10 Best Business Books That’ll Change Your Life
Books are a source of knowledge and can change lives. With the number of books out there, it is likely that there is a book for every question troubling your mind, and every subject you’re interested in. Do you consider yourself to be an entrepreneur? We are sure that you would find it helpful if there were good books related to business, right? Well, we have been able to identify 10 business books for the entrepreneur in you. We’re sure that reading these books will change your life for the better.
1. “Think and Grow Rich” – Napoleon Hill
This book is a classic and has some of the most influential quotes from the business world in it. Think and Grow Rich strives to bring to light the reasons why a person achieves greatness. Although written in the 1930s, the information in the book is highly valued to this day. That the book sold more than 100 million copies in the year 2015 is the very proof of this fact. Although the author has passed away, his wisdom still lives on. So, if you’re looking to get inspired, you should think about reading this book. You can buy this book here.
2. “Rework” – Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
Rework breaks the chains of dogma in business. It conveys the idea that being a workaholic, increasing staff and spending time in meetings are all excuses. It shows that with a few adjustments to your mental framework you can be successful. The theory is simple, don’t force yourself to work if you don’t feel like it. That may sound vague but consider its implications. How much work will you get done if you’re tired, frustrated or angry? Hard work is important, but it is also important to take short breaks. The purpose of this is to relax your mind and gain clarity on your work. You can buy this book here.
3. “The Lazy Way to Success: How to Do Nothing and Accomplish Everything” – Fred Gratzon
This book is a very insightful read in spite of its misleading title. Fred Gratzon takes a unique approach to laziness and says that it isn’t about doing nothing but doing what you love. Further, he believes that doing things the way everyone does isn’t going to leadtosuccess. Instead, he urges his readers to flip the paradigm and try a new approach. The book does well to highlight that hard work isn’t the only way to be successful. You can buy this book here.
4. “Rich Dad Poor Dad” – Robert T. Kiyosaki
Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, and Daymond John are just a few of the world-famous celebrities that highly rate this book. Rich Dad Poor Dad is a very well written book and does well to inculcate the entrepreneurial spirit. The author shares the lessons that he learned growing up with regards to finance and progressing a business. You can use the information offered in the book to start a successful career. You can buy this book here.
5. “The Lean Startup” – Eric Ries
This book was specifically written for startups as it contains all the know-how that they need. A startup needs to be flexible and ready to change its business strategy at all times. This book helps its readers understand practices that can shorten product development cycles, measure growth and learn customers. It highlights how a startup can revamp its strategies to suit its best interests. This book is best for those individuals who want to start their own business. You can buy this book here.
6. “The 4-Hour Workweek” – Timothy Ferriss
Work-life balance is highly important if you need to keep yourself sane. Therefore, The 4-Hour Workweek helps you do just that. This book appeared in the New York Times Bestseller list for over four years as it sold nearly 1.3 million copies around the world. You get an insight into the mind of a person who went from being an overworked entrepreneur to someone who found the right work-life balance. Reading this book will help you find the same balance. Ferriss takes the times to help people understand that they don’t have to be millionaires to enjoy the millionaire lifestyle. You can buy this book here.
7. “The $100 Startup” – Chris Guillebeau
If you are an entrepreneur and are looking to start a business on a small budget, The $100 Startup is a great book for you. The book highlights a study that shows how you don’t need a lot of money to start a business. Guillebeau helps people see the benefits of investing in projects that have proved to be profitable and also focus on growth that is not highly dependent on advertising. You can buy this book here.
8. “The Dip” – Seth Godin
This book is a very interesting and insightful read. Seth Godin breaks the belief that quitting is wrong. He identifies two types of situations that a business can encounter. The first one is a temporary setback that can be fixed and the second is a more permanent setback. Many times, due to the no quitting mentality, it becomes hard to understand which setback is temporary and which is permanent. The Dip helps you identify the setback and work toward fixing it. You can buy this book here.
9. “Crush It!” – Gary Vaynerchuk
Crush It! is a great book that motivates people to do what they love. Gary Vaynerchuk preaches that when you live your passion, work doesn’t feel like work anymore. This book will help you understand how you can turn your passion into a business. It will teach you how to use the internet to build a successful career. Vaynerchuk believes that one someone lives their passion, money comes second. But since you will be so good at your work, money will come in plenty. You can buy this book here.
10. “The Art of War” – Sun Tzu
When Sun Tzu wrote this book, he probably didn’t intend to write it for businesses. However, this ancient Chinese military book has permanently found its place in the business world. This 5th-century classic contains many military concepts written in an insightful manner. Today’s business world uses these concepts to its advantage by taking out the competition. Reading this book will give you valuable insights into outsmarting the competition and being an effective leader. You can even leverage the same principles in making your personal relationships with difficult people easier to manage. You can buy this book here.
A Thought to Remember
Starting a business is no easy task. The fact that you had the courage to a start a business is already commendable. However, to keep the business going is another thing entirely. All the books mentioned above are written by well establish authors who have a good name in the business world.
Each book is unique and will help you gain insight into starting a business. However, which book you choose is entirelyupto you. Try and not base your reading on suggestions as peoples opinion can differ. What may appeal to someone, may not appeal to you.
Conclusion
These business books were designed to help you become successful entrepreneurs. The qualities you can acquire by reading these books will go a long way in your career. You can expect to become better decision makers, problem solvers, and creative thinkers. Read these books with an open mind that is ready to accept change. This way, you will be able to try new methods of running a business.
