My Bookshelf

Must-read books on shelving

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

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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.

  • Build A Brand In 30 Days

    by Simon Middleton

    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.

  • The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

    by Al Ries & Laura Ries

    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.

  • 6 Months to 6 Figures

    by Peter Voogd

    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.

  • Business Adventures

    by John Brooks

    “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 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.

  • Get Off Your Arse

    by Brad Burton

    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.

  • Growing A Business

    by Paul Hawken

    A common sense approach to growing a business.

  • How To Get Rich

    by Felix Dennis

    “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.

  • Maverick Startup

    by Yanik Silver

    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.

  • Poke the Box

    by Seth Godin

    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 Art

  • Ready, Aim, Fire

    by Michael Masterson

    Ready, 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: Change the Way You Work Forever

    by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson

    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 Mavericks

    You 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

    by Brendon Burchard

    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.

  • Tycoon

    by Peter Jones

    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

    by Robert Kiyosaki

    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.

  • The Richest Man In Babylon

    by George S. Clason

    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.

  • Anyone Can Do It

    by Duncan Bannatyne

    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…

  • Screw It, Let’s Do It

    by Richard Branson

    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.

  • Good To Great

    by Jim Collins

    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

    by Chip & Dan Heath

    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.

  • The Art of War

    by Sun Tzu

    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.

  • Tribes

    by Seth Godin

    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.

  • Ask

    by Ryan Levesque

    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.

  • Dotcom Secrets

    by Russell Brunson

    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

    by Russell Brunson

    “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.

  • Launch

    by Jeff Walker

    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

    by Al Ries & Jack Trout

    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.

  • Thinking, Fast and Slow

    by Daniel Kahneman

    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.

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.

  • As a Man Thinketh

    by James Allen

    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.

  • Choose Yourself!

    by James Altucher

    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

    by Brad Burton

    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.

  • How To Read A Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

    by Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren

    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!

  • I Dare You!

    by William H. Danforth

    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.

  • Mastery

    by Robert Greene

    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.

  • Psycho-Cybernetics

    by Maxwell Maltz

    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.”

  • Steal Like An Artist

    by Austin Kleon

    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.

  • The 4-Hour Chef

    by Tim Ferriss

    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 48 Laws Of Power

    by Robert Greene

    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

    by Julian Pencilliah

    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.

  • The Magic Of Thinking Big

    by David J. Schwartz

    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.

  • The Power Of Less

    by Leo Babauta

    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.

  • The Science of Getting Rich

    by Wallace D. Wattles

    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.

  • The Success System That Never Fails

    by William Clement Stone

    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

  • Think and Grow Rich

    by Napoleon Hill

    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.

  • Who Moved My Cheese?

    by Dr Spencer Johnson

    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.

  • Blue Ocean Strategy

    by W. Chan Kim & Renee Mauborgne

    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.

  • Accidental Genius

    by Mark Levy

    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

Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Amazon.com

Favourite Books of Warren Buffett

CEO, President, and Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

Favourite Books of Tim Cook

CEO of Apple Inc.

Competing Against Time by Jr. George Stalk

Favourite Books of Mark Cuban

Owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, Co-Owner of 2929 Entertainment and Chairman of AXS TV

Favourite Books of Ellen DeGeneres

Comedian, Television Host, Actress, Writer, and Producer

Favourite Books of Jack Dorsey

Co-Founder and CEO of Twitter, Founder and CEO of Square

Favourite Books of Tim Ferriss

Author, Entrepreneur and Public Speaker

Favourite Books of Bill Gates

Co-Founder of the Microsoft Corporation

Favourite Books of Malcolm Gladwell

Journalist, Author, and Public Speaker

Favourite Books of Seth Godin

Author, Entrepreneur, Marketer, and Public Speaker

Favourite Books of Tony Hsieh

CEO of Zappos

Favourite Books of Steve Jobs

Co-Founder and Former Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc., Former CEO of Pixar, and Founder, Former Chairman and CEO of NeXT

Favourite Books of Daymond John

Founder, President, and CEO of FUBU

Favourite Books of Guy Kawasaki

Marketing Specialist, Author, and Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist

Favourite Books of Max Levchin

Co-Founder and Former CTO of PayPal, CEO of Affirm

Favourite Books of Marissa Mayer

Former President and CEO of Yahoo!

Favourite Books of Charlie Munger

Investor and Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

Favourite Books of Elon Musk

Founder, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX, Co-Founder and CEO of Tesla Inc., plus more…

Favourite Books of Larry Page

Co-Founder of Google Inc., CEO of Google’s Parent Company, Alphabet Inc.

Favourite Books of Tony Robbins

Author, Entrepreneur, Life Coach and Motivational Speaker

Favourite Books of Kevin Rose

Co-Founder Digg, Milk, Pownce and Revision3

Favourite Books of Sheryl Sandberg

Former COO of Facebook, Founder of the Lean In Foundation

Favourite Books of Donald Trump

45th President of the USA, Former Chairman and President of The Trump Organization

Favourite Books of Evan Williams

Co-Founder of Blogger, Medium and Twitter

Favourite Books of Oprah Winfrey

Television Host, Actress, Writer, Producer and Chairwoman and CEO of Harpo Productions and the Oprah Winfrey Network

Favourite Books of Jay-Z

Co-Creator of Rocawear, Co-Founder of Roc-A-Fella Records, and Founder of Roc Nation and Roc Nation Sports. Rapper, Businessman and Sports Agent

Favourite Books of Mark Zuckerberg

Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Facebook

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

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