Owning a business is a lot like being in Times Square.  If you have ever been there, you know it’s sensory overload.  The lights are lit up at all times and people cross the streets at any hour of the day or night.  There is something to look at or see in every direction that it’s hard to know what or where to go at first.  When you own a business, it can often times feel like all the pretty lights are distracting you. There is something to do every minute day and night – it can be extremely overwhelming.  I hate to even ask you to add one more thing to your plate, but I have one important task you MUST do as a business owner, whether you’re new or seasoned: start reading.  I’m not talking about the latest thriller or apocalyptic teen novel series.  I’m talking about personal development books that will not only change you but your business as well.

Here are 10 books you need to work toward reading through starting today.  Get them from your local library or check out the e-version or audiobook.  Although, I believe purchasing these books might be the best investment you could make as you will reference back to these frequently.  I have them listed in no particular order, though I do believe the ones I have starred would be the ones I’d recommend starting with.

1. Storybrand by Donald Miller*.  If you don’t know which book to start with, this should be it.  This book is the catalyst for your entire business.  I know that sounds like a tall order but it is a critical book for every business owner to read regardless if you have a small blog or an empire of thousands of employees.  In the book, Miller explains how important a clear, targeted message is from the very first glimpse of your brand.  He demonstrates the steps to find your message and build off that in all aspects of your business.  If you haven’t taken our free branding assessment and workbook, you can get a little glimpse into Miller’s framework as we swear by the process and its results. There is a link to sign up on the “blog” homepage on the menu above.
   
   
2. The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson.  This book has revolutionized so many people’s lives.  The proof is in the countless stories told between every chapter of testimonies from other business owners who have applied Olson’s philosophy.  The Slight Edge is jam-packed with how small disciplines compounded over time result in overwhelming success.  You’ll be tempted to put the book down after the first chapter and start applying the simple principle right away but you must read the book in its entirety to fully grasp the concept and how to implement it correctly in your life.
   
   
3. The 5 AM Miracle: Dominate Your Day Before Breakfast by Jeff Sanders*.  This may sound awful to you, especially if you’re not a morning person!  That’s okay.  Sanders explains how important it is to carve out time being intentional in your daily rituals in the morning (whether 5 am or at 9 am).  He gives minute-by-minute plans on how to plan your morning so you can spend your day knowing the most important tasks that you usually skip out on are complete and you’re free to work your business and life in a much more calm and efficient way. This book changed my life and has skyrocketed my daily productivity.
   
   
4. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth.  This book is long but powerful.  It explains how “grit” – a trait very few act on is the driving force behind greatness.  Every business owner should read this book but really anyone no matter where they are in life, will gain incredible insight in to this amazing characteristic. .
   
   
5. Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill*. A classic business read, written after the lull of the Great Depression, Hill gives the testimonies from dozens of successful people both in business and life. The “secret” process is revealed in all of these stories of how mindset and hard work have led to great wealth not just monetarily but in all ares of life.
   
   
6. The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg. This book covers the science behind human habit. It proves how we can learn new habits, scrap bad ones and train our brain to work on auto-pilot to be the best version of ourselves. A longer read, but still worth the drive to complete, as it’s so interesting to see just how powerful our habits are to our entire life.
   
   
7. Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod*. The book is a good companion to the above book mentioned, The 5 am Miracle. It gives with much more detail how to break down your morning for ultimate productivity using a method of daily ritual in self-improvement. I am such a huge advocate for utilizing your mornings to set the tone of your day. Both these books would be great to read back to back.
   
   
8. Mindset: The Psychology of Success, Carol S. Dweck. Dweck explains how if you set your mind to how be successful, you will actually be successful. As a doctor, she explains the fascinating science and psychology behind that mindset.
   
   
9. Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Brian Tracy*. The old saying says if you have to eat a frog every day, chances are that will be the worst thing you’ll have to do the entire day. Therefore, you’re best to eat that frog first thing in the morning and put it behind you so that everything else you do that day will be much easier. The art of learning not to procrastinate and doing the worst thing first can maximize how much you get done everyday.
   
   
10. The Twelve Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks than Others do in 12 Months, Brian Morgan & Michael Lennington. This book is such a game changer. It discusses how to take your business goals and drill them into focused, specific tasks so you can work diligently for 3 months at a time, with insane productivity.

These are just the ones I have found to be the most influential in my success as a business owner. I’d love to hear any I have missed and have impacted you. Please comment below.