The 10 Most Influential Books

I’m often asked what books I recommend.

So here are the 10 most influential books for me as of right now. Ask me next year and they are likely to change.

1 Think and Grow Rich – Napolean Hill
This book was the very first ‘self-help’ book I had and I’ve re-read the same version for the last 15 years or so. Apart from it’s obvious status – for me it’s influence was that it expanded my thinking and opened my beliefs to something greater. A perfect read for a naïve 20 year old.

2 10X – Grant Cardone
I was surprised when I placed this so highly but then it became blatantly obvious. This book hit me hard because of the consistent and in your face reminder that dreams take work – sometimes even 10X the work you think it’s going to take. It helped me ground the ‘law-of-attraction’ philosophy into hard work.

3 Why You’re Dumb Sick and Broke – Randy Gage
I re-read this every year. It influenced my understanding of beliefs / memes and just how out of control our minds can be if we’re not careful. It probably sparked my current trajectory and study pathway more than any other book. And I still rate this your most important work. (no that doesn’t mean you should stop writing  )

4 The War Of Art – Steven Pressfield
Read this on your recommendation and I felt that somebody finally understood what I was going through when I sat in front of a blank page with my fingers on the keyboard. It gave me permission to write despite the hardship. And made the hardship just part of the writing.

5 The Untethered Soul – Michael Singer
Brilliant book on consciousness and the evolution of spirit. Loved it and the metaphors Michael wove into the work to describe the journey of self.

6 Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand
This book fucked with my mind. Again, read it on your recommendation – and have only read it once – but the poignant and deep art of Rand’s writing has stuck with me. As a writer, her work was like swimming in a sea of beautifully deep characters. Her philosophy has influenced the way I think.

7 Wishes Fulfilled – Wayne Dyer
Quite a simple book, and makes the list because of a 3 line section that froze me for 3 days. I could not get past these lines. I felt drawn to them, to drink them in and somehow understand them. Those 3 lines remind me of an important aspect of consciousness that I seek to live as often as I can.

8 Revival – Stephen King
Is this his best work? Not by a long shot, so why does it make it on the list? The ending of this book was disturbing and it has been a very long time since a writer was able to disturb me. King is a master story teller and this book and ending reminds me to disturb my readers, to shake up their beliefs and get into their brain with a Vitamix and help them create something new.

9 Battlefield Earth – L Ron Hubbard
It’s a big read and Hubbard shows off his imagination, character development and the importance of taking the reader on a journey. It’s influence though is a reminder to never judge someone based on a consensus opinion and that genius often resides in the minds of those we seek to ostracize.

10 This is Marketing – Seth Godin
Having just finished this book and spent the better part of the last month really thinking through the lessons, I’ve dropped it into number 10. I think this is his best book by far and is surprisingly complex. It’s influence extends beyond just the marketing of products and hones into the question “Who am I, what do I do and who’s it for” – 3 questions that I needed to ask and understand much deeper than I had.

That’s it.

Ok, your turn. Shoot.