If you want to be a more successful business owner, a more productive employee, a better person, and a top earner, you need to start with one habit: read more.
Data shows that some of the most successful business people in the world credit reading for their good fortune. Could it be that the key to reaching your next career goal is as simple as turning the page of a new book?
Want to Be Better At Business? Start Reading!
If you want to avoid mistakes, learn from those who have already made them. We would all love to have one-on-one mentorship from the world’s most successful leaders, but that’s simply not realistic. What is realistic, however, is learning from those leaders by reading the stories they’ve provided.
Books give us valuable insight into what worked for other entrepreneurs, what didn’t work, and what we might want to try next. Instead of learning lessons the hard way, we can read about the misfortunes and successes of those who came before us. Reading others’ stories can inspire us to try new things, take chances, and know when to walk away.
Leadership and personal development books can help us develop our own managerial styles. Books act as a mirror into our own lives, helping us discover new attributes about ourselves and those around us. When we make reading a daily habit, we are continually expanding our knowledge and awareness about the world and our place in it.
Finally, the most successful entrepreneurs are constantly chasing knowledge. Even the most seasoned and experienced professionals don’t know it all. When we read more often, we gain knowledge every day – from multiple sources – which can only help us become better business owners, employees, and members of society.
Other Benefits of Reading Regularly
Voracious reading isn’t just good for your career. Reading has many cognitive and emotional benefits, too.
No matter what genre you read, your brain gets a hefty workout. Reading can improve concentration and memory, reduce and slow symptoms of Alzheimer’s, reduce stress, make you more empathetic, and help you sleep.
In addition, reading regularly helps us become better problem-solvers. When we read more, we are exposed to various viewpoints, issues, and solutions. Then, we can draw from that knowledge when facing our own challenges. Books give us additional tools to use when we struggle.
Successful People Read More Than Others
If you’re still not sold on reading more, take the advice of some of business’s top names. Warren Buffet – business tycoon and multi-billionaire – famously spends about 80% of his day reading. He credits reading (and subsequently thinking about the reading) for his resounding success.
However, Buffet isn’t the only voracious reader who has risen to business fame. Other bookworms include Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Cuban, Oprah Winfrey, and Sheryl Sandberg.
In fact, it’s a well-known fact that some of the most successful people in the world make a habit of reading every day. It may not be the only reason for their success, but it does seem to be an essential factor behind entrepreneurial success.
What Should You Read?
What you read often determines if you read. First and foremost, you have to read more of what inspires you. You’re not going to be inspired by a dull read, so it’s important to find something that speaks to your passions and interests.
Books about business, entrepreneurship, and professional development will inevitably help you reach your career goals. However, don’t limit yourself only to these genres. Biographies, historical books, and even literature can impact how you view yourself and your role in the world.
The point here is to make reading a daily habit. No matter what you read, you’ll be honing your skills and stimulating your mind. Once you start to read more often, you will likely discover which types of books you prefer. Consider trying genres you wouldn’t normally read. Ask for recommendations from friends and family. Search for books about topics and people who interest you most.
If you need a place to start, check out these ten book recommendations from some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world.
How often do you read? We want to hear your best reading recommendations! Share them with us in the comments below.
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