One of the most powerful things you can do to better your life is to consume (and apply) knowledge from years of data and experience gathered from others.
We all know time is your most precious resource, and you can save a lot of it when learning from other’s mistakes and life lessons. This is what led me to read, write and reflect daily.
Between the books, blogs, and forums I read last year, I probably read as much as I did while in PT school.
By learning more, my wife and I are empowered to work towards creating a life we want to live.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”
– Ben Franklin
Books Read
Interest
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Books For those with debt
The Total Money Makeover: In debt up to your eyeballs? Dave Ramsey will help whip you into shape so you can gain some financial freeway for life’s unpredictable journey. For those having trouble saving money and have debt they cannot get rid of, this is for you.
Your Money or Your Life: Constantly working for the next paycheck, but have little to show for it? Just not satisfied with your job or your life because of your finances? Look no further, this book is a great start, full of actionable tips and content that can change your life for the better.
Books To start investing
Broke Millenial Takes On Investing: Great for beginners who are completely new to the idea of investing and you aren’t even sure if you want to get involved. Let alone, know how to get involved. Well, pick up this book to start and definitely pick up The Simple Path to Wealth afterward.
The Simple Path To Wealth: If I had to recommend one investing book, it would probably be this one. It’s a must-have for those who want to learn about the fundamentals of efficient investing. Jim Collins breaks down investing into digestible pieces using entertaining language without the jargon and mundane numbers found in other investment books. Whether you are starting on your path to Financial Independence or just beginning to retire, this is a key resource to pick up.
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: Not convinced with the data put forth by Jim Collins in The Simple Path To Wealth? This book is written by none other than the founder of Vanguard, the late John Bogle. It is full of historic data to prove how low-cost index funds are the way to go for the majority of the population. Even Warren Buffet’s estate is set to place his assets in low costs index funds for his wife. With all the data presented in this book, it will solidify your philosophy on simple investing.
Books To unleash your potential
Think and Grow Rich: This is one of those books you need to keep as an ongoing resource. It is sitting on my shelf and I have it on audio format. It has tons of actionable tips that you can revisit and use to self-evaluate year after year. The stories, lessons, and activities is a powerful resource to help you create a rich life, in more ways than one.
Design Your Future: This book is for everyone who feels like they are not tapping into their full potential. It is full of exercises to assess your life, habits, desires, and goals. You have to be willing and open to self-evaluation. I recommend doing this with both independently and with a partner. Ultimately, you will feel motivated to work towards your best version and live an intentional life by your design.
The 4-Hour Workweek: Get inspired by receiving tips on how to turn your 40-hour workweek into a 4-hour workweek.
7 Effective Habits of Highly Effective People: This is a keeper that has earned a place on my shelf. The best way to succeed is to learn from those who have already done so.
How to Win Friends and Influence People: Someone once told me, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Unfortunately, this statement holds a lot of truth. This book isn’t about manipulation as the title may suggest, but it is about communication. The better we can communicate with each other, the better we can understand each other. Get this right and you don’t only strengthen your career, but also your personal relationships.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad: It’s a classic and a fun read, why not?
Books To enjoy simple Living
The Millionaire Next Door: Your neighbor could be a millionaire and your doctor could be dead broke. This book opened my eyes to see how our culture of consumption and social norms drive the vast majority of the populations into heavy debt. It provides data comparing the spending behavior of the average millionaire to the spending behavior of the average earning American. You can guess what the outcomes are, but it’s quite staggering when you actually learn the numbers and conceptualize it.
Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism: I couldn’t get enough of learning about minimalism and needed more content. This was a great addition to my learning. It will be an enjoyable read to guide you towards living a more simple, yet enriching life. Though, the author does go a little too far in getting rid of things. I took it with a grain of salt and began applying principles of minimalism that have already given me the benefits of a clearer mind, improved productivity, and a sense of liberation.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A great piece of work by a down to earth author who will get you thinking about what is truly important in your life. His work is brutally honest and crude with a touch of humor. Mark Manson tells us what we all need to hear and does not sugar coat anything. If you find yourself having trouble saying “No”, and want to learn how to properly prioritize what is important to you, look no further.
Books on how to set yourself on fire
FIRE = Financial Independence, Retire Early
Financial Freedom: If I had to recommend one finance book for anyone, it would probably be this one. It is comprehensive, well written, and nothing short of a comprehensive blueprint to how to win when it comes to managing your finances and accumulating wealth.
Playing With FIRE: Great introduction of the FIRE movement and how the author and his wife went from a life of consumption to one that they truly valued. It was exciting to see this book and the paired movie come into fruition. Disclosure: Flexcents and many others in the financial independence blogosphere helped sponsor the paired movie.
Other Books I could’ve done without
F.U. Money – Written to tug at your emotions to get your angry about your situation. Lots of profanity with stories of people who succeed and fail. However, there are little actionable tips within this book with a plug for his course at the end. Watch his TED talk if you really want. At the very least, you might get a kick out of his super shiny red suit.
Essentialism: Living Like A Minimalist: The author dove way too much into the philosophical differences between essentialism and minimalism. There was no real actional tips or insights I really took away from this book. Also, there could’ve been better grammar. Though, I’m no grammar master myself. Just ask my twitter followers.
Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope: I really enjoyed Mark Manson’s first book, but this second one was too way out there for me. It touched a little too much on philosophy and religion. Though, there were some interesting history lessons included.