Here Are 7 Business Books You Need to Read

These books can change your life!

Leaders are readers! Whether you're a business owner or just looking to improve your career, here are seven of my favorite business books that can provide you with invaluable guidance on setting yourself up for long-term success.

1. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This timeless bestseller was written in 1937 and is still one of the most popular self-development books. It is based on the principle that "thoughts become things." Hill teaches readers how to use their minds to create wealth and success. Hill interviewed over 500 self-made millionaires in his day and was one of the first to understand how the power of thought impacts what we can achieve. With the help of inspirational stories, he provides readers with a powerful set of tools for achieving their goals -- from developing self-confidence and personal discipline to harnessing the power of visualizing success.

2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

This classic business book explores the idea that success can be achieved through personal effectiveness and by developing habits that allow us to reach our goals with less effort. Covey explains that the most powerful forces in our lives are our habits. They are what determines our effectiveness and efficiency. Covey outlines seven core principles that are essential for achieving success -- from taking initiative to developing empathy -- so you can gain clarity on your values, priorities, and life's purpose.

3. The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries

This book has become one of the most influential books for new entrepreneurs. Ries provides readers with an alternative approach to launching and managing new businesses by pushing them to focus on quickly iterating products. By doing so, you can acquire valuable feedback from customers in order to create a competitive advantage. Through the implementation of experiments and early customer involvement, businesses can remain agile, adapt to fast-changing marketplace conditions, and make strategic decisions.

4. Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

In this book, Simon Sinek explores the idea that great leaders and organizations are those who have a clear sense of purpose -- the "why" behind what they do. He believes that if we can understand why something is important to us or our organization, it will help us lead better and inspire others to take action. This book gives readers a framework for understanding how to make decisions from a place of clarity and conviction instead of fear and uncertainty.

5. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss

This book helped me change my mindset on how I approached my everyday business operations. It's all about eliminating the time-consuming tasks that often take up our day and keep us from focusing on what truly matters. Through simple strategies and tools, Timothy Ferriss challenges readers to question their current approach to work, while offering an alternative way of living and working. Ferriss gives insightful tips on how you can still achieve your professional goals but have more free time, financial freedom, and control over your life.

6. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins

Collins analyzed 28 companies over 30 years and explored the question of what makes a company great. He divides his findings into three segments focusing on concepts such as having the right people in the right positions, fostering a culture of innovative thought, and holding everyone accountable. Whether you have a small business or work for a larger company, this book provides valuable advice to anyone looking to improve their management strategy. One of the concepts Collins introduces is "The Flywheel" -- a process based on the idea that consistent and sustained effort over time will lead to great results. The Flywheel illustrates how small changes can have big impacts when combined with determination and consistency.

7. The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling

The authors, one of them being Sean Covey, son of the 7 Habits author Stephen Covey, found through their extensive research that the vast majority of businesses fail not because they have a bad plan, but because they execute the plan poorly. The premise of 4DX is that teams need to focus their attention on the top two or three goals, measure progress against them, recognize individual successes and hold themselves accountable in order to move forward. For leaders looking to drive results in their teams and organizations, this book can serve as an invaluable guidebook with practical advice on overcoming common roadblocks and executing goals effectively.

The next step after reading these business books is to take action and put the knowledge to use. Start by reflecting on what you have read and consider how it can be applied in your own life or small business. What lessons do these books have that you can use in your day-to-day activities? Once you know the answers, make a plan for implementing them. Finally, take action and watch as your goals start to become a reality!