Leaders and entrepreneurs read to get inspired and informed. They read to help themselves navigate situations and conversations and to hopefully save themselves from making the same mistakes countless people who came before them already made. Everyone has a list of the books that inspired them most and so do we. In no particular order here are five of the books we love best.
Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson
Short and sweet, this delightful book is all about change and how we handle it at work and through life in general. Illustrated through the experiences of two mice, Sniff and Scurry and two “little people” Hem and Haw, the book is short enough to read in an hour and helpful enough to come back to over and over again.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Most of us are doing our best every single day, but some of us just do so much better. Stephen Covey boils down 7 habits that highly effective people have in common and presents them in a simple, straightforward, easy to understand guide. From the Stephen R Covey website:
“Your life doesn’t just “happen.” Whether you know it or not, it is carefully designed by you. The choices, after all, are yours. You choose happiness. You choose sadness. You choose decisiveness. You choose ambivalence. You choose success. You choose failure. You choose courage. You choose fear. Just remember that every moment, every situation, provides a new choice. And in doing so, it gives you a perfect opportunity to do things differently to produce more positive results.”
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Despite the title, Think and Grow Rich isn’t simply about making loads of money, it’s a book about developing techniques for personal and professional achievement. Written all the way back in 1937 it lists 13 steps for success, a blueprint for just about every steps to success book that followed! Considered by some as the original self help book, this is a great read.
Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, And Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way by Sir Richard Branson.
“Oh, screw it, let’s do it.” was the philosophy Richard Branson followed as he built and rode the rocket to success as one of the world’s most out of this world billionaires. Ironically he is so successful that he now owns a company that builds rockets… so you could say he knows what he is talking about.
The Fire Starter Sessions: A Soulful + Practical Guide to Creating Success on Your Own Terms by Danielle LaPorte.
Cutting to the chase, Danielle is a fire starter of inspiration who encourages people to stop believing in the myths that are holding them back and get on with the business of getting on with business. Check out Danielle giving an overview of her philosophy on her website.
And also as a point of interest, here are the 7 books Bill Gates thinks you should check out. But only if you could consider him successful in his career… which you probably should.
Smart Circle. Smart Sales. Smart Opportunity.
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