Tom Corley, author of “Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals”, discovered some pretty interesting research when writing his book. His research found that 85% of rich people (those who make over $160,000 annually) read two or more education, career-related, or self-improvement books per month.
Now we can pretty safely assume that this is not a make-it-or-break-it fact. Obviously not all successful people frequently read, and not all wealthy people are necessarily successful. But we can also safely assume that reading books of this nature can do no harm. In fact, we would go so far as to believe that yes, it is likely that reading can benefit us greatly, maybe not necessarily in our pockets, but elsewhere in life to be certain.
As an entrepreneur, this is undoubtedly true. Great advice comes from lessons learned, and let’s be honest, who wants to learn those lessons first-hand? Being an entrepreneur is risky in itself, and mistakes are a part of growth, but considering the careful advice of those who have gone before you can help you avoid disaster or at least get you through it.
We’ve compiled a list of the top five books we recommend all entrepreneurs read. The abundance of knowledge is out there, and there are many more to choose from, but this list offers a good mix to round out your skills whether you are just getting your feet wet or have been swimming in the big pool for decades. After all, learning should never stop.
- “Ingenious: A Crash Course on Creativity” by Tina Seelig
You will find that success requires creativity as some point or another. Many analytical thinkers love to believe they can’t be creative, but this is simply untrue. Creativity is not something you have to be born with, it can be developed. We’re not talking about painting a portrait here; we are referring to thinking outside of the box. Tina Seelig is an award-winning Stanford University educator who has worked with some of the entrepreneurial worlds best of the best from companies like IBM, Cisco, and Google. This book includes some great tools to get your creative juices flowing.
- “Industry Transformers” by Dan Sullivan
Dan Sullivan is no stranger to the entrepreneur lifestyle. He is a strategic planner and coach to entrepreneurs and used this experience to create the Strategic Coach® Program. In this book, he interviews 8 incredibly successful entrepreneurs, explaining their method of success. Adding to the interviews, Sullivan shares his ingredients that make up the perfect entrepreneurial pie. An expert interviewing experts. A must read.
- “The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)” by Seth Godin
Many of us were raised to believe that quitters never win and winners never quit, but whoever started that rumor obviously knew nothing about the real world. Winners quit all the time. The secret to being successful is knowing when to do it and when not. Godin is an entrepreneur himself and has written some of the best books out there on the subject; his name could easily have been on this list more than once. “The Dip” is a quick (only 96 pages) easy read that gives great advice on identifying the inevitable pitfalls in life, and deciding whether to push through them or give up and move on with confidence.
- “Ask: The Counterintuitive Online Formula to Discover Exactly What Your Customers Want to Buy…Create a Mass of Raving Fans…and Take Any Business to the Next Level” by Ryan Levesque
If you think you know what your customers want, you may need to think again. Whatever your market, you can use Levesque’s proven formula to know, not guess, what your customers want and learn how to give it to them. His formula has been used in 23 different industries and will change the way you think about marketing to your customers, online as well as offline. Highly recommended.
- “The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs” by Kevin D. Johnson
Sharing ideas from well-known entrepreneurs, Johnson lays a clear blueprint for achieving successful entrepreneurship using attainable methods. This book should be read by all beginning entrepreneurs to help them develop the mindset needed to rise to the level of accomplishment of their successors before them. Full of inspiration and advice on what to avoid, this book will guide you through the practical applications of how to grow your business with opportunity and value.
Do you have a few favorites of your own? We would love to know what books motivated you to get where you are today. Share with us in the posts below.