Productivity books are an essential tool for entrepreneurs. They provide guidance and insights that help propel the business forward and drive success. Since reading is the closest thing to having a personal mentor, several of the best productivity books for entrepreneurs are good practices for gaining insights. Beyond personal lives, any book for entrepreneurs will help with lessons learned, practical advice, and actionable advice from Effective People based on entrepreneurial journeys.
Although many would argue that reading isn’t a practical use of time, it’s important to read business books from successful entrepreneurs and successful people (like Napoleon Hill, Warren Buffett, Jason Fried, Stephen R. Covey, Gary Vaynerchuk, Dale Carnegie, Robert Kiyosaki, Malcolm Gladwell’s, Bob Dorf, Elon Musk, David Hansson, David Heinemeier, Stephen Covey, Timothy Ferriss) to stay on top of the latest trends, ideas, and strategies from different fields, ages, and horizons. However, just because you have an entrepreneurial spirit doesn’t mean you need to read full-on entrepreneur books. There are plenty of short reads available for entrepreneurs.
Productivity Books for Entrepreneurs
Here are some productivity and how-to-improve books that will help you optimize your work ethic without sacrificing your free time (and career).
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them & People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell
Who better to tackle leadership and people skills than a man who has led the world’s most well-known leadership organization for 18 years? Maxwell’s book focuses on essential laws of leadership, all of which can be applied to business and entrepreneurship. The 21 laws are organized into four sections: Character, Go Forward; Influence and Influence; Relationships, Respect, and Succession.
Maxwell’s book contains helpful illustrations and anecdotes about real-life leaders like Winston Churchill, Richard Nixon, and Helen Keller. It’s an easy read that will help any entrepreneur understand the power of leadership.
“When you struggle with gaining influence or influence over a specific situation, it is essential to analyze the topic and the people involved. Then, you can analyze what type of approach needs to be used and the potential outcome. After that, you need to make your final decision and move forward with confidence.”, says Maxwell.
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss
The title alone makes this book appealing to entrepreneurs. Ferriss’s book offers tips and tricks for working less by utilizing online tools to supplement your day. Although many of the recommendations focus on business, Ferriss’s advice applies to all types of entrepreneurs.
Ferriss’s book has helped those who have read it transition into more productive lifestyles. It also provides a blueprint for working fewer hours while still achieving your goals — building your online business or simply enjoying more fun in life. Ferriss even has a podcast called The Tim Ferriss Show. He interviews successful and influential people from all walks of life. (Free, but requires a subscription to audible)
Side Hustle Nation: How to Make Money Doing the Things You Love by Chris Guillebeau
Though this book is geared towards the side hustle-er, it can be helpful for those who are looking for another way to make money. The book offers advice on monetizing your passions, and much of the information directly applies to entrepreneurs.
Guillebeau even breaks down his side hustles, which are all highly profitable. A few of the topics covered in this book include list building, finding a niche, product creation, and outsourced tasks. If you’re looking for inspiration or ideas on starting a side hustle, this book is for you.
The Win-Win Solution by Richard Koc
This book focuses on the “win-win” mentality, which is a mindset that helps everyone work together to achieve a greater purpose. Though the book is geared towards team building, it can also be helpful for entrepreneurs who want to achieve more business success.
In addition to this mindset, Koch offers advice on developing solid relationships necessary for every workplace. The book includes principles from psychology, business administration, and management. Although the content is geared toward business settings, it’s still beneficial for entrepreneurs who better understand interpersonal relationships.
The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future by Chris Guillebeau
This book focuses on generating passive income through blogging, and there are many resources and links. In addition to this, Guillebeau includes interviews with online money-makers like Seth Godin, who share their success stories.
This book is perfect for beginning a blog that can generate income and provide passive income. With this, you can create a source of passive income without the stress of finding clients and corporate sponsors, simply producing content.
20 Minutes a Day by Benjamin Franklin
Reading this book won’t help with your entrepreneurial mindset. Still, it is an excellent read for those who want to learn about the ideas behind self-improvement—the book details how Franklin’s daily routine helped him improve his life and work ethic.
Many of the examples and anecdotes in the book are based on Benjamin Franklin’s thoughts on self-improvement, productivity, and cooperation.
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
One of the best productivity books for entrepreneurs, this book discusses what separates true innovators from everyone else and why you can not get anywhere without knowing where you are. This book will guide you to your personal growth and success.
Personal productivity is the key to any progress. Having the right tools, formulas, and skills is essential to keep you on track and achieve your goals. I hope those selected productivity books for entrepreneurs will be significant assets in your journey.
