Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Warren Buffett, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Cuban, Oprah Winfrey, and most of the world’s most influential people all have one thing in common that stands as a contribution to their success. It is no secret that the most influential and richest people in the world are avid readers, and any one that aspires to be influential must cultivate the reading habit.
Here is a Top 5 list of the kind of books that the world’s wealthiest people read:
#1: The Intelligent Investor, by Benjamin Graham
This book is as old as everything that happened in 1949 when it was first published, but it’s as relevant as time itself. No wonder Warren Buffett said it was one of the luckiest moments of his life when he found and read this book, because it gave him the intellectual framework for investing. This is therefore a must read for any entrepreneur, investor and CEO-to-be.
#2: Evicted: Poverty and Profit in The American City, by Matthew Desmond
For a better understanding of the cause of poverty and how it can be evicted, this is a must-read. This book was one of the books found on Bill Gates’ shelf last year. And according to Bill Gates and Barack Obama, It was one of the best books they read in 2017. Why not get one and see the world from a different angle?
#3: Business Adventures, by John Brookes
This book should be one of the top 5 books that new entrepreneurs launching out must read. Not only does it show the paths to running a strong and successful business, it also highlights the importance of creating value as a means of creating wealth. Little wonder it is one of the books recommended by billionaire Warren Buffet.
#4: Good to Great, by Jim Collins
‘Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t’. This is an essential management book that explains why and how some businesses move from being good to being great and why some others don’t. The book shares realistic insights on transitioning from being a local company to being a global phenomenon.
#5: Influence: The Power of Persuasion, by Robert Cialdini
In the business world today, your ability to influence and persuade people will go a long way in getting things done faster and this book sets you on the right path in knowing the science and practice of persuasion.
There is no doubt that readers are indeed leaders. Starting out on the right path with enough knowledge which in the true sense in not enough, is key for any entrepreneur.
Always remember this quote by Charlie Munger that every successful hungry person must abide by: “go to bed every night a little wiser than you were when you got up”. This way you not only expose yourself to the world, you let the world reveal itself to you, thereby mounting on wings to business success.
