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The All Time Top 3 Life Changing Books...

For any book discussion

RazorCut

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It is for a primer, for an absolute newbie to get them starting to think.

Yes I gave a copy to my 16 year old son and a quote passed down from my father. He's 18 now, finished college (where he learnt to code), has a part time job to earn an income and is working on his app development business.

1. Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz

2. The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss

Not sure on the 3rd.
 
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Mike Kavanagh

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Gonna go off on a different tangent then everyone else.

Of course TMFL is on my list of top ten books. You want life changing books though so... Gonna do more than 3.

Salt, Sugar, Fat - I just got this book the other day. So far I've learned a lot about the food industry. Did you know that they modify fat on a molecular level to make it taste better? Did you know that sugar gives the same brain response as Cocaine in a MRI?
Recommended.

Sam Walton: Made in America - So much insight into the retail industry for only $7 or so.

Poor Charlie's Almanack - Buffets partner, Charlie Munger. Genius. It's worth the $60 I paid. It's also going to stay in my personal library forever. Unlike some of my other books. Look up his speech on the 25 cognitive biases.

Influence - Get in the human mind. This opened up a lot of pathways I didn't notice before. It's as good as the Army Psy-ops/Propaganda manual (wait that doesn't exist...)

Any book on physics that is legible - These are the laws you can't break. Gravity, Mass, Thermodynamics, Speed of Light speed limit. If you break these laws, you've probably broken the universe some how. Everything else is self-imposed limits.

Anything by Carl Sagan (Pale Blue Dot is a great read)

Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin

If you can't tell, I really like science.
Hypothesis, test, results/record, repeat
 

Vigilante

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I've never actually read Rich Dad Poor Dad. I know RK gets flack about the seminars but is the book a worthwhile read?

Yes
 

davedev

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1. Psycho-Cybernetics - Dr. Maxwell Maltz

Everyone at some point in their life must become their own plastic surgeon.

2. Cashflow Quadrant - Robert Kiyosaki

Come on over to the right side.

3. The Secret to Selling Anything - Harry Browne

We are all moving towards our own happiness.
 
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ClintonSkakun

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These days I spend a lot more time listening to podcasts than anything. My favorite books however are:

1. TFL
2. How to get Rich (Felix Dennis)
3. Re-work
4. Philosophies the came from Lean Startup (Have the book, just could never get through it because I felt like I read it through all of the blog posts I read on it)
 

z6Evolved

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1) Ca$hvertising - if you want to sell using the written word this book should be required reading.

2) Smartcuts by Shane Snow - a lot of basic ideas in here that you see in other books like TMF and 4HWW, but framed with real life examples. Basically boils down to "let people say you're lucky because they don't see the process that goes into you creating your own luck"

3) The Entrepreneur's Guide to Getting Your Shit Together by John Carlton - most of us know his copywriting books but not a lot of people that I know have read this one. It's more of a "this is how to make life work the way you want it to" guide, but not in a self-help way. He talks a lot about things like how the difference between a successful author and a failed author is that the successful author knows that the completed manuscript is on the other side of a hill of trashed drafts, but the failure sees those drafts as the end. Again, a lot of basic stuff but it's good to help keep you in that mindset.
 

Leo Hendrix

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@Mike Kavanagh
Influence - Get in the human mind. This opened up a lot of pathways I didn't notice before. It's as good as the Army Psy-ops/Propaganda manual (wait that doesn't exist...)

Who wrote this please? I can't seem to find it yet...

Firstly obviously TMF is at the top.

My Three

1. Bible: Proverbs, a lot of wisdom here that is timeless.

2.Art of War: Sun Tzu

3.The Prince: Machiavelli

That is what I can think of now...hard to really pick 3 right now, I need more time to think.
Damnit somehow I seem to post on the forum whenever I'm too wrecked to write stuff properly.

Honorable Mentions:
How to Get Rich: Felix Dennis, read that recently, great advice in there pertinent to entrepreneurship,
Contagious: Why Things Catch on: Jonah Berger, strategies how to make products/services go viral and the 'psychology' behind it.
Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell, maybe not such a lifehack book but it helps explain certain phenomena in this world and could be used for your own benefit.
 
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Esquire

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Great topic. Look forward to seeing if any patterns develop.

Life changing ...?

OTHER than TMF (which is ... imho ... the BEST business book EVER written ...)

I would recommend:

1. Four Hour Workweek
Reason: Changed my Paradigms Concerning My Ultimate Goals ("The Big Picture")

2. Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Reason: The Book That Started it All -- and the Reason I Read Every Book that Followed ("The Big Bang")

3. The e-Myth Revisited
Reason: Helped Me Understand the Fundamentals of the Franchise Business Model ("How to Grow")

But like I said ... NOTHING compares to TMF ... Nothing.
 
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Freakwinger

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1. TMF (not kissing a$$, just the best I've read)
2. Perfume: the story of a murderer (not business related, but Grenouille created the best product the world has ever seen)
3. Iliad (because Achilles did not care about anything else than being the best and be glorious)
 
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D

DeletedUser8

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I've never actually read Rich Dad Poor Dad. I know RK gets flack about the seminars but is the book a worthwhile read?
Very much so, one of my favorite books due to it's simple, yet impactful message.
 

ZCP

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It is for a primer, for an absolute newbie to get them starting to think.
For me, it was the red pill blue pill moment in my life.
 

Shades

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nzerinto

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1. 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss: Made me realize I wasn't the only one thinking working all your life isn't what life is about

2. E-Myth by Michael Gerber: Made me realize how a REAL business should be setup and run

3. Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco: Helped clarify a TON of things for me. Absolutely invaluable

A bonus would be Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - a great book to start with, regarding mindset. Thanks to all the other recommendations here, gonna have to read Psycho-Cybernetics next....
 
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GuestUser112

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Not including MFL...

1. Atlas Shrugged - wealth is good, producers are good, individualism is good, reality is objective, mysticism and religion is dangerous, government intervention in business is a complete F*cking disaster pretty much always....

This book is a must read for anybody who wants to live with the benefits of free capitalism without the soul-crushing guilt that is so commonly associated with it. It will free your soul and ignite the boundless fire of passion that you had when you were a child. As far as books go it is well worth it to read the 1000+ pages contained within.

FYI it was written by a woman who emigrated to America after being born and raised in the poverty-stricken, communist Soviet Union - capitalistic America was like a wet dream in comparison. To put this in perspective, I am Canadian, but this book made me want to get a tattoo of the American Flag over my heart. That or the Dollar Sign. Fun Fact: The dollar sign was initially the sign of the United States. The U overlaid over the S.

2. The 50th Law - 50 Cent and Robert Greene: pretty hardcore Spartan approach to life, influenced by 50 Cent's experiences selling crack in Southside Queens, and then in the music business, as well as by co-author Robert Greene, author of '48 Laws of Power'.

3. Toss up between "The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin and "Mastery" by George Leonard, which are both about the path of mastery, continuous learning, expansion of ability, etc.


Some runner ups: Think and Grow Rich, The Magic of Thinking Big, Double your Dating, How to Get Rich.
 

Fujin

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#1 Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco: absolutely epic book. Completely different from other business reading.
#2 Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki: the must read basics for every entrepreneur.
#3 The Art of Time-Management by Bodo Schafer: the best time-management book I've ever read.
 

pgtownsyou

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Well I just ordered 5 books off of Amazon :)

I have one book to add, "What Rich People Know & Desperately Want To Keep Secret" by Brian Sher.
 
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GuestUser112

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Some runner ups: Think and Grow Rich, The Magic of Thinking Big, Double your Dating, How to Get Rich.[/QUOTE]
Besides the MFL and RDPD which I'm sure you have read:

-Thick Face Black Heart- teaches you to deal with people, look at the big picture, keep from getting screwed over.

-The Travelers Gift- why not work on things as big as possible

-Atlas Shrugged- everything the government touches turns to crap

Life altering? How about the Bible?

Just going to say that anybody who recommends reading Atlas Shrugged gets instant respect from me.

Also, Kak - I'm sure you used to describe yourself as a 'capitalist pig' on this forum. At least I think it was you. Anyway, I was recently accused of being a capitalist pig after a debate about minimum wage and welfare (they made the term sound very ugly). I thought it was funny that others pride themselves on being described that way.
 

Iwokeup

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Other than TMLF (epic, epic book)....

1. Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich." So much of what is the basis for so many "Success gurus" comes straight from this book.
2. Zig Ziglar's "Art of Closing the Sale."
3. Eric Ries' "The Lean Startup"

And for a non-business book, Robert Heinlein's" Starship Troopers. " Service to others is a higher calling...
 
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zer0daydan

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My Big 3:

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill; an oldie but a goodie on desire and motivation.
Third Circle Theory by Pejman Ghadmi; purpose through observation. His group Secret Entourage is similar to The Fastlane Forum.
Made in America by Sam Walton; a great postscript from one of the most successful entrepreneurs ever. Rich with anecdotes and rules of the road for both Main Street and Wall Street.

I found The Art of War over-rated but The 4-Hour Workweek gets an honorable mention.
 
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bizzle

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Of Course TMF!
Others that really stand out:

1.) The Bible
2.) Cashvertising - Great book on human behavior and how we respond to advertising.
3.) The Success Principles - Sums up a lot of the principles in many of the other personal development books.
 

startek

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Ok, I really enjoy reading but due to time constraints I am currently very limited to the amount of time I can read. Neither do I want to waste my time by slogging through a book just to see if I can apply some of its principles.

I am looking for the TOP 3 BUSINESS BOOKS THAT YOU BELIEVE WERE TOTALLY LIFE CHANGING, and MIND ALTERING; that if you were left with a choice of only 3 in the world, what would they be and WHY????

if you want to add more than that, fine, but please keep them in order of priority.

Needless to say, most of us can agree that TMF is on the list or we wouldn't be here, but I want to know what your others are and a short reason WHY. That way, I hope it will help me eliminate this incredibly long list I have and may not ever get around to finishing.

So help me out, think about the TOP 3 life altering business books and if they are repeated enough by others, than it would be noted.

Thanks!
Check out "Liberation Management" by Tom Peters. An older book, but this guy knows his stuff.
 

ArizonaBoy

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In no particular order:
1. Early Retirement Extreme: How to find financial freedom through frugal living and being a producer/renaissance man.
2. The Millionaire Fastlane : We all know and love this one.
3. The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy: How the ancient Greek philosophy of Stocism can be applied to improve one's life.
 
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SeanyHang

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1. Rich Dad Poor Dad - I read RDPD when I had just turned 20.. Up until then I had never even been remotely interested in business (I was always the artistic type - It gave me a completely different concept of reality and what's achievable.

2.The Secret - :headbanger: The reason why I put this book on the list is because it truly changed my life once I realized it was complete bullshit and I REALLY had to grab life by the horns and get to work.. visualization plays a role in success - but magical magnetic positive thought rays casting out like fishing lines to hook your dreams and reel them into your lap while you sit ain't gonna f**king happen. I cringe when I hear people talk about how the law of attraction is working in their lives (it's usually always the people who have everything going wrong.) But hey - they're happy I guess, so that's cool.

3.Obviously TMFL - The first time I read it I was just like "this guy freakin' gets it!". It's a completely refreshing read in that it's not a cute little hand holding adventure about how "you can do it if you believe and try real hard" - no - it's a true kick in the a$$.


Now I have a request - can anyone point me in the direction of a book that teaches business math? I'm OK at math in that if I have a formula I can get an answer... But it is so beyond unintuitive for me. I was hoping to find something that will help me to better understand and quickly determine percentages / %increase and decreases / figure out margins and markups quickly without a calculator / tell me the math that I need to know while running a business. Thanks so much guys!
 
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GuestUser112

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Now I have a request - can anyone point me in the direction of a book that teaches business math? I'm OK at math in that if I have a formula I can get an answer... But it is so beyond unintuitive for me. I was hoping to find something that will help me to better understand and quickly determine percentages / %increase and decreases / figure out margins and markups quickly without a calculator / tell me the math that I need to know while running a business. Thanks so much guys!

I would think that the best way to hone your ability to quickly do math in your head is through consistent practice. Write down say, ten equations for yourself every day that might be relevant, ie. 15% of 270 - start small, work your way up - and do them throughout the day. Your brain will begin to create new ways to solve each equation and math will become more intuitive as time passes. But you should really just carry a calculator - better still, get a smartphone app.

It seems like you aren't yet a business owner, but if you know what type of business you will be getting into it will be easier to figure out the type of math you'll need. As far as books go, "Buffettology" and "7 Steps to Freedom" both include a fair bit of business math. The former examines the investing methods of Warren Buffett and the latter is a very technical book with diagrams of purchase orders, taxes, etc. that might help as well.

Also - if you are delaying starting on the path of entrepreneurship because you don't think you know everything you need to know, you're making a mistake. It is good to familiarize yourself with the terrain, but this can become a trap that will prevent you from ever starting. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Let's say you want to start a jewelry business - specifically, rings. We can figure out some numbers we need right now. 1. Price of gold, silver, etc. 2. Amount of gold in a ring 3. Initial cost of ring. You'd also need a furnace (which you could make or buy), molds, and then you can hire a jeweler to apply the finishing touches or you can invest the time of learning yourself. Then, distribution costs. Do you want to open a physical store, or an online one? Or do you merely want to sell your rings to other stores? If so, you'll have to raise your prices to keep your margin.

So the best way to do what I think you want to accomplish may be to just ask yourself these kinds of questions, to prepare yourself for the future. Choose random businesses and then analyze the costs that go into it - from there you'll be able to figure out roughly how much the price of the product/service is to the consumer for the owner to be able to turn a profit. That will also become more intuitive as time passes.
 

SeanyHang

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I would think that the best way to hone your ability to quickly do math in your head is through consistent practice. Write down say, ten equations for yourself every day that might be relevant, ie. 15% of 270 - start small, work your way up - and do them throughout the day.

Let me start by saying thanks for response @DreamCreator ! This is actually something that I used to do even before being interested in business- I would watch khanacademy videos and then do the same types of problems on my own to get the hang of it. The big thing for me is essentially I don't know what I don't know and thus I have no idea what type of problems to even learn that would translate into the business world.. Sure I can find a triangles hypotenuse like a boss but I'm not sure that's really going to help me, haha.

Also - if you are delaying starting on the path of entrepreneurship because you don't think you know everything you need to know, you're making a mistake.

For me the problem is actually the opposite. I've always been the type to dive head first into things and try to make it happen.. A dilemma typically arises after I've already taken the plunge into something that I should have probably read up a bit more on initially. Saying screw it all - I'll make this work typically gets me wayyy to deep in something I didn't realize I didn't like and didn't understand (like trying to build my own website). I've found some success like many others on the forum with ebooks and importing which I'm scaling at the moment (I should probably make a progress thread at some point) but I feel as if I want to be serious about everything I should probably get my math muscle a bit stronger. I'll check out the books you mentioned!

Thanks again for your insight! And everyone else - sorry for the hijacking! It's all yours again!
 
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Dicky Dee

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1. RIch Dad Poor Dad - this was the first book that completely changed my way of thinking at around 23 year old, after i read the book i bought 2 investment properties within a couple months time from finishing the book. It was the wrong decision to make at the time as i bought at the wrong time but the book got me to take my first step towards real estate and heading towards the right path in life....i can honestly say this book changed my life WITHOUT A DOUBT.

2. TMF - Although many concepts in the book i already follow in life prior to reading the book, one thing that really dawned on me is how people trade 5 days of TIME in the week for a 2 day pay cheque and how incredibly ridiculous this concept is to live your whole life. Although i havent worked a 9-5 job in years and have been running a couple of businesses for the past few years this book made it absolutely clear to me what im going to do in the future, it got me thinking of new fastlane ways to make streams of passive income and provide value for customers, because of this book and this forum i just recently started an import business. If i read this book before RDPD this would be my number 1 as both books have allowed me to take a physical step into the fastlane world. The day i realize i've reached my goal and pinnacle i will contact @MJ DeMarco on this forum and insist i come introduce myself to him, shake his hand and tell him he has made a difference in my life.

3. Im not really sure as i have not read many of the books mentioned in this thread, but one that comes to mind is 48 Laws Of Power by Robert Greene. This book teaches you certain techniques in how you carry yourself and how to deal with people in certain situations.
 

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