Y’all know your girl is a bookworm! I love reading because it exposes me to new ideas, strengthens my focus, challenges me to step outside of my normal way of thinking and behaving, and gives me access to people, thoughts, ideas, and perspectives that I wouldn’t normally get access to.
W. Clement Stone said, “You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success – or are they holding you back?”
You get to shape your environment by being intentional about the types of books you read and the authors you expose your mind to (and we know that your mind is what creates your thinking which dictates your behavior). So reading quality books is like having a billionaire mentor without paying the billionaire hourly rate for coaching (lol)! So I’m going to share the top books that have helped me shape my life and business and the best part is…I read most of these for free (and so can you)!
Personal Growth:
Nothing Changes until you do
Who Moved My Cheese By Spencer Johnson M.D – If you struggle with decision making, find yourself procrastinating a lot (especially when under pressure), hem haw, and complain about things before taking a proactive step in the direction you want to go, then this book was written for you! And you absolutely need to add this book to your collection…like NOW! I read this about 5 years ago and it’s become a staple on my ebook shelf. It’s about helping you stay alert in your life so you can become someone who consistently practices taking initiative and proactively creating changes that lead to the outcomes and goals that you have.
Limitless By Jim Kwik – This is a pretty popular book and for that reason, I didn’t dive into it right away. I thought it was all hype and didn’t want to waste time reading another copy and paste book full of the same ideas about mindset and neuroscience, but I was wrong. I started reading this last week and wish I had this when I had started my business in 2018. Jim Kwik helps you realize you’re WAY smarter than you realize. Here’s a direct quote from the book, “Like your fingerprints, it is uniquely yours – there aren’t two brains in the universe exactly the same. It processes dramatically faster than any existing computer, and it has virtually infinite storage capacity. Even when damaged it is capable of producing genius, and even if you only have half a brain, you can still be a fully functioning human being. And remarkable stories about it abound” What!? Insane right? That’s why you have to get a copy! There’s a whole lot more where that came from.
Switch on Your Brain By Caroline Leaf – Instead of wasting your time trying to indoctrinate yourself with affirmations that aren’t sticking Dr. Caroline Leaf who is an experienced neuroscientist challenges us to switch on our brain by understanding the fundamentals of how it works and using it to fuel our journey to success She shares breakthrough stories about how young and old people have worked through things like dementia, brain damage, and mental disabilities that scientist previously believed were incurable. When you switch on your brain in life and business you come alive again and see clearly to provide to the market with what they need instead of simply focusing all of your energy on beating the competition and getting more sales
Vision For Your Business:
Who are you and what are you building
Traction By Gino Wickman – what is the point of your business, where are you going, and how will you get there (this is a book I haven’t completed yet but it’s one of the top business books I’ve ever read (and I read A LOT!)
Community Building:
People buy into the leader
Superfans By Pat Flynn – This book walks you through the principles of building a community! Without people to help you don’t have a business! Pat Flynn the host of the Smart Passive Income Podcast breaks down the 1,000 true fans principle in a practical, actionable, way that allows you to actually meet people where they are, offer relevant solutions, and create a safe space for them to grow which as a by-product builds your business (without the “sleazy” selling and overworking)!
Building A Story Brand By Donald Miller – Want to learn how to communicate effectively with your people? This book gives you the tools to clarify your message, create a relatable brand, connect directly to your peeps, and become someone they know, like, and trust! I go back to this book at least once a year. It helps with creating emails, social media captions, designing your website and so much more! Your message is the voice of your brand so you want to take time to master this one!
Finances:
Take Responsibility For Your Income & Money Management
Sell It Like Serhant By Ryan Serhant – Business includes generating sales! I didn’t realize this until I started doing “sales calls” inviting people into my program and I really (like really) sucked at it aka I made no sales my first year of business! I had to understand that selling is not hard or scammy. It’s just an invitation to jump on the transformation train and do the things you’ve been avoiding. Ryan Serhant is a selling machine so who better to learn from than the guy who sells million-dollar homes for a living, right!? He is one of the realtors in Million Dollar Listing New York. A tv show that I refuse to live without now and I actually found out about him from my multi 7 figure business coach James Wedmore! While reading his book and practicing the principles I sold $4k in less than 14 days.
Related Post: How I Took My Business From $0-4k In 14 Days
Profit First By Mike Michalowicz – You know how after starting a business you ask yourself…”how much should I pay myself?… How much should I invest back into the business? And when should I hire a team?” This book helps you answer all of these foundational questions and more so you can build a solid business you enjoy instead of one that causes you stress down the line!
Inspiration:
Examples of What’s Possible
Long Walk To Freedom By Nelson Mandela – Nelson Mandela is one of my heroes! I went to a special exhibit here in Toronto, Canada a few years ago sharing the details of his life, jail experience, childhood, and his long walk to freedom and it inspired me to be a voice and example of change in the world. There is no way you can read Nelson Mandela’s story and remain silent about injustice or mediocre in your studies. For me he’s an example of good stewardship, taking personal responsibility, and leading with great courage even while faced with incredible fear. I am grateful for his example. Grab a copy of this book if you want a boost in your confidence, a clear vision of how you can add value to the world, and are ready to be the change you want to see.
More Than Enough By Elaine Welteroth – I didn’t know who Elaine Welteroth was before this book, but I resonated with her story when I read the book description on audible. She is a young black woman in the high fashion industry who was misunderstood, underestimated, underpaid, and criticized. But she refused to compromise her vision for her life and of the world. She was “the second-youngest editor and second person of African-American heritage to lead a Condé Nast publication” (teen vogue). Her story is motivating. Whether you’re a young entrepreneur finding your lane or an established business owner working out the kinks you will pick up marketing gems, personal breakthroughs, and sobering insights that will help you step into living a more authentic life.
As always I hope this was helpful! Fyi, if you decide to purchase any of these books I DO NOT make any money. These are not affiliate links I just included them here to make it easier for you to find! Mwah! Love you and I mean it.
