I love to read. After not reading much for a few years after college, I discovered that my reason for not reading was because I rarely enjoyed what I read. When I discovered that I do enjoy the right books, I dove in and now read between 30-50 books each year. Most of the books I read are non-fiction and business related so that I can grow and develop as a business owner, manager and leader. It was hard enough to narrow down to my favorite five so I will be listing them in no particular order. I believe everyone should read these books. They will provide value to everyone, not just entrepreneurs and business owners. The concepts are wide ranging and will be useful no matter what your profession is.
Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink
In a world where everyone has an excuse for everything, choose to take ownership of your outcomes, both good and bad. People are constantly blaming everything on pretty much anything they can outside of their control. The weather, their boss, the economy, politicians, their kids, their upbringing, etc. The list goes on and on. Dare to be different. Dare to take ownership and responsibility for everything. Your life will improve when you start doing. Reading Extreme Ownership is a great way to get in the proper mindset to start. The book won’t change you overnight. It will take time and effort, but it will be time and effort well spent.
Basic Economics by Thomas Sowell
This is by far the longest book of the bunch which makes sense when covering a topic as broad and complex as economics. Despite the complexity of the subject, Sowell does an incredible job of explaining how markets function with different policies in place. The biggest takeaway from this book, in my opinion, is that you must look at the incentives that market conditions and government policies create, not the intentions. Intent rarely matters on an economic level and plenty of well-intentioned ideas have had disastrous consequences. This is a topic that can’t be looked at emotionally and Sowell does a fantastic job of providing plenty of examples and context to explain his points. This should be mandatory reading for all high school and college students.
Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
The second of a three book “series”, Ego is the Enemy was my favorite of the three (I recommend all three but if you can only pick one - this is what I would choose). The line between confidence and arrogance is becoming slimmer by the day with the rise of social media. There are more people than ever acting like they are the greatest thing on the planet without doing anything of actual worth in the world. The idea that you are such a small speck in the cosmos and that the world doesn’t revolve around you is a difficult concept for some people to accept; however, it could be key to building a legacy worth leaving. Do good for the world and have confidence while doing it but keep your ego in check at the same time.
Automatic Millionaire by David Bach
Simply put, everyone should be required to read this book in high school. Financial literacy is sorely lacking in society today and, with how fast the world is evolving, it is more important than ever. Learning to make your money work for you so that you can live a comfortable life or even retire at a young age can bring a level of comfort that few other things can. I am a big advocate that working for a worthwhile cause is important for mental health and happiness, so I am not saying the goal of this book is to make enough money to not work. Making enough money that you are comfortable no matter what happens is the goal. For most of the population, this is achievable. Does it take some sacrifice and planning? Absolutely. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Automatic Millionaire will give some great ideas for how to think about money. Even if you don’t apply every concept, there is a good chance that you will think about money differently after reading it. If you do choose to apply the concepts, you will be giving yourself a great chance to become financially free at a younger age than you would have otherwise.
The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
Another financial literacy book that is just great. The author uses parables set about 4000 years ago in ancient Babylon to portray the concepts. The stories are short and easy to understand which makes them easier to remember. It essentially lays out the 7 rules to gain wealth as well as why those rules apply. I also love that one of the points is to enjoy life while you are alive. Many financial books talk like you aren’t allowed to spend money on anything other than investments that are meant to garner you more wealth. I hate that mindset because it makes it sound like we are only here to accumulate wealth and die and that is not how I want to live. There can be a balance when done right. Save and invest to build wealth but also set some aside to enjoy your life in the meantime. Every person can work hard for a worthwhile cause, enjoy life, do good, and become wealthy at the same time. If that sounds like a good life to you, you should read this book.
There you have it, my top 5 books! Like I said, it was incredibly hard to pick just five so I may change this list on occasion. I will most likely post any changes as future posts to make sure these great ones are not lost. All five of these can be found in The Factory Library so if you are looking for your next book, this list is a good starting point. I know that they have all been incredibly valuable to me on my journey in my life, both on the personal and business side.
