13 Non-Fiction Books Successful People Read
Jim Rohn, one of the most influential speakers of all time, once said in a seminar:
“Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job.”
And it’s been life-changing for millions of people around the world ever since.
One way to do that is to read great non-fiction books.
They distill years of experience into a few pages so you can fuel your mind with creativity, expand your vision, and develop your skills faster.
But it comes with a warning.
It only works if you apply the lessons in practice.
So, here are 12 non-fiction books I've selected for you that will make you more successful at work and transform your life for the better as soon as you start reading them.
Ready? Let’s go 🚀🚀
1. Mindset, Carol Dweck
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
“Talent is not passed down in the genes. It’s in the mindset”
Key Take Away:
We are all born with a growth mindset that anyone can develop at any age.
And the only difference between success and failure is how you turn a situation to your benefit.
An absolute must-read to develop a growth mindset!
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2. Influence, Robert Cialdini
Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
In this book, you’ll learn why people say “yes” and how to apply these insights to Customer Success and more.
Key Take Aways: the 7 Principles of Persuasion
Reciprocation
Commitment and Consistency
Social Proof
Liking
Authority
Scarcity
and Unity
After reading this book, you’ll never talk to your customers the same way again.
I guarantee it!
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3. Atomic Habits, James Clear
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
“Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement”
Key Take Aways
All habits have the same 4-step pattern:
Cue
Craving
Response
and Reward.
To form habits, you must make them:
Obvious
Attractive
Easy
and Satisfying.
Whether you want to form a new habit or get rid of a bad one, read this book for a life-changing experience.
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4. Start with Why, Simon Sinek
Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
“People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it”
Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with why.
They realized that people won’t buy into a product, service, or idea until they understand the why.
If you haven’t read any of Simon Sinek’s books, here’s a short YouTube video that will convince you right on the spot.
And here’s a longer version on Spotify that sums up his philosophy well.
Key Take Away
To inspire others, always communicate your Why, first.
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5. Never Split the Difference, Chris Voss
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
Chris Voss is a former FBI hostage negotiator.
In this awesome book, he explains how to negotiate in any type of situation.
Key Take Away:
Build trust by using the mirroring technique.
Label your counterpart’s emotions to build empathy.
Use the right tone of voice.
A must-read for any Customer Success professional!
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6. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness
Naval Ravikant is an entrepreneur, philosopher, and investor.
In this book, you’ll learn how to walk your path to a happy and wealthy life.
Key Take Aways:
Compounding interest also applies to your finances and your relationships.
Money is the ultimate tool for freedom.
To become happy, learn how to be neutral and stay quiet.
A must-read!
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7. The 4-Hour Workweek, Tim Ferriss
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
“Doing something unimportant well does not make it important”
This book is the ultimate guide to living the lifestyle of your dreams.
Key Take Aways:
• How Tim went from $40,000 per year to $40,000 per month and 4 hours per week.
• How to cut 50% of your work.
• How to trade a long-term career for short work bursts and frequent “mini-retirements”.
Read it and you’ll never consider “work” the same way again!
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8. Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill
Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill
Number 1 motivational personal development and self-help book of all time.
Napoleon Hill studied more than 500 wealthy businessmen over 20 years. In this masterpiece, he describes the 13 common habits of the most successful people.
The philosophy taught in this book will help you succeed in everything you do.
Here are the 13 Laws of Success:
Desire
Faith
Auto Suggestion
Specialized Knowledge
Imagination
Organized Planning
Decision
Persistence
Power of the Master Mind
Transmutation
The Subconscious Mind
The Brain
The Sixth Sense
Key Take Aways
Use the power of auto-suggestion to build a strong belief in yourself.
Always stand by your decisions.
Join a mastermind group to speed up the learning curve.
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9. Rich Dad Poor Dad, Robert Kiyosaki
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money
A bestseller in the categories of Personal Finance, Parenting, and Investing.
It’s the story of Robert growing up with his two dads: his own father and the father of his best friend.
How both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing has changed his life forever.
Key Take Aways:
• You don’t need to earn a high income to become rich
• Defines what an asset is (puts money in your pocket)
and a liability (takes money from your pocket).
• You can’t rely on the school system to teach your kids about money
A must-read!
And you’ll never look at your finances the same way again!
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10. As a Man Thinketh, James Allen
As A Man Thinketh, James Allen
“As we think, so we are”
James Allen reveals how our thoughts shape our character. They manifest themselves in our finances, health, appearance, and environment.
The choice is yours.
Master your thoughts and create the life you want. Or remain stuck in negativity, frustration, and failure.
You can listen to the full audiobook here.
Key Take Away:
Your actions follow your thoughts.
Thoughts can keep you young or make you age faster.
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11. The Psychology Of Money, Morgan Housel
Doing well with money isn’t about what you know.
It’s about how you behave. And behavior is hard to teach, even to smart people.
The book tells you 19 short stories exploring the strange ways people think about money.
Key Take Aways:
Leave greed out when managing your money.
Don’t envy how others are doing with their money as it can lead you to make the wrong decisions for yourself.
Your childhood experiences influence the financial decisions you make later in life.
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12. How To Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie
How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie
Self-development book written by Dale Carnegie, and published in 1936.
One of the most groundbreaking and timeless bestsellers of all time!
The one book you should have close to you and read at least once every year!
Key Take Aways:
Six ways to make people appreciate you
Twelve ways to win people to your way of thinking
Nine ways to change people without appearing rude
And much more!
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13. BONUS:
Here are a few other must-reads I’d recommend as well:
Man’s Search For Meaning, Viktor Frankl
Braving the Wilderness, Brene Brown
Shoe Dog, Phil Knight
Company of One, Paul Jarvis
Zero to Sold, Arvid Kahl
The Richest Man in Babylon, George Clason
10% Happier, Dan Harris
Extreme Ownership, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
Getting Out of the Box, The Arbinger Institute
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Mark Manson
When, Daniel Pink
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Richard Bach
Factfulness, Hans Rosling
What else would you add to the list?
If you enjoyed the read, the best favor you can do for me is to share it.
Thank you!