4 VERY Influential Books For Men

I’ve been reading books since I was 13. Its been a hobby for most of my life.

 

Now days all I read are self-help type books (big surprise). I’m only interested in whats going to get me ahead in life. I became interested in self help books 6 years ago. Since then I’ve read enough to put together what I feel is the solid top 4 list. Below are the 4 books that truly influenced and motivated me.

 

I often think back to these books (sometimes daily) and remember the principals I learned. I would be cheating you if I didn’t recommend these and bring them to your attention. Here they are (in descending order):

 

4.) The Power Of Full Engagement (Tony Swartz & Jim Loehr)

 

This book taught me about how precious of a resource our energy and willpower really is. So many people don’t realize this, and suffer because of it.

 

As humans, we only get so much willpower each day. As we work throughout our day and week, we have to learn how to strategically weave-in periods of rest.

 

This is the case with our weeks, month’s, and years. 

 

The book teaches you how to harness your willpower and use it to get as much productivity as you can out of life. Normally, you wouldn’t think that taking periodic breaks would help you get more done. However the authors go into detail and give examples of how periods of strategic rest can actually triple your productivity.  

 

Be wise enough to realize you’re not superman. Sooner or later, if you’re not paying attention to your body, it will shut down. Manage your energy, not your time. Buy it here.

 

3.) The Dip (Seth Godin)

 

Marketing genius Seth Godin talks of the difference between winners and losers. Basically the ”Dip” is the obstacle that stands between you and your goal.

 

Some dips are bigger and deeper than others. The bigger and more challenging your goal, the bigger the dip is going to be.

 

Unsuccessful people miscalculate the size of the dip they’re about to jump into, and in the process they give up before they reach their goals.

 

Winners on the other hand, win for a reason. They win because they know pretty quickly which dips are worth barreling through, and which ones aren’t. The battle is largely won or lost before its even fought basically.

 

Seth has a captivating way of explaining his theory. Its a very simple, short read, with a BIG message. This book has always stuck with me and is one you’ll find yourself wanting to go back and read again. Buy it here.

 

2.) The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results (Gary Keller)

 

I’ve mentioned this book in a previous article. 

That pretty much sums up the book right there. Some quick points the book goes into more detail on:

-Why working on one thing at a time is better than multitasking.

-Devote at least 3-4 hours a day to your most important task (your ONE thing AKA your mission).

-Your ONE thing is defined by asking the question: ”What is the ONE thing I do can do today, such that by doing so everything else becomes easy or unnecessary?”

This book was so crucial for me and thousands of other successful people.

Read it and I promise you will not regret it. Buy it here

 

1.) The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Tim Ferris)

 

This is it, the best and most influential book I’ve ever read. I don’t know if it will ever be topped. This book opened up my mind to possibilities that I never knew existed. This isn’t one of those generic self-help, motivating type of books, its a journey into the mind of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the modern time. And right now we’re in the Renaissance era of entrepreneurship.

 

Tim Ferris has net worth of about 20 million dollars, from business that he started himself. He must be doing something right wouldn’t you say?

 

This book will show how to think about life from a new perspective. The perspective of a new league of entrepreneurs he calls the ”New Rich”. Most of how you’ve been taught to live your life is a lie. Tim will show you the light. There’s a better to do things, a more effective way (not efficient).

 

I could sit here all day and talk about how great this book is. I could literally write a review almost as long as Tim’s book on how great it is, but until you read or listen to it yourself, you wont know.

 

By the way, I listen to a lot of books too. I do this through Audible.com, which I feel is fairly priced. For about $17 a month you get to listen to 1 entire book, no matter how long it is.

 

My first time going through the 4 Hour Workweek I listened to it, which I felt helped me get more out of it. This is very convenient because if you lead a very busy life (like I do), you can listen to these books in your car while you’re going about your day. Every book on my top 4 list is available on Audible.com.

 

To sum it up, even if you’ve never thought of yourself as an entrepreneur, there is no better book to start with than the 4 Hour Workweek.

 

This could be that book helps you make the necessary mindset switch. Tim breaks things down into practical, applicable steps and gives you all the resources you’ll ever need.

 

What is does more than anything else though is it inspires you. It will motivate and inspire you to be better. To live the life you were meant to live. Buy it here.

 

Until next time,

 

Live intentionally,

 

-Matt Mitchell