What are the best self-improvement books an entrepreneur can read? The usual advice is to go with the recognised classics like Think and Grow Rich or Rich dad Poor dad. All great brain food for sure, as are the host of alternatives out there and I have a good few of those. I also read a lot of fiction though and I would argue that those can also be inspirational books.
My bookshelves contain a lot of crime fiction and I must admit a fair amount of Stephen King ‘s stuff. So what benefits do these serve as brain food you might ask. Well quite a lot IMHO. Whilst the well-known classics I mentioned above are definitely essential books to read from the point of view of mindset training for entrepreneurs and business people, they do concentrate a lot on how that relates purely to business.
Some of The Best Self Improvements Books Are Fiction
Being in business requires a well-rounded set of skills and I think Crime novels have something to add to the mix. For a start the ones I go for tend to be set in various countries so they provide a lot of observations about different places and the attitudes and lifestyles the people there have. They also tend to feature lone gun Cops or Private investigators who need to rely on their own resources, and the wealth knowledge they have acquired on a wide variety of topics – very much like entrepreneurs do.
My favourite author in the crime arena is definitely James Lee Burke – essential reading for any crime novel junkie. In his inspirational books the main character Dave Robicheaux is a streetwise, ex alcoholic police lieutenant based in and around new Orleans. He’s a complex character. He does things his way and is often as at odds with his own colleagues as he is with the bad guys.
He is guided by a strong set of morals and by the AA’s 12-step program. A lot of the best self-improvement books have a program, or set of steps to follow too and Dave is always looking to improve himself, escape from a conflicted past and be a better man. Sound familiar? The best crime novels are a study of the human soul and character, which at the end of the day is what the best self-improvement books encourage.
Best Self Improvement Books To Read – All Books?
I do realise that running a business isn’t really like being a lone crusader for justice, fighting in the mean streets of the underworld, but it can be tough at times. Sometimes then it’s useful to think – “what would Dave do?”
In business we often have to find different ways to think our way around a situation or problem. There isn’t often a manual we can refer to, even the best inspirational books don’t provide that but being well read in general can build up your store of knowledge so that you have a bigger box of tools to rummage around in.
A more practical example of what I’m getting at here might be in targeting an audience for an advert. It might be logical to think that If I am a fan of Stephen King or James Lee Burke, or Charles Dickens then a lot of people who are also fans of those might be a bit like me. I could then create a Facebook ad that specifically targeted those interests.
That idea goes for almost any of interest you can think of. The types of books a person likes, the music or film they like are all potential common ground in the field of attraction marketing. In online marketing and traditional business its often those kind of ice-breaking shared interests that can lead to knowing, liking and trusting. Maybe we should widen our ideas on what are the best self improvement books?
Membership of The Six Figure Mentors includes training and a downloadable book on the laws of attraction marketing, which is also in my essential books to read list. Find out more on the link below.