I drive all the time and instead of rocking out to MmmBop (am I dating myself?) or whatever is popular with the kiddies, I try to enlarge my gray matter (squishy brain area) by listening to audio books. Some of you might benefit greatly from doing the same as I believed I have consumed an entire MBA’s worth of knowledge in the last year from this method alone. You can easily take in two to three audio books a week if you listen to them religiously and nothing grows your business like learning from those who have been there.
The Magic of Thinking Big (by David Schwartz). This book is incredibly encouraging, uplifting and helps truly put you in the mindset of success. Though written decades ago the Magic of Thinking Big is one of the most highly recommended books for business owners and entrepreneurs ever.
Tribes (by Seth Godin). Tribes teaches you just that, how to build a tribe around your brand and create products/services that will last a lifetime. A great read for anyone thinking of starting a business or getting into a new project, Tribes will make you think and inspire you to greatness.
Think & Grow Rich (by Napoleon Hill). A cult classic that I think should be mandatory reading for ALL MBA’s and entrepreneurs alike. The greatest business minds in the world all point back to Hill’s classic book as the start of their entrepreneur’s journey. Truly this book teaches you how to think and grow rich.
The 80/20 Principle (by Richard Koch). Want to work less and make more? Want to be far more effective in your life without having to use more of your energy and time? The 80/20 principle is one of the cornerstone philosophies of great lifestyle design artists everywhere – it teaches how to get more out of less time in ALL aspects of your life and will change your mindset when it comes to ‘time management’ for good.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (by Stephen R. Covey). Would you like to be highly effective in your life? Do you need 7 tips to really lay out the road map? Ta Da! Here ya go… no need to thank me, your effectiveness is thanks enough!
The New Pyscho-Cybernetics (by Maxwell Maltz). This book is the perfect blend of science and motivational thinking. It’s like “The Secret” on steroids – and not ridiculously corny! (P.S. That chick pretty much took ALL of her ground breaking ideas from this book written 40 years ago!). Also a great thing is this new edition is edited by the great Dan Kennedy!
Outliers (by Malcolm Gladwell). Many people know of Gladwell’s other classics such as The Tipping Point and Blink but few have read Outliers a true classic in my mind. “It is not the brightest who succeed,” Gladwell says in the book, “Nor is success simply the sum of the decisions and efforts we make on our own behalf. It is, rather, a gift. Outliers are those who have been given opportunities — and who have had the strength and presence of mind to seize them.”
Farewell to Summer (by Ray Bradbury). Why is this science fiction type book in here? Because it’s my darn list & I love Ray Bradbury – you should too, it’ll make you popular, beautiful and gold flakes will fall down on you wherever you go (promise!). Besides those bonuses this book is an epic read, Bradbury’s writing style is beautiful and it’s a nice escape from reality.
Man’s Search for Meaning (by Viktor E. Frankl).
Viktor Frankl talks about people’s search for meaning even in the midst of surviving the Holocaust death camps. This perspective helps us see no matter how bad we think we have it we’ve got nothing on this guy – and he still perseveres while finding a way to encourage others. Frankl’s book is uplifting, eye opening and truly a beautiful work – everyone should read it at least once. It makes it very clear that money really isn’t everything.
Linchpin (by Seth Godin). Another amazing instant classic from Godin. In this book he teaches you about how anyone can create truly meaningful art as well as how to become the linchpin that is necessary to your businesses success. If you are going to read one book from Godin this year – make it Linchpin – it’ll rock your world.
Getting Things Done (David Allen). Though the concepts in Getting Things Done may take you a few reads/listens to really understand it can truly change your life and productivity if you give it a chance. GTD has revolutionized the way I work and organize – it’s the reason I can work on 7 projects at the same time with nothing falling through the cracks. I’d say the best book on productivity and organization I’ve ever experienced.
Buy-ology (by Martin Lindstrom). This groundbreaking book is based off a 7 million dollar scientific study into why people buy. If you are selling ANYTHING in your business (which I think go hand in hand) you need to get this book a.s.a.p. It will change the way you look at the consumer economy and evolve your marketing to trigger what matters most.
The Art of War (by Sun Tzu). Whether your into War or Peace (get it??) this book is a must read for entrepreneur’s everywhere. It’s ideas and philosophies go far beyond actual war and into the depths of what drives people and creates amazing ventures. The Art of War is a beautifully written ancient text that is still 100% applicable in today’s world.
Go Get These Now!!
P.S. Oh you noticed I didn’t link to any of these books? That’s because they are audio books people! Type it into Itunes or Google it (let your fingers do the walking)! Or you could be an uber zealot and go to this ancient thing that people used to frequent called The Library and get it them for free!
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