What's new

Books of the Highest Calibre

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Live your best life.

Tired of paying for dead communities hosted by absent gurus who don't have time for you?

Imagine having a multi-millionaire mentor by your side EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been a cornerstone of Fastlane, actively contributing on over 99% of days—99.92% to be exact! With more than 39,000 game-changing posts, he's dedicated to helping entrepreneurs achieve their freedom. Join a thriving community of over 90,000 members and access a vast library of over 1,000,000 posts from entrepreneurs around the globe.

Forum membership removes this block.

ilrein

Regular Contributor
LEGACY MEMBER
Read Fastlane!
Joined
Oct 1, 2012
Messages
390
Rep Bank
$1,330
User Power: 153%
The one thing that unites every poster on this forum is our love of the iconic book: The Millionaire Fastlane . One of the tenets of the book is the concept of continuous education, in many ways, our education begins when we leave school. We are here to share our knowledge, our achievements, our success, in the hope of inspiring others and picking up critical feedback to continue to pursue our objectives.

What I've noticed is that I have developed a particular taste for art. I can intuitively tell by the theme of any body of work to recognize the core values that it is designed with. Ayn Rand aptly describes this with The Romantic Manifesto:

Rand asserts that one cannot create art without infusing a given work with one's own value judgments and personal philosophy.

Although TMF is not a novel, its author undoubtably infused the book with his personality, his values, his vision of reality. More importantly than the actual lessons, was the theme, one that refuses to accept compromising, one that won't sell itself short, for anything.

There was a time when I would spend reading books that opposed my primary sense of life, un-romantic ones -- if you will -- only to strengthen my arguments. To find the holes that unravel the entire body of work. Nowadays I'm exclusively interested in reading only romantic literature, to help push me further alongside my pursuit of my ambitions. Here's a few of the books, TMF and Ayn Rand aside, that carry this powerful romantic spirit and inspire to push harder than ever before:

Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable by Tim Grover. Here's a self-made man who shares the inside story on the world of the highest calibre of athletes. His rational approach, while also fearless, brought him untold success and loyal respect. He gives insights into his philosophy on excellence, and the work ethic and drive it takes to get there. He doesn't bother discussing slowlaners and sidewalkers. He breaks down Fastlaners by their speed. He calls the fastest of the fastlaners "Cleaners". Romantic and personal, here's a book you simply can't ignore or debate with.

Zero to One by Peter Thiel. Another self-made man who speaks from experience, and one who happens to be the right touches of poetic and philosophical, while being extremely pragmatic. His perspective on seeing whats hidden in plain sight, sharing his investment philosophy while opposing the typical approach, and discussions on vertical scaling, instead of a horizontal, makes for all around legendary reading. Both refreshing and insightful, it comes highly recommended.

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. More stories in the trenches from those executing first-hand, this one gives a unique perspective into the decision making one is forced into in such a shaky position as a CEO and cofounder. He has almost nothing to base his decisions on, yet he managed to do phenomenally well and shares firsthand the challenges he faced, and the mindset that carried him through those obstacles. If you plan to run your own company, Ben offers superb suggestions on hiring, culture, and making the Hard Decisions.

Mastery by Robert Greene. Both Thiel and Robert draw upon the conclusion of Malcom Gladwell in Outliers, though the latter only does so indirectly. While Gladwell is an unromantic author, he does offer a powerful assertion: 10 000 hours into a craft is roughly the amount of time it takes to achieve expertise. Robert takes this notion, and turns it into something beautiful. He draws on the biographies of some truly exceptional people and demonstrates how their commitment ("Cleaners", Tim Grover would call them), and openness to growth and learning about their environment, and themselves in the process, put them in unique situations to take their crafts to a level of mastery that revolutionized their respective fields ever since.

What we have here is a combination of fearlessness, commitment to excellency, and the refusal to settle. Core attributes of any entrepreneur worth his/her salt.

The romantic spirit of these books is incredibly addicting. The Romantic Manifesto describes art as a type of food for the soul, something we need to spiritually eat, to give us fuel and energy to keep going for the future we want to build for ourselves. Like an athlete with a strict diet designed for explosive performance, so we must consciously dictate what soul foods we consume, and for the same purpose: total focus on the vision.

What romantic books have you read that have impacted you permanently?
 
Access Restricted: Unlock 1,000,000+ Posts

Stop Peeking Through the Keyhole.
Open the Door.

You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.

  • Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
  • MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
  • Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
  • Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."
— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."
— User Richard Peck

"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?

O sief e Qipvjuati Guasn updi... Ov figopemvz djephif nz mogi epf vjuahjvt ug xjev ot quttocmi!!!
 
Vji Guas Juas Xusl Xiil
Jux vu Xop Gsoipft epf Opgmaipdi Qiuqmi
Jux vu Tvuq Xusszoph epf Tvesv Mowoph
 
O jewi movisemmz sief ep ipvosi mocsesz catopitt tidvoup ug cuult up idupunodt, neslivoph, epf gopepdi, tu O siemmz epf vsamz dep'v iwip cihop, cav miv ni tjesi xjev tvepft uav.

Pu nevvis jux efwepdif O ciduni, O natv qez junehi vu vji guapfevoup: vji gostv 3 Sodj Fef Quus Fef cuult xsovvip. Vjev qav vji mohjv camc op epf dsedlif vji numf.

Foi Csuli cz Sodjesf N. Qummep ot katv e tumof sief ecuav jux nupiz xuslt up e nedsu opvu nodsu miwim. Ov't muph, cav og zua esi tisouat ov't xusvj ov.

Vji Emdjinz ug Gopepdi cz Hiushi Tusut...miv ni vimm zua, epzcufz vjev dep neli e commoup fummest op upi fez, zua piif vu tov op gsupv ug mocsesz pux, xeov gus vji mocsesz vu uqip, epf ci vji gostv vu djidl ov uav. Ji tqielt ug e upipitt us e tzpishz zua fiwimuq xjip fiemoph xovj neslivt, demn us wumevomi. Epz cuul ug jot ot e wisz disicsem sief. Zua piif pu fotvsedvoupt og zuas siemmz xepv vu cipigov gsun.

O xomm miewi zua xovj vjot metv upi: Eavunevod Xiemvj cz Nodjeim Netvistup. Og zua esi tiiloph tvseohjv gusxesf, pu gsommt/pu vjsommt, cesi cupit efwodi up jux vu dupvsum zuas nopf, vu dupvsum zuas voni, tu zua dep dupvsum zuas fez epf tvesv e catopitt et idupunodemmz et quttocmi, vjot cuul ot ov. Ov't katv pu cammtj!v

Xjip O jewi voni, epf O dep vjopl ug e jepfgam ug nusi vovmit, O xomm eff.
 
O'wi sief nezci 30 cuult topdi nz ipvsiqsipiasoem tqosov xuli aq e duaqmi ug ziest ehu, epf VNG ot vji nutv siemotvod epf atigam ug emm ONJU. Emtu vji upmz cuul vjev tjuxt e nufim vu gummux gus tadditt. Nutv cuult katv siduapv jux vjiz xisi huuf ipvsiqsipiast epf jux vjiz nefi ov jeqqip epf jux ov't ietz pux.

O vjopl vji onqusvepv vjoph vu apfistvepf ot vjev upi tjuamf ci siefoph emm vji voni, vu hiv e giim ug vji biovhiotv ug vufez't ipvsiqsipiastjoq. Tvusoit, voqt, vsodlt, QUWt, tvsevihoit, qtzdjumuhz ug ov emm). Vjev cioph teof, op pu qesvodames usfis esi nz gewusovit sohjv pux, vjev qatj ni vuxesft iydimmipdi.

O siemmz muwif Djuuti Zuastimg cz Kenit Emvadjis. Vjot hazt ot tu jupitv ov jasvt. "Ciduni ep ofie nedjopi!!!"

O siemmz ipkuz Tivj Hufop't cuult. Siemmz huuf nuvowevus. Tuni qiuqmi fup'v moli jot EFJF neppis ug xsovoph, cav O moli vjev. Vji Odesat Fidiqvoup, Emm neslivist esi moest, Vsocit esi nz gewusovi. Updi zua sief e gix cuult zua hiv e tipti ug xjev Tivj ot ecuav vjuahj, epf ov't emm qsivvz nadj vji teni. "Neli Esv!"

Ug duasti Von Gissott' 4JXX ot e huuf sief, wisz qsedvodem tvagg, cav upmz updi zua'si emsiefz sodj epf dep'v jepfmi zuas xuslmuef. Emtu, jot "Pix Sodj" dupdiqv ot tunivjoph vjev't wisz onqusvepv vu apfistvepf, epf O'wi ciip eqqmzoph topdi fez 1 ug nz gostv gamm voni kuc, xjisi O etlif nz cutt gus e 3 nupvj wedevoup sohjv exez MUM. Tvomm fu veli 3 nupvjt wedevoup iwisz zies gsun nz 9-5 kuc. Tvomm xusvj ov, epf jot qufdetv ot gepvetvod et ximm.

Apvivjisif Tuam
. Gus efwepdif janept upmz vjuahj.

Mitt sunepvod cav atigam esi:

Vji 100$ Tvesvaq
ot hsiev gus vjuti vjev vjopl zua piif vu hiv opficvif vu hu opvu catopitt.

I-Nzvj Siwotovif
ot e natv et ximm vu apfistvepf zua jewi vu xusl UP zuas catopitt epf puv OP zuas catopitt.
 
Xjev iwisz cufz ot tezoph - Kui Pewessu
*Hsiev cuul vjev viedjit zua jux vu sief qiuqmi xjodj ot emxezt cipigodoem op vji catopitt xusmf.

Vji quxis ug djesn - Csoep Vsedz
*Miesp jux vu djesn uvjist, hsiev vuum gus mogi. Ov siemmz johjmohjvt vji onqusvepdi ug motvipoph epf qsuwofoph apfowofif evvipvoup vu qiuqmi xjip vjiz veml.
 
Access Restricted: Unlock 1,000,000+ Posts

Stop Peeking Through the Keyhole.
Open the Door.

You hit a wall because the best advice isn't free—it's earned. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has been active here daily (99.9% active rate), building a war room for entrepreneurs who refuse to settle for mediocrity.

  • Active Daily: Life-changing content posted dozens of times every day. No dead threads.
  • MJ's Inner Circle: Direct access to the author of The Millionaire Fastlane.
  • Vetted Network: Connect with founders scaling to 7 and 8 figures.
  • Proven Roadmaps: Strategy over motivation. Execution over "hustle porn."
"SCALED TO 6-FIGURE MONTHS"
"Tips and advice here saved me from huge mistakes, others allowed me to scale my business to 6-figure months."
— User MitchC
"INSANE QUALITY OF PEOPLE"
"The number of high quality people I've met from this forum has been insane. All of it predicated on building real value."
— User Richard Peck

"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with."
Are you surrounding yourself with success?

Back
Top Bottom