What’s the secret to success many CEOs and founders have in common?
They read. A LOT.
According to Sales & Marketing Executives International, those who read at least 7 business books per year earn more money.
In fact, they earn 2.3 times more than people who only read one book per year.
Reading seems to be one of the major habits successful people have in common. When you enter the houses of “wealthy” people, they often have beautiful bookshelves filled with books that have inspired them. They will often give credit to the books that taught them the secrets of their success.
When Warren Buffet was asked about the secret to his success, he said, “Read 500 pages every day.” He pointed to his stack of books and explained that knowledge is accumulated over time, “it builds up, like compound interest.”
A study of 1,200 wealthy people found that they ALL had reading in common as a pastime. Bill Gates has said that he reads 50 books per year. Warren Buffet says he still devotes about 80% of his day to reading.
So, how can reading books help you earn more?
First of all, you’ll always have a constant flow of new ideas and strategies that you can apply to your career. Each book will offer you a different perspective. You’ll collect actionable techniques you can use right away in your business.
Plus, by reading about business strategies often, you’ll keep your mind focused on the topic. That means your brain will be processing ideas even while you’re doing other things. In this state of mind, you’ll be more open to inspiration and more likely to come up your next brilliant idea.
You might think you don’t have enough time to read business books. But you’d be surprised by how much you can read by taking advantage of small pockets of time throughout your day.
For example, you can read while you eat breakfast, or while you’re on your commute to work, or during your lunch break. Read in short bursts wherever and whenever – it adds up!
Also, try deleting social media apps from your phone and limiting your scrolling time. Statista Research Department says the average adult spends 145 minutes per day on social media. That adds up to 16.8 hours per week! Why not carry a book around with you and used your downtime for reading instead? You could read a LOT of books in 16.8 hours per week.
Additional benefits of reading
Need more convincing?
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Fun Facts: Books read by leading founders, CEOs & entrepreneurs
Here’s a glimpse of what some familiar names are reading:
Mark Cuban – American billionaire entrepreneur, television personality, and media proprietor
Rework shows you a better, faster, easier way to succeed in business. Most business books give you the same old advice: Write a business plan, study the competition, seek investors, yadda yadda. If you’re looking for a book like that, put this one back on the shelf. Read it and you’ll know why plans are actually harmful, why you don’t need outside investors, and why you’re better off ignoring the competition. The truth is, you need less than you think… Read more
Larry Page – Co-founder of Google
“What Do You Care What Other People Think?”
One of the greatest physicists of the twentieth century, Richard Feynman possessed an unquenchable thirst for adventure and an unparalleled ability to tell the stories of his life. Among its many tales―some funny, others intensely moving―we meet Feynman’s first wife, Arlene, who taught him of love’s irreducible mystery as she lay dying in a hospital bed while he worked nearby on the atomic bomb at Los Alamos… Read more
Sheryl Sandberg – CEO of Facebook
The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses
The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched. Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This is just as true for one person in a garage or a group of seasoned professionals in a Fortune 500 boardroom. What they have in common is a mission to penetrate that fog of uncertainty to discover a successful path to a sustainable business… Read more
Marissa Mayer – Former CEO of Yahoo!
The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
The charisma myth is the idea that charisma is a fundamental, inborn quality—you either have it (Bill Clinton, Steve Jobs, Oprah) or you don’t. But that’s simply not true, as Olivia Fox Cabane reveals. Charismatic behaviors can be learned and perfected by anyone. Becoming more charismatic doesn’t mean transforming your fundamental personality. It’s about adopting a series of specific practices that fit in with the personality you already have. The Charisma Myth shows you how to become more influential, more persuasive, and more inspiring… Read more
Bill Gates – Co-founder of Microsoft
Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street
What do the $350 million Ford Motor Company disaster known as the Edsel, the fast and incredible rise of Xerox, and the unbelievable scandals at General Electric and Texas Gulf Sulphur have in common? Each is an example of how an iconic company was defined by a particular moment of fame or notoriety; these notable and fascinating accounts are as relevant today to understanding the intricacies of corporate life as they were when the events happened. Stories about Wall Street are infused with drama and adventure and reveal the machinations and volatile nature of the world of finance… Read more
Want to see more books like these? Head on over to this Business Books List to see what else top founders, CEOS and entrepreneurs are reading.
Your Turn: What you can do today to get started..
You can get started right now by surrounding yourself with interesting business books and read more than one at a time.
Having a pile of books in your house is a great reminder to read. You’ll have a wealth of choices at your fingertips whenever you’re ready to dip in. BUT, don’t overwhelm yourself. If your list is too large and ambitious, it might work against you. Instead, make a plan. Pick a few books that are relevant to helping you achieve your goals, and set a timeline for when you will begin and finish each book.
Ready to start building your library? Take a look through our Best Business Books list for a head start.
The list features books written by and recommended by successful founders, CEOs and entrepreneurs. Every book in this directory is a handpicked selection from a Natfluence editor. These books offer valuable insights into business, leadership, habits and more. Building your library of business books might just be the best investment you ever make in yourself.
