Why you should read.
If you want to be wealthy, successful, or really smart, then you should read books.
The average CEO reads four to five books per month, which is about one book per week.
Also, consider the sad statistics that 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college and 80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year, read more here.
Hopefully, you made reading more books one of your goals for 2018. If not, add it to your goals right now and start by reading these 10, fantastic books.
Networking with Millionaires, Thomas J. Stanley.
If you are in sales or marketing (which is everybody to varying degrees), then you need to read this book.
In the author's prior book, The Millionaire Mind, he dove into questions like how millionaires fared in school, how the responded to life event, their spending habits, and more. In this book, the whole premise is how to network with the leaders, influencers, and wealthy members of your community.
By the end of the book, you'll better know how to work with affluent business owners, generate more business, and how to access the influencers in your industry.
Purchase on Amazon here.
The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz.
This book is amazing. A little crude and brash, but amazing.
Ben Horowitz, co-founder of the world-famous venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, provides advice on building and running a startup. The real value of the book is in the brutally honest details that he endured as an entrepreneur and that you will face as well.
Topics covered include leading others, setting up management, buying, selling, fundraising, and working in the technology ecosystem. This will be worth every penny and minute of your time. Buy it, read it, and then give it to somebody else to read.
Purchase on Amazon here.
The Power of the Other, Henry Cloud.
If you haven't heard of this author before, go and buy his other books right now, Integrity and Boundaries and Necessary Endings.
Dr. Henry Cloud is a best-selling author, professional Psychologist, and expert on the psychology of leadership.
By using evidence from neuroscience and his work with leaders, the author shows that personal and professional relationships are keys to growth and help leaders reach the next level and reach full potential.
The book includes case studies, findings from the latest scientific research, and examples pulled from his consulting practice. By leveraging the healthy, thriving, and important relationships around you, you can draw on the strengths and expertise of others to be a better you.
Purchase on Amazon here.
The Bite in the Apple, Chrisann Brennan.
This book is fascinating and will leave you with a different view of Steve Jobs than you otherwise had.
Written by the first girlfriend of Steve Jobs, and the mother of his first child whom the famous computer would later be named after, Lisa.
The author is candid and fair. In fact, there is no vindictiveness or accusations as one might expect from an ex-lover. Instead, you're taken on a journey with the iconic business leader who has affected our lives so much.
You'll learn about what Steve Jobs was like as a teenager, where he came up with the name that would later become Apple, and how is tumultuous relationships and time in India affected who he was as a leader.
If you like Steve Jobs, then this book is for you. If you hate Steve Jobs, then this book is still for you.
Purchase on Amazon here.
A Class with Drucker, William A. Cohen.
Peter Drucker is widely known as the father of modern management. Indeed, one could artfully and honestly say that his books on management are still the foundation that every other book on management is written on.
This book is written from the perspective of the first person to graduate from Drucker's doctoral program. Full of teachings and lessons that never made it to the countless books that Peter Drucker wrote, you'll see a different side of Drucker, along with gaining a better understanding of his personality.
In the end, you'll realize how important management is and how difficult good management can be. If you run a company, own a company, or take part in a company, you should read this book.
Purchase on Amazon here.
The Five Temptations of a CEO, Patrick Lencioni.
Listed as one of the top leadership coaches in the world, Patrick Lencioni is an engaging writer who will help you take your business to the next level.
The book is written as a fable, very similar to The Pilgrim's Progress, and follows a young CEO who is failing but doesn't know why. Short but powerful, you can read this book in one sitting.
You will learn the timeless lessons of leadership and simple, but difficult, behaviors to model for your organization and team.
Purchase on Amazon here.
10 Books That Screwed Up The World, Benjamin Wiker.
Sometimes the best books to read are books about other books. This is one of them.
So many books have been written and so much has been said about them. It's often difficult to remember which books are good and which are bad, but can be so helpful.
This book details 10 books that did more harm than good to society and culture. Written fairly and contextually, this book takes no jabs but instead provides good rationale as to why we should be careful of what we read and how so many ideas have pervaded our thinking, without us even knowing it.
The real benefit of this book is that by the end of it, you will have deep knowledge of 10 other books.
Purchase on Amazon here.
Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss.
The best negotiation book that you will read. Ever.
Seriously, go buy it now.
The author is a former FBI international hostage negotiator and provides the best negotiation advice you will read. This book is not gimmicky, salesy, or cliche. The advice really works and is really practical.
If you need to buy a car, negotiate a salary, argue with your partner, or manage a contract, then this book will help tremendously.
Purchase on Amazon here.
The Heart of Change, John D. Kotter.
Change can be disruptive, hard. Change Management is the study and management to help individuals, teams, and organizations make big change. This includes how to communicate the change, how to mitigate negative effects, and how to convince others of the need for change.
As anybody who has worked with others can attest, oftentimes the greatest difficult in change is not the actual change itself, it's the people and their behavior. This book will help you think and feel differently so that you can accomplish more when change needs to happen.
The author is one of the best in the field and widely-known. The book is readable, practical, and will help you be a better leader. There are 8 steps to successful change and you will learn them here.
Purchase on Amazon here.
Read ONE Book Every Week.
The best leaders read books. A lot of books. You will not grow and stretch yourself if you're not forcing yourself by habit to read new things from new people.
We all need new and better ideas in our lives and a book does just that. You can spend 5 hours to glean something that took somebody years to learn and articulate. The more you read, the more you will succeed.
Make it a goal to read 1 book per week this year and you will be a changed person, for the better, when 2019 comes around.