Every entrepreneur must eventually discover that the only way to be the best is to search for knowledge beyond your years. Gain as much information as you can from others before you, their mistakes, their challenges, and their successes. A book is a portal into the minds of great leaders, philosophers, and innovators. Read our list of 30 captivating books, and you’re sure to find one that transforms your life. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.”
8 Books on Business
It is evident then that our list should start with business books because this is what concerns the entrepreneur. These books will test your knowledge of business and give you insider tips on how to go about marketing the right way.
“Exactly What To Say” by Phil M. Jones
In Exactly What To Say, Phil uncovers the flaws of many companies and business professionals, not understanding the power of their words. Before the conversation has even begun, it is already over. Phil teaches you how to say the right thing, at the right moment, for the right results. With this book, Phil teaches you how to make each conversation count and to utilize ‘magic words’ in your daily interactions to influence the outcome. This book gives you the skills and knowledge to effectively communicate and close the deal.
“The Art of War” by Sun Tzu
This ancient Chinese book by philosopher and military general Sun Tzu devotes each chapter to 13 different aspects of warfare. This work has valuable insight and strategy for politicians, philosophers, and business professionals alike. Having the mind of a warrior can prepare you for the war. Read this book to gain knowledge that will train you for life.
“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries
This book is perfect for new entrepreneurs and startup companies. It provides resourceful insight on how to create and manage successful startups even under extreme uncertainty. The lean startup approach, inspired by lean manufacturing, promotes a more efficient, creative, and innovative company. This book directs you on how to see your vision through change or adapt your idea if needed. Backed by validated learning and seemingly absurd practices, this book will get your business started on the right foot.
“Never Split The Difference” by Chris Voss
Voss reveals the techniques he used in high stakes negotiations when it mattered most. These skills can be used in the meeting room or in your home to become more persuasive in your personal and professional lives. Negotiation is a skill we all need at some point in our lives. Chris Voss is here to help you master negotiating and have the advantage in any situation..
“Little Red Book of Selling” by Jeffrey Gitomer
This little book contains valuable strategies and information on the art of selling. Gitomer helps you understand the motives for buying and how to build lasting relationships that lead to sales. So you can throw anything you’ve learned about manipulation and old sales methods out the window. You will learn how to create long term success in selling.
“Secrets of Closing the Sale” By Zig Ziglar
Ziglar’s mastery of selling is a lesson that we can all learn. With proven sales techniques, strategies, and effective persuasion, you can sell your idea or product to anyone. With help from the book, you will soon be a master of the art of selling.
“Sales Bible” by Jeffrey Gitomer
Learn Gitomer’s amazing tips, advice, and techniques on closing a sale. These easy to understand tips make it easy for any new salesperson to learn and apply these new practices to their sales success. If you are new to the world of sales, this book will be your guide to become an experienced salesperson.
“Power Moves” by Adam Grant
The hierarchy and distributions of power have changed dramatically. Grant interviews many top business leaders to get their perspectives on how to succeed in this changing society, where conventional ideas of power no longer work. This book will give you insight on how to manage in an era of shared power, and citizens/ individuals no longer blindly follow.
6 Books on Success and How To Succeed
Success is another critical factor in an entrepreneur’s mind. These six books will help set your mindset to success, giving you practical ways to succeed, giving you ideas on achievement and changing habits.
“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People help you solve personal and professional issues. Covey believes that our perception shapes our view of the world and that our circumstances only change once we change ourselves. Covey encourages us to be proactive, know our destination before we embark on our journey, and to be aware of ourselves. Learn the methods and habits that have led to success in the lives of so many.
“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz
Ben Horowitz is a successful entrepreneur and Ben shares his insights about startups and business, from entrepreneur to entrepreneur. He offers advice from his own experiences, sharing information on business lessons and the harsh reality of firing friends and poaching the competition. Starting a business is anything but easy, but with his useful insight, you will learn practical solutions to all the issues you didn’t talk about in school. With this book, you will be well on your way to being a successful business owner.
“Barking up the Wrong Tree” by Eric Barker
This book by Eric Barker challenges our preconceived notions about achievement to be completely wrong. Barking up the Wrong Tree reveals what determines success and how to achieve it in our own lives. He examines the traits that make them successful. The book will erase your prior thoughts about success, giving you statistical information and anecdotes to help you stop barking up the wrong tree and start barking up the right.
“How to Win Friends & Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
Carnegie’s book has helped many famous people climb the ladder of success. He teaches you how to make people like you, win people over and influence people to change. This book is a guide to getting and receiving what you want in your success. You can take any situation and make it work for you -the power is yours. After reading this book, you will be well on your way to obtaining the success you’ve always wanted.
“The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg
Charles Duhigg illustrates why habits exist and how to change them supported by scientific evidence. Thes scientific discoveries allow us to understand the full potential of humankind. If we want to achieve the things that we desire, we must first understand how habits work. No matter what you want to do, eat healthier, be more productive, you must create the habit of doing so. Habits are essential to our success in our businesses and our lives.
“High-Performance Habits” by Brendon Burchard
Brendon Burchard is revealing his six habits to achieving long term success. You will learn the art and science of how to create that success in your life. Once you implement these proven habits, your life will change dramatically. In the book, some exercises and practices help you enjoy the best quality of life.
“Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown
Brené explains that the power of a leader does not lie within the title or status. He goes on to explain that within recognizing and developing the potential of their followers. She inspires us to be daring leaders that are willing to have difficult conversations, share power with others, and balance leadership and vulnerability. Brown provides stories and examples to answer all the daunting questions you may have about leadership. She informs us that to be a daring leader, you do not need to have all the answers, but you must be curious and ask the right questions. When we begin choosing courage over comfort, we can then dare to lead.
“Ultimate Law of Attraction” by Joe Vitale
With the help of Dr. Vitale’s book, you will learn how to attract everything that you desire, from wealth to relationships. He reveals the secrets and strategies to help you along your journey to a fulfilling life. Vitale will give you all the tools you need to release the power of the law of attraction into every aspect of your life.
“Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini
In “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion “Cialdini explains the psychology behind persuasion and why people say yes. While reading the book, you will learn six principles that will help you become a skillful persuader. You are the driver, and persuasion is the vehicle of your success. Learn how to use the art of persuasion to your advantage.
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Books about Life and Inspiration
Nurturing your life is also part of an entrepreneur’s quest for success. Without a successful experience, you won’t have a successful business. These books will help you lead a more meaningful life while teaching you a thing or two about the spiritual world.
“The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life” by David Brooks
In The Second Mountain, Brooks explores the true meaning and purpose of life. One’s journey to success influenced by society may appear to bring a life of happiness and fulfillment, but once you have reached the top of that mountain, you realize that it is not the life you imagined. You then embark on a new journey to a meaningful life -the second mountain. Brooks encourages us to live a life of interdependence led by commitments to our family, our vocation, our philosophy or faith, and our community. The key to living a meaningful life is interdependence in a self-centered world.
“The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz
The mind is a powerful thing. In this book, Ruiz explores the self-limiting thoughts and beliefs that take away our joy and create unnecessary hardship. The Four Agreements, based on ancient Toltec wisdom, will transform your life into one of freedom, genuine happiness, and love. This book is a motivational and inspirational guide to self-development and personal freedom. Ruiz teaches us that our words carry power, to discover who we are, and to never assume. These fundamental life lessons can alter your thoughts and give you a new outlook on life.
“You are a Badass” by Jen Sincero
You are a Badass, is a self-help book intended to help you improve your life and understand why you are who you are and how to love the things you can not change. This hilarious and entertaining how-to-guide of inspiring stories, advice, exercises, and just little profanity will aid you in identifying your self-sabotaging habits and living the life you desire. By the time you have finished, you will know that You are a Badass.
“Becoming” by Michelle Obama
Becoming is a memoir of Michelle’s life, an invitation into her world. Michelle has dedicated her life and her platform to advocate for women and children around the world. Capturing the experiences that shaped her life, her triumphs and her disappointments, whether public or private, Michelle gives us a glimpse into her past to reveal her present. She tells her story in her own words and doesn’t spare any details. She wittingly unfolds the experiences of her life, creating a canvas and space for us to do the same.
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist is an inspiring novel of the journey to find worldly treasures, but the real treasure is the one within. This novel encourages us to stop looking for materialistic items and to begin listening to our hearts and pursuing our goals. This fictional work teaches many lessons that can be adapted and applied to everyday life. The symbolic revelation that the treasure he voyaged to find was in his home (Spain) all along signifies that what we are searching for is already within us.
“The More of Less” by Joshua Becker
Clean space, a clear mind, fulfilling life is the theme of this book, suggesting that clutter distracts us from the lives we truly desire. This book helps you to realize the benefits of owning less, declutter your home, and live a minimalist life. This self-development book helps you receive the best out of life and discovering more in the less you own. This book is perfect for anyone desiring a fresh start and a new chance at their dreams.
“Girl Wash your face” by Rachel Hollis
In Girl Wash your face, Hollis reveals the 20 things that hold us back from living the productive lives we so desire. She has built a community geared towards empowering women through her helpful tips while allowing a glimpse into the mess of her life. With a little humor and honesty, Hollis encourages all women to be transparent with themselves and become the confident woman they always were. No one has life all figured out, and that’s ok, just live your life the best way for you.
“Algorithms to Live By” by Brian Christian & Tom Griffiths
Author Christian and scientist Griffiths’ book helps you solve everyday decision-making problems using simple computer algorithms. With this book, you will learn how to deal with overwhelming choices and connect with others effectively. Once you have applied these computer algorithms to your life, finding a spouse or organizing your life will become much more comfortable.
“The Purpose Driven Life” Rick Warren
If you have ever asked yourself, what am I here for? Warren’s book will be your roadmap on a spiritual journey to discover your purpose in life. This book helps you find out the answers to three crucial questions, why am I alive? Does my life matter, and what on Earth am I here? Realizing your purpose in life helps you to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life. If you are feeling lost and desire your reason for being created, The Purpose Driven Life will show you how.
“The Secret” By Rhonda Byrne
The secret was by many well-known leaders and innovators in history, such as Galileo and Plato. Just like Galileo, you will be able to use the secret and apply it to every aspect of your life and tap into the power inside you.
“The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson
Manson doesn’t sugarcoat the truth with this one. He urges us always to think positively. As human beings, we can’t win every time or get recognition for our actions. We are all flawed and must work to recognize and accept our limitations. While entertaining and humorous, Manson ensures to give it like it is that we can’t give a f*ck about everything, so we have to choose the things that count.
“UnFu*k Yourself” by Gary John Bishop
You are your greatest enemy, negative thoughts that you think limit your abilities. Once you get out of your head and change your way of thinking, your life can change dramatically. With Gary’s seven affirmations, you can be well on your way to living the life you intended.
“Why We Do What We Do” by Edward Deci
Deci dives into the minds of people, explaining what motivates us. Instead of motivating others, we must create an environment that encourages them to motivate themselves. Many conventional methods of motivation do more harm than help. If you understand what drives our motivation, you can then effectively learn how to cultivate self-motivation.
We hope you enjoyed this curated list of books. Ranging from business to daily life, we’re sure you’ll find one that will transform your life and give you ideas on how to further your business. Happy reading!
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