People who are well-read are admired. Reading stimulates your analytical and critical thinking ability, especially if you’re reading books about business, self improvement or mental health for example.
Don’t get me wrong, it is totally fine to read magazines and fictional books if that interests you. But I believe that when reading non-fiction books, you improve with each book that you read, and each book is like a puzzle that your mind tries to solve.
You gain a lot of information that’s not always available on social media or entertainment platforms. Therefore, it is important to condition and spend your time with useful reading materials.
These books have helped me in so many ways, but don’t worry! These books are timeless.
What’s next is a list of my top 5 must-read books you should read if you haven’t yet.
1. Atomic Habits by James Clear
This book is a must-read because it provides a great approach to changing bad habits and adopting healthy ones. It is a demonstration of how incremental daily routines add up to tremendous, positive change over time.
To sum it up, here’s the big five concepts you will get from this book:
- The Compound Interest of self-improvement is habits.
- Forget about making goals if you want better results. Instead, focus on the process.
- Focusing on who you want to become rather that what you want to attain is the best way to change your bad habits into healthy ones.
- The Four Laws of Behavior Change, a set of rules that will help you develop healthier habits.
- Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior
We are all different humans, and what works for me might not work for you. However there are a few scientifically, data-based, proven tactics that you can begin with.
This book is a comprehensive, entertaining, and easy-to-understand guide to adopt those tactics.
2. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
Albert Einstein once said, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world.” and “the most powerful force in the universe,” highlighting the power of compound interest. Could that exponential growth be the closest thing to a cheat code in the universe?
The Compound Effect is an effective approach on how you can get massive returns from little, seemingly unimportant actions, also known as the compound effect. This book also strongly advises to take full responsibility for anything that happens in your life.
Here are some important highlights of this book:
- The biggest difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people are not.
- You alone are responsible for what you do or don’t do, or how you respond to what’s done to you.
- The Compound Effect is the principle of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices.
Another reflection of compound interest is the 1% rule.
Introduced to the world by Tommy Baker, this concept means that if you improve by a small rate like 1.01 every day, at the end of 365 days, you will have improved by 37.78, which is almost 37 times!
This book is an eye-opening perspective on how little actions can grow into big results. You now understand why millions highly recommend this book.
3. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
While the industry lists this book as a “business book”, it goes much deeper than that. It almost feels like this book could be a self-help book.
More often than not, if you asked your parents “why” did you have to make something, the answer would be: “Because I said so!”. This book shows how that is not an acceptable answer. This book introduces the concept of “Why” as the driving force behind the actions and decisions of (successful) individuals.
From companies like Apple and individuals like Martin Luther King Jr., Sinek delves into the biological and psychological aspects of human decision-making, emphasizing the importance of appealing to emotions and beliefs rather than just rationality.
Simon Sinek also discusses the importance of creating a culture of trust and collaboration within organizations, where employees are empowered to contribute and innovate based on a shared sense of purpose. He argues that when individuals and teams are aligned with a common “why,” they are more resilient in the face of challenges and better able to adapt to changing circumstances.
Overall, the book “Start with Why” is a thought-provoking book that challenges conventional wisdom about leadership and offers practical insights into how organizations and individuals can inspire action and achieve long-term success by focusing on their underlying purpose and beliefs.
4. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
Life is simple unless you make it difficult. There are many things in life you don’t need to pay attention to and this book shows you how to do it.
While the main idea of this book might seem a counterintuitive approach, in a time where the world is constantly telling you: the path to a better life is more, more, more – buy more, own more, make more, be more.. that we don’t know what to give a f*ck about anymore.
This book emphasizes a new approach as the key to a good life: only giving a f*ck about what’s true and important. The point isn’t to get away from things. The point is to find things you enjoy dealing with.
5. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
This book is not about how to invest or save money, but rather how to think about money and how it affects our behavior, emotions, and decisions.
It is an excellent guide for anyone who wants to learn about financial success, and the most powerful force in finance is time.
Here are 4 key take aways from this book:
- Compound interest can turn small amounts of money into large ones over long periods of time, but it also works in reverse. What’s important is to be patient and consistent with your money habits and avoid short-term thinking and temptations.
- Nothing is free: Everything has a cost, either explicit or hidden. The cost of investing is risk, the cost of saving is inflation, the cost of spending is opportunity, the cost of debt is interest, etc. Understand the trade-offs and consequences of your money actions and choose wisely.
- Noe one’s crazy. Everyone makes financial decisions based on their own experiences, goals and values. What seems rational to you may seem irrational to someone else, and vice versa. Don’t judge others or yourself too harshly for your money choices.
- Luck and risk are both real and hard to measure. Sometimes you can do everything right and stil flail or do everything wrong and still succeed. Don’t confuse outcomes with skill or effort, and don’t take success or failure personally.
The journey through these five transformative books offers insights into personal growth, financial wisdom, and inspirational leadership.
- Atomic Habits: is an eye opening book about how small changes can lead to big results, and it all starts with implementing powerful habits in your day to day life.
- The Compound Effect: emphasizes the small, consistent steps that lead to significant outcomes, while “Atomic Habits” provides practical strategies for building habits that shape our destiny.
- Start with Why: reminds us of the profound impact of purpose-driven leadership and the importance of aligning actions with core beliefs.
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: teaches us the liberating power of embracing life’s uncertainties and focusing on what truly matters.
- The Psychology of Money: unveils the psychology behind our financial decisions, empowering us to make smarter choices for long-term wealth.
Remember that the insights of these books are not merely to be consumed but to be applied in your daily lives, fostering growth, resilience, and fulfillment.
Best of luck in your journey!