Reading List

Since we are in the information age, power isn’t capital, power is knowledge.  As said by John Kenneth Galbraith, “money is what fueled the industrial society.  But in the informational society, the fuel, the power, is knowledge”.   I think it is important to educate yourself no matter what age you are.  I have a made an effort (that I am trying to make into a habit) to read at least 1 book per month.  Reading has helped changed my mindset about where I currently am, financially, physically, socially, and now put me in the right direction to where I want to be.

Below is a list of books that I have read over the past few years that inspired me to continue to grow as an individual and improve day in and day out.  This blog is the action set forth resulting from reading the books below.   By sharing the knowledge I gain from reading and from personal experiences, my goal is to urge you to continue to improve yourself individually and hopefully motivate you to get out of the rat race to find financial freedom.

Top Recommended Books:

  1. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert Kiyosaki
    • This book is one of my favorite’s and I believe it is a must read to change your mindset from the traditional career path.  Robert challenges the status quo explaining that the traditional way most are raised is incorrect for finding financial freedom.  He explains that we are not meant to sit in chairs for 8 hours a day at an office making others rich.  Rather he encourages us to step outside our comfort zone and build wealth for yourself through methods other than a W-2 income.
  2. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferris
    • Tim consolidated 700 pages of interviews/conversations with renown individuals ranging from Arnold Schwarzenegger to Shaun White sharing key routines, practices, and opinions of these world-class performers.  Tim split the book up into three categories, healthy, wealthy, and wise and advises you to read the book how you please.  My advice… pick this up, read it unconventionally and bounce all over the place.  This is definitely a book you want on your bookshelf because you will periodically open it up to refer back to something.
  3. The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan
    • When it comes to productivity, Gary Keller’ The One Thing, sums it up in a nut shell.   He explains how productivity comes from focusing on one particular thing at a time without any distractions.  Multi-tasking is a just a myth that limits your ability to become truly productive.  He explains how distractions through email, text, phone calls, and other forms, can interrupt your current actions on a particular item and set you back causing you to rework your steps.  Throughout the book, Gary asks you to determine what that one thing is that will get you toward your goal, whether it is weight loss, a new job, a better relationship, whatever it is, find the one thing and start doing it.
  4. You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero
    • Jen Sincero motivated the hell out of me in “You Are a Badass at MAking Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth”.  Jen turn’s the naysayers into believers and teaches you that the first step in getting rich is changing your mindset.  Once you have the correct mindset the rest will come if you believe.
  5. Expert Secrets by Russel Brunson
    • Russel has over 10 years of experience in online marketing and has spent his time mastering the art of internet sales in the last decade.  He is the CEO of ClickFunnels which is one of the fastest growing companies that has no venture capital investments.  Expert Secrets is Russel’s secrets to running an online business and shows you step by step on how to sell your product or services.  If you are interested in creating an online business I highly recommend Expert Secrets.

Personal Finance Books

  1. The Automatic Millionaire, Expanded and Updated: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich by David Bach
  2. MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom by Tony Robbins
    • Tony outlines 7 simple steps to financial freedom and interviews several billionaires and millionaires in the process of sharing their stories on how they accumulated wealth overtime.
  3. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert Kiyosaki
    • This book is one of my favorite’s and I believe it is a must read to change your mindset from the traditional career path.  Robert challenges the status quo explaining that the traditional way most are raised is incorrect for finding financial freedom.  He explains that we are not meant to sit in chairs for 8 hours a day at an office making others rich.  Rather he encourages us to step outside our comfort zone and build wealth for yourself through methods other than a W-2 income.
  4. The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke by Suze Orman
    • Suze explains how to pay off debt and how to pay it off fast.  She explains how to tackle the challenges of student loans and credit card debt, educates you on insurance, buying a first home, and the importance of understanding your finances as early as possible.
  5. The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing by Benjamin Graham
    • The Intelligent Investor is a must-read for anyone interested in investing and building wealth over the long-term.  Warren Buffet mentioned he follow’s many of the same core principles and strategies outlined in The Intelligent Investor and recommends all people to read this book.   Benjamin Graham focuses on Value Investing which are strategies to invest over the long-term.
  6. One Up On Wall Street: How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money In The Market by Peter Lynch
    • Peter’s One Up on Wall Street explains how anyone can beat the “pros” or managed mutual funds simply by what they know.  Peter uses a strategy based off his observations of everyday life.
  7. Jim Cramer’s Getting Back to Even by Jim Cramer
    • After the Great Recession, Jim Cramer wrote Getting Back to Even to encourage investors to get back into the stock market and “get back to even and then go from there”.  He explains steps you can take to bring your portfolio back to live as well as other personal finance actions you can take to improve your life.
  8. Jim Cramer’s Get Rich Carefully by Jim Cramer
    • Jim Cramer shares his strategy of building wealth based on his 35 years of experience.  Based on fundamental analysis which focuses on the core competencies of a company.  Jim also shares some technical analysis as well like the MACD (aka Moving Average Convergence Divergence).  Read Get Rich Carefully if you are thinking or interested in buying individual in the stock market.
  9. Odds On: The Making of an Evidence-Based Investor by Matt Hall
    • Matt reveals the secrets of managed mutual funds and tells his story of opening his own investment firm.  Matt advises investing in index funds with low fees over managed funds with hidden fees and below average performance.
  10. The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D. and William D. Danko, Ph.D
    • Thomas and William take a different perspective when analyzing the rich.  They discover that majority of the wealth in the United States isn’t in Beverly Hills or in New York City, the rich are actually all around you.  They found seven common traits among the wealthy that anyone can put into practice to accumulate wealth.
  11. The Millionaire Booklet by Grant Cardone
    • Grant creates a quick easy read (only 42 pages) of how to become a millionaire.  At first I was surprised that it was so small but I appreciate it now after reading it.  The millionaire booklet is straight to the point and covers 10 main points that are broken down in each chapter.  Grant gets you to think outside the typical “middle class” mindset and gets you realizing becoming a millionaire is in reach.

Personal Development Books

  1. The Success Principles(TM) – 10th Anniversary Edition: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by Jack Canfield
    • Jack explains 64 Principles to help you get from where you are to where you want to be.  Jack focuses on several buckets of principles covering, goal oriented people, the power of the mind, limiting beliefs, financial best practices, asking for feedback, responsibility, appreciation, gratitude and more.  If you are looking for a book to help motivate you to find what you are truly looking for, I recommend starting with Jack’s Success Principles.
    • To check all of Jack’s principles you can visit his website at: http://www.thesuccessprinciples.com/
  2. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferris
    • Tim consolidated 700 pages of interviews/conversations with renown individuals ranging from Arnold Schwarzenneger to Shaun White sharing key routines, practices, and opinions of these world class performers.  Tim split the book up into three categories, healthy, wealthy, and wise and advises you to read the book how you please.  My advice… pick this up, read it unconventionally and bounce all over the place.  This is definitely a book you want on your bookshelf because you will periodically open it up to refer back to something.
  3. Think and Grow Rich: The Original, an Official Publication of The Napoleon Hill Foundation by Napolean Hill
    • One of the most well-known books in the personal finance, success story realm, Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill talks about the power of the mind.  He explains the importance of goal setting and modeling after successful individuals whom you want to mimic.
    • Napolean shares stories of many successful individuals like Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, as well as other millionaires looking for similarities and common traits.  He believes once the mind is set on a well thought out specific goal, the mind will bring that goal to a reality.  If you are looking for motivation, I suggest starting with Think and Grow Rich, it is also a quick and easy read!
  4. Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
    • If you find yourself procrastinating quite often or find it difficult to meet your deadlines, pick up Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy.  Brian outlines simple steps to help improve efficiency and effectiveness helping you decide what tasks should be prioritized,  delegated, or simply ignored.
  5. Unlimited Power: The New Science of Personal Achievement by Tony Robbins
    • The second book I’ve read by Tony Robbins, Unlimited Power isn’t focused so much on personal finance, rather it focuses on personal development and well-being.  Tony discusses a wide range of topics, which fall under three main buckets:
      • The Modeling of Human Excellence
      • The Ultimate Success Formula
      • Leadership the Challenge of Excellence.
    • Within these buckets, you will read about topics like, the state of the mind, the importance of belief, understanding your brain and how you can control it, how to build strong rapport, how to handle resistance, how to feel confident in an uncomfortable environment, the five keys to wealth and happiness and many more.  Pick this book up if you are looking to turn a specific weakness into a strength.
  6. The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller with Jay Papasan
    • When it comes to productivity, Gary Keller’ The One Thing, sums it up in a nut shell.   He explains how productivity comes from focusing on one particular thing at a time without any distractions.  Multi-tasking is a just a myth that limits your ability to become truly productive.  He explains how distractions through email, text, phone calls, and other forms, can interrupt your current actions on a particular item and set you back causing you to rework your steps.  Throughout the book, Gary asks you to determine what that one thing is that will get you toward your goal, whether it is weight loss, a new job, a better relationship, whatever it is, find the one thing and start doing it.
  7. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Convey
    • A very motivating personal development book, Stephen Convey discusses 7 habits that are common among very effective people.  From pro-activeness, interdependence, to “sharpening the saw” there is a habit anyone can learn and adopt.  Take a look into reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to make an improvement in your life.
  8. Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson, M.D.
    • Fast and easy, you can read this book in one hour.  Spencer does a fantastic job encouraging change through the “who moved my cheese?” metaphor.  If you think you are getting too comfortable with your current environment and don’t want to fall behind, read this book for some motivation.
  9. Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon
    • Show your work is another book you can knock out in a few hours.  This is all about showcasing your work and what you do.  For me, this book is tailored towards my blog and finding a purpose.  What do you have to show for?  Is a common question that I kept asking myself while reading it.
  10. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt
    • Dubner and Levitt ask questions that test the everyday expectation and make you second guess the way you look at things.  They dissect some interesting topics, everything from reducing crime, to the commonality between teachers and sumo wrestlers.
  11. SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt
    • Dubner and Levitt add more to Freakonomics with the sequel of SuperFreakonomics.  Looking at many different topics including climate change, supply and demand within the world of prostituion, when to have a baby and more, ultimately showing how people respond to incentives.
  12. You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero
    • Jen Sincero motivated the hell out of me in “You Are a Badass at MAking Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth”.  Jen turn’s the naysayers into believers and teaches you that the first step in getting rich is changing your mindset.  Once you have the correct mindset the rest will come if you believe.
  13. The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone
    • I think the best way to describe this book is with the following statement: “It takes the same amount of effort to earn $10 Million as it does to make a $100 Million”.  What I got from this book is to set your goals BIG.  If you fall short of a big goal it’s a hell of a lot better than falling short of a small goal.  Grant’s 10X Rule is all about motivation and helps you realize you need to wake up and smell the roses if you want to be successful!
  14. The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz
    • In my opinion, this is another mindset manual.  David defines the path of believing you can succeed and you will.  Focusing on actions, setting goals, and learning from your failures he showcases what can result from “thinking big”.  I suggest anyone interested in changing their current status to pick this book up and read it.

Real Estate Investing Books

  1. The ABCs of Property Management: What You Need to Know to Maximize Your Money Now (Rich Dad Advisors) by Ken McElroy
    • Ken brings the life of a property manager to reality through the ABCs of Property Management.  Ken provides he story of how he got started in property management and shares with you his learning experiences of the years.  He helps instill the idea that your time is money and tries to help you make the decision of whether or not you should leverage a property management company if you are a buy and hold real estate investor.

Business Books

  1. Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too by Gary Vaynerchuk
    • If you’re interested in building a personal brand then this book is for you.  Gary goes deep in each platform and demonstrates how others have successfully built businesses around their own personal brand leveraging social media.  Even if you aren’t trying to become an influencer but looking to build your business through social media, then get a hold of Crushing It and start reading it now.
  2. Expert Secrets by Russel Brunson
    • Russel has over 10 years of experience in online marketing and has spent his time mastering the art of internet sales in the last decade.  He is the CEO of ClickFunnels which is one of the fastest growing companies that has no venture capital investments.  Expert Secrets is Russel’s secrets to running an online business and shows you step by step how to sell your product or services.  If you are interested in creating an online business I highly recommend Expert Secrets.
  3. The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It by Michael Gerber 
    • Michael preaches that small businesses should emulate the franchise prototype model in order to be successful.  He reiterates the importance of having systems in your business.  If you implement, Hard systems, Soft Systems, and Information systems in your business you are set up for success and will create a money making machine!  A must read for any small business owner.