I recently read a book called “Be Obsessed Or Be Average” by Grant Cardone. In the last 2-3 months actually, I have read almost all of Grant’s 7 books, with the exception of the one listed below, which is next on my list.
Grant is complete fireball of motivation, and really has the ability to get you fired up about your life, especially in the book I mentioned above (Be Obsessed Or Be Average). One of the talking points in the book that stood out to me, is that the average CEO reads about 60 books a year.
For years, the list of books I want to read has grown and grown and grown. Its to the point now where I feel like I need to start listening to 1 book a week, just to get through all of them.
And yes I said listen (Audible.com). To me, what is most important is taking in the content of the book, it does not matter how I do it (whether I actually read it, or I listen to the audio version).
1 book per week may strike some of you as crazy, but I never said I was normal, or reasonable in the expectations that I have of myself, and neither should you.
After a year of this, I may continue to keep doing it, or I may decide not too. I don’t know because I haven’t yet experienced the benefits of it (or lack thereof). I have a good enough degree of confidence however, that this experiment will give me a very good return on my time investment.
Think of all the ideas and knowledge you could have floating around in your head a year from now. Now when I say 52 books, I also plan on re-reading or re-listening to books I’ve already finished.
So with that said, maybe I read 25 new books, and 25 old ones, or 30/20, or whatever. These days, I’m careful not to plan things out to very specific degree anymore, because the original plan usually ends up changing.
I DO think there is something to be said for reading the same book several times over. This is especially true of the books that make an impact on you after your first time through them.
For example, the book ”Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind” by T Harv Eker, I listened to every month for about 9 months in row. At the time, I wanted to experiment with doing that to see if it helped me ingrain the book’s ideas. I can say that it did.
The point of this was to deeply, deeply, etch onto my brain the principals the book was preaching.
Although I’m not yet a millionaire, the book successfully changed the way I think and view the marketplace, among a few other things. More than anything, it changed the way I saw myself, and the value I have to offer.
Its been a few years now since I’ve read that book, and each year my income continue’s to increase.
Listening to 52 books in a row, without going back through any of them more than once, would be a mistake. You wont retain everything and it will be information overload.
I’m sure it will be a bit of information overload anyway, but the sooner I listen to these new books, the sooner I can go back and listen to them again. A book’s teachings really start to stick after your 2nd-3rd time listening to them.
On Audible, you can listen to a whole book in a few hours, especially if you turn the narrator’s speed up to 1.5X.
So my plan for this is a few hours every Monday morning to start my week, and then maybe listen to the rest of the book in your car while you’re out driving to and from.
Note: Some of these books are better to actually read then they are to listen to. Although I haven’t read all of these yet, of the ones I have, the links below will take you to the version of the book I recommend (the actual book, or the audio version).
1.) If You’re Not 1st You’re Last (Grant Cardone)
2.) The 10X Rule (Grant Cardone).
You should actually read all of Grant’s Books (if you’re in sales, the 10X Rule, and Be Obsessed Or be Average you should read even if you’re not in sales however).
3.) The Intelligent Investor (Benjamin Graham).
4.) The Richest Man In Babylon (George S. Classons)
5.) Rich Dad, Poor Dad (Robert Kiyosaki & Sharon Lechter)
6.) The Science Of Getting Rich (Wallace D. Wattles).
7.) The Warren Buffet Way (Robert D Hagstrom)
8.) The 4 Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide To Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, And Becoming Superhuman (Tim Ferris)
9.) The 4 Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated) (Tim Ferris). This is still my favorite book of all time.
10.) Think Big And Kick Ass In Business And Life (Donald J Trump)
11.) Arnold: The Education Of A Bodybuilder (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
12.) How To Get Rich: One Of The World’s Greatest Entrepreneurs Shares His Secrets -by Felix Dennis
13.) The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan For Financial Fitness (Dave Ramsey)
13.) The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack The Code To Wealth And Live Rich For A Lifetime (MJ DeMarco)
14.) The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster (Darren Hardy)
15.) The Compound Effect (Darren Hardy)
16.) The Success Principals (Jack Canfield)
17.) The Power Of Full Engagement (Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz)
18.) The Power Of Ambition (Jim Rohn)
19.) What I Learned Losing A Million Dollars (Jim Paul & Brenden Moynihan)
20.) The 50th Law (50 Cent & Robert Greene)
21.) Games People Play (Eric Berne)
22.) Choose Yourself (James Altucher)
23.) How I Found Freedom In An Unfree World (Harry Browne)
24.) The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook For Depression (William J. Knaus)
25.) Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It (Kamal Ravikant)
26.) Contagious -Why Things Catch On (Jonah Berger)
27.) How To Get Organized (Will Freeman)
28.) Straight From The Underground (John Doe from John Doe Bodybuilding.com)
29.) No BS Bodybuilding (The John Doe Bodybuilding Bible) (John Doe)
30.) Gorilla Mindset (Mike Cerovich)
31.) Grow Rich With Peace Of Mind (Napoleon Hill) (Note: If you haven’t read Think And Grow Rich then read that book 1st)
32.) The Lessons Of History (Will Durant)
33.) Prometheus Rising (Robert Anton Wilson)
34.) The Power Of Now (Eckhart Tolle)
35.) 30 Days Of Discipline (Victor Pride)
36.) New World Ronin: Strategies For Artists, Entrepreneurs, Rebels, Warriors, And Outcasts (Victor Pride)
37-39.) Bold & Determined Vol. 1-3: Get Up Off Your Ass, Enjoy Your Life, & Get Out Of The 9-5 Jive Forever (3 Books) -Victor Pride
40.) 50 Success Classics (Tom Butler)
41.) 50 Prosperity Classics (Tom Butler)
42.) 50 Self-Help Classics (Tom Butler)
43.) Casual Style 101 (Nate Lewis)
44.) The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fuck (Mark Manson)
45.) The Millionaire Next Door (Thomas J Stanley, William D Danko)
46.) The Black Swan (Nassim Nicholas Taleb)
47.) Antifragile: Things To Gain From Disorder (Nassim Nicholas Taleb)
48.) Freakonomics- A Rouge Economist Explores The Hidden Side Of Everything (Steven D Levitt, Steven J. Dubner)
49.) Managing Oneself -Peter Drucker
50.) The Unchained Man (Caleb Jones)
51.) Riveted (Jim Davies)
52.) Awaken The Giant Within (Tony Robbins)
(Both versions of this book are good, I would start with the actual book first, then listen to the audio version, you’ll retain the info better that way).
I dare you to try this experiment, read one of these books every week for a year, and tell me you wont be a better, more enlightened man a year from now. The change in you will be astonishing.
-Mitch
I like your ideas, self introspection and learning how one can be improve is absolutely essential. 52 books! Ahhhh..maybe I will give it a whirl! I like to read just for fun sometimes… escape from the daily grind and laugh out loud at the magic of certain authors. I find this therapeutic and good for the soul, I will take your suggested reading and add a few!