Dynamic Region by Joe Studwell
- How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough
- How Not to be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking by Jordan Ellenberg
- How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff
- Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
- Life Is What You Make It by Peter Buffett
- Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization by Vaclav Smil
- My Years with General Motors by Alfred Sloan
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- Also a favourite of Mark Zuckerberg
- Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
- Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight
- Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises by Tim Geithner
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- String Theory by David Foster Wallace
- Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik
- SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Steven D. Levitt
- Also a favourite of Malcolm Gladwell and Daymond John
- Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything, 1966-2012 by Carol Loomis
- The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin
- The Gene by Siddhartha Mukherjee
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- The Man Who Fed the World by Leon Hesser
- The Myth of the Strong Leader by Archie Brown
- The Power to Compete: An Economist and an Entrepreneur on Revitalizing Japan in the Global Economy by Ryoichi Mikitani and Hiroshi Mikitani
- The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
- The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert
- The Ten Commandments for Business Failure by Donald R. Keough
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- The Vital Question: Why is Life the Way it is? by Nick Lane
- What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
Favourite Books of Malcolm Gladwell
- Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets by Nassim Taleb
- Also a favourite of Evan Williams
- Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
- Nixon Agonistes: The Crisis of the Self-Made Man by Garry Wills
- Personal: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child
- Psychoanalysis: The Impossible Profession by Janet Malcolm
- Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions by Gary Klein
- Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious by Timothy Wilson
- SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Steven D. Levitt
- Also a favourite of Bill Gates and Daymond John
- The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis
- The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
- Also a favourite of Steve Jobs, Guy Kawasaki, Evan Williams, Max Levchin, Jeff Bezos and Mark Cuban
- The Opposable Mind by Roger Martin
- The Person and the Situation by Richard Nisbett and Lee Ross
- Traffic: Why We Drive The Way We Do by Tom Vanderbilt
Favourite Books of Seth Godin
- A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel H. Pink
- Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey Moore
- Also a favourite of Guy Kawasaki
- Debt: The First 5000 Years by David Graeber
- Do the Work: Overcome Resistance and Get Out of Your Own Way by Steven Pressfield
- Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse
- Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky
- Just Kids by Patti Smith
- Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar
- See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar
- The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau
- Also a favourite of Tony Hsieh
- The Art of Possibility: Practices in Leadership, Relationship and Passion by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
- The Corporate Blogging Book: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know to Get It Right by Debbie Weil
- The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
- The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field by Mike Michalowicz
- Also a favourite of Guy Kawasaki
- The Pursuit of Wow!: Every Person’s Guide to Topsy-Turvy Times by Tom Peters
- The Tom Peters Seminar by Tom Peters
- The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
- Too Big to Know by David Weinberger
- Your Marketing Sucks by Mark Stevens
- Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier
Favourite Books of Tony Hsieh
- Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk
- Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity by David Allen
- I Love You More Than My Dog by Jeanne Bliss
- Originals: How Non-conformists Change the World by Adam Grant
- Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
- Also a favourite of Jay-Z and Charlie Munger
- Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow by Chip Conley
- Search Inside Yourself: Increase Productivity, Creativity and Happiness by Chade-Meng Tan, Daniel Goleman and Jon Kabat-Zinn
- Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action by Simon Sinek
- Also a favourite of Tony Robbins and Richard Branson
- The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau
- Also a favourite of Seth Godin
- The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt
- Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization by Dave Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright
- Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
Favourite Books of Steve Jobs
- 1984 by George Orwell
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- Also a favourite of Mark Cuban
- Be Here Now by Ram Dass
- Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chogyam Trungpa
- Inside the Tornado by Geoffrey A. Moore
- King Lear by William Shakespeare
- Moby Dick by Herman Melville
- Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew S. Grove
- Also a favourite of Charlie Munger
- The Autobiography of Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
- The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas by Dylan Thomas
- The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
- Also a favourite of Guy Kawasaki, Evan Williams, Max Levchin, Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban and Malcolm Gladwell
- Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki
- Also a favourite of Kevin Rose
Favourite Books of Daymond John
- Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- Life Is a Series of Presentations: How to Inspire, Inform, and Influence Anyone Anywhere Anytime by Tony Jeary
- Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Steven D. Levitt
- Also a favourite of Bill Gates and Malcolm Gladwell
- The One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson
Favourite Books of Guy Kawasaki
- Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customers by Geoffrey A. Moore
- Also a favourite of Seth Godin
- If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence, and Spirit by Brenda Ueland
- Inevitable Illusions: How Mistakes of Reason Rule Our Minds by Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini
- Influence: Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini
- Mastering the Dynamics of Innovation by James M. Utterback
- The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done by Peter F. Drucker
- Also a favourite of Tim Ferriss and Jeff Bezos
- The Hockey Handbook by Lloyd Percival
- The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
- Also a favourite of Evan Williams, Max Levchin, Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban, Malcolm Gladwell and Steve Jobs
- The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Remarkable Business in Any Field by Mike Michalowicz
- Also a favourite of Seth Godin
- Uncommon Genius: How Great Ideas are Born by Denise Shekerjian
Favourite Books of Max Levchin
- Founders at Work: Stories of Startups’ Early Days by Jessica Livingston
- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
- Also a favourite of Evan Williams and Jeff Bezos
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger
- Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely
- Also a favourite of Kevin Rose
- Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs by Harold Abelson and Gerald Jay Sussman
- The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World by Niall Ferguson
- The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers by Ben Horowitz
- The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
- Also a favourite of Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban, Malcolm Gladwell, Steve Jobs, Guy Kawasaki and Evan Williams
- The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
- Also a favourite of Jack Dorsey
- Too Big to Fail: Inside the Battle to Save Wall Street by Andrew Ross Sorkin
- When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management by Roger Lowenstein
- Zero to One: Notes on Start Ups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
- Also a favourite of Elon Musk
Favourite Books of Marissa Mayer
- The Charisma Myth: Master the Art of Personal Magnetism by Olivia Fox Cabane
- The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman
Favourite Books of Charlie Munger
- A Matter of Degrees: What Temperature Reveals About the Past and Future of Our Species, Planet, and Universe by Gino Segre
- A Universe From Nothing: Why There is Something Rather Than Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss
- Andrew Carnegie by Joseph Frazier Wall
- Barbarians at the Gate by Bryan Burrough
- Benjamin Franklin by Carl Van Doren
- Conspiracy of Fools: A True Story by Kurt Eichenwald
- Deep Simplicity: Bringing Order to Chaos and Complexity by John Gribbin
- Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
- Also a favourite of Elon Musk
- F.I.A.S.C.O.: The Inside Story of a Wall Street Trader by Frank Partnoy
- Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters by Matt Ridley
- Also a favourite of Mark Zuckerberg
- Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton
- Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared M. Diamond
- Hard Drive: Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire by James Wallace and Jim Erickson
- How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe’s Poorest Nation Created Our World & Everything in It by Arthur Herman
- Ice Age by John & Mary Gribbin
- In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives by Steven Levy
- Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett and Max Levchin
- Judgment in Managerial Decision Making by Max Bazerman
- Living Within Limits: Ecology, Economics, and Population Taboos by Garrett Hardin
- Master of the Game: Steve Ross and the Creation of Time Warner by Connie Bruck
- Models of My Life by Herbert A. Simon
- Only the Paranoid Survive by Andy Grove
- Also a favourite of Steve Jobs
- Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
- Also a favourite of Jay-Z and Tony Hsieh
- Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger by Peter Bevelin
- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
- The Greatest Trade Ever by Gregory Zuckerman
- The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language by Steven Pinker
- The Little Book of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
- The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal by Jared M. Diamond
- The Warren Buffett Portfolio: Mastering the Power of the Focus Investment Strategy by Robert G. Hagstrom
- The Wealth and Poverty of Nations: Why Some Are So Rich and Some So Poor by David S. Landes
- Three Scientists and Their Gods: Looking for Meaning in an Age of Information by Robert Wright
- Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. by Ron Chernow
- Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Noah Goldstein
Favourite Books of Elon Musk
- Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
- Catherine the Great by Robert K. Massie
- Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
- Also a favourite of Charlie Munger
- Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness by Donald L. Barlett
- Ignition!: An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants by John D. Clark
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway
- Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down by J.E. Gordon
- Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom
- Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age by B. Carlson
- The Foundation trilogy by Isaac Asimov
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Zero to One: Notes on Start Ups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
- Also a favourite of Max Levchin
Favourite Books of Larry Page
- My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla by Nikola Tesla
- Pleasure of Finding Things Out by Richard P. Feynman
- QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter by Richard P. Feynman
- Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
- Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character) by Richard P. Feynman
- Also a favourite of Tim Ferriss
- What Do You Care What Other People Think? by Richard P. Feynman
Favourite Books of Tony Robbins
- As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
- Emerson: Essays and Lectures by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got by Jay Abraham
- Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl
- Pain Free: A Revolutionary Method for Stopping Chronic Pain by Pete Egoscue
- Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action by Simon Sinek
- Also a favourite of Richard Branson and Tony Hsieh
- The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy by William Strauss and Neil Howe
- The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil
Favourite Books of Kevin Rose
- A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle – Oprah Winfrey
- Ego Is The Enemy: The Fight to Master Our Greatest Opponent by Ryan Holiday
- Eight Weeks to Optimum Health by Andrew Weil M.D.
- Envisioning Information by Edward Tufte
- Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal by Eric Schlosser
- How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life by Dalai Lama XIV
- Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces that Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely
- Also a favourite of Max Levchin
- The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
- The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing by Taylor Larimore
- The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham
- Also a favourite of Warren Buffett
- The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation by T. N. Hanh
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
- Also a favourite of Oprah Winfrey
- The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
- Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki
- Also a favourite of Steve Jobs
Favourite Books of Sheryl Sandberg
- A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
- Conscious Business: How to Build Value through Values by Fred Kofman
- Harry Potter Complete Collection 7 Books Set Collection by J. K. Rowling
- Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis
- How Companies Win: Profiting from Demand-Driven Business Models No Matter What Business You’re In by Rick Kash and David Calhoun
- Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton
- The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
- Also a favourite of Mark Cuban
Favourite Books of Donald Trump
- 10 Clowns Don’t Make a Circus: And 249 Other Critical Management Success Strategies by Steven Schragis and Rick Frishman
- Emerson: Essays and Lectures by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Also a favourite of Tony Robbins
- Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca and William Novak
- Ideas and Opinions by Albert Einstein
- Making the Case: How to Be Your Own Best Advocate by Kimberly Guilfoyle
- Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang
- Also a favourite of Richard Branson
- One Billion Customers: Lessons from the Front Lines of Doing Business in China by James McGregor
- Rich Dad’s Cashflow Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Rich Woman: A Book on Investing for Women: Because I Hate Being Told What to Do! by Kim Kiyosaki
- Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else by Geoff Colvin
- The Art of War by Sun Tzu
- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- Also a favourite of Evan Williams and Mark Cuban
- The Party: The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers by Richard McGregor
- The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vicent Peale
- The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
- The Watchman’s Rattle: Thinking Our Way Out of Extinction by Rebecca Costa
- Tide Players by Jianying Zha
- What It Takes to be Number One by Vince Lombardi
Favourite Books of Evan Williams
- Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets by N. N. Taleb
- Also a favourite of Malcolm Gladwell
- Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
- Also a favourite of Jeff Bezos and Max Levchin
- Hackers & Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age by Paul Graham
- Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis
- Slack: Getting Past Burnout, Busywork, and the Myth of Total Efficiency by Tom DeMarco
- The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
- Also a favourite of Mark Cuban and Donald Trump
- The Halo Effect… and the Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers by Philip M. Rosenzweig
- The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
- Also a favourite of Max Levchin, Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban, Malcolm Gladwell, Steve Jobs and Guy Kawasaki
- The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
Favourite Books of Oprah Winfrey
- A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
- A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
- Also a favourite of Kevin Rose
- A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles by Marianne Williamson
- Discover the Power Within You: A Guide to the Unexplored Depths Within by Eric Butterworth
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck
- Night by Elie Wiesel
- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
- The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have by Mark Nepo
- The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
- Also a favourite of Ellen DeGeneres and Jack Dorsey
- The Known World by Edward P. Jones
- The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
- Also a favourite of Kevin Rose
- The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
- Also a favourite of Jay-Z
- The Seeker’s Guide by Elizabeth Lesser
- The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
- The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Favourite Books of Jay-Z
- Nigger: An Autobiography by Dick Gregory
- Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
- Also a favourite of Tony Hsieh and Charlie Munger
- Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin
- The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield
- The Odyssey by Homer
- The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
- Also a favourite of Oprah Winfrey
Favourite Books of Mark Zuckerberg
- Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull
- Dealing with China by Henry M. Paulson Jr.
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- Energy: A Beginner’s Guide by Vaclav Smil
- Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters by Matt Ridley
- Also a favourite of Charlie Munger
- On Immunity: An Inoculation by Eula Biss
- Orwell’s Revenge by Peter Huber
- Portfolios of the Poor: How the World’s Poor Live on $2 a Day by Daryl Collins, Jonathan Morduch, Stuart Rutherford, and Orlanda Ruthven
- Rational Ritual: Culture, Coordination, and Common Knowledge by Michael Suk-Young Chwe
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- Also a favourite of Bill Gates
- The Aeneid by Virgil
- The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World by David Deutsch
- The Better Angels of Our Nature: A History of Violence and Humanity by Steven Pinker
- The End of Power: From Boardrooms to Battlefields and Churches to States, Why Being In Charge Isn’t What It Used to Be by Moisés Naím
- The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation by Jon Gertner
- The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History by Ibn Khaldûn
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
- The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
- The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn
- The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin
- The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James
- Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty by Daren Acemoglu and James Robinson
- World Order: Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History by Henry Kissinger
Conclusion
So there you have it. A list of must-read books recommended by top businessmen and entrepreneurs.
You’ve learned:
- Why it’s important to read the right book at the right time
- What to do if you don’t have enough time to read
- Why it’s important to invest in yourself
I hope this helps you grow your business and further improve your life.
If there’s a book I haven’t mentioned on this page that you think I should read, please let me know. I’d love your recommendations.
Cheers!
Image Credit(s): Marisa Sias via Pixabay