Tim Ferriss “4-Hour Workweek”

This book is an absolute classic. It was published in 2007, and it still feels up-to-date and modern. Tim Ferriss is a pioneer in escaping 9 to 5, and if you want to do the same, this book is where I recommend you to start.

I read “4-Hour Workweek” more than a decade ago, as a 20-year-old student at the very beginning of my career – and I’m sure it changed the way I think about my life. Although I’ve never really wanted to become a digital nomad, I have a flexible, location-independent career, and I wouldn’t trade this freedom for anything. Once you get to know this life, there’s no going back.

Even if you’re happy with your job, this book will make you rethink your priorities and think about your career path and retirement goals differently.

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Cal Newport “So Good They Can’t Ignore You”

How to create the lifestyle of your dreams? “Follow your passion”; “Step out of your comfort zone”—you’ve probably been hearing these answers all the time.

But, as stories of many people show, passion and courage are merely a small part of what really gets you the lifestyle you want—and by far, they’re not enough to create a career that involves not only flexibility but also a steady income.

Cal Newport presents a refreshing view of the process of creating a dream career and backs it with research. In short, he proves that a dream career should be based not on your passion but your skills. Intrigued?

If you can’t wait to read the book, you’ll probably love this article about my thoughts on escaping 9 to 5 without taking unnecessary risks.

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Shane Snow “Smartcuts”

I didn’t expect much of this book as a friend described it as “too simple.” Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised.

Con: it doesn’t teach you exactly how to maneuver through your career to achieve as much as you can, as fast as you can. Pro: it’s a substantial portion of inspiration. It shows numerous stories of people who embraced the notion of working smart, not hard.

This book is all about learning through stories and motivating readers to take the path less followed. It makes you realize that many limits in your life are probably self-imposed.

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Chris Guillebeau „$100 Startup”

I loved this book for its simplicity and inclusiveness. Chris Guillebeau shows that the startup world isn’t as distant and inaccessible as you could think.

This book is all about turning your ideas into streams of income, using as much creativity and grit, and as little money as we can. Guillebeau shows that there are numerous paths to success, and we can choose the one that appeals to us the most.

The main conclusion: sometimes a little bit of courage and a small amount of money is all you need to test your idea for a side hustle.

Do you want to start a side hustle from scratch? Read how to do it step by step.

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Charles Duhigg “The Power of Habit”

Cue—routine—reward. This simple formula shows us how habits are formed and maintained—and why bad habits tend to stick with us for too long…

To me, this book was both fascinating and useful. I’ve always intuitively felt that sticking to an everyday routine—especially while working remotely—makes me more productive and happy. Ever since I read it, I pay more attention to how I spend my days.

The truth is, focusing on small habits is far more important than setting big, bold goals. What you do every day shapes your life the most. Charles Duhigg backs this thought with research and describes the science behind creating good habits and breaking up with the bad ones.

This book is a solid portion of motivation, presented in a simple and entertaining way.

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James Clear “Atomic Habits”

When I saw terrific reviews of this book, I just couldn’t resist buying it. And I regret nothing.

“Atomic habits” is all about making tiny changes in your life to get remarkable results. James Clear shares his personal strategies that helped him recover from a serious accident. His experiences serve as a base for sharing knowledge about creating good habits that stick with us. As Clear writes, “we all deal with setbacks, but in the long run, the quality of our lives often depends on the quality of our habits.” I agree with this sentence 100%!

Although many thoughts in this book are similar to those described in Charles Duhigg’s “The Power of Habit,” Clear goes a few steps further and presents an even more detailed formula for creating long-lasting habits that change our lives tremendously.

I read this book recently, and I’m still in the process of implementing Clear’s advice in my everyday life—but when this experiment is over, I’ll share the results with you!

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Ryan Holiday “The Obstacle is the Way”

I can’t say that this book changed my life as I’ve been familiar with the stoic philosophy for a long time, and I’ve been using it in my life.

Nevertheless, if you feel that you’re running around in circles and feel stressed by obstacles you need to overcome to become successful, this book can help you. Ryan Holiday took the best of ancient wisdom and transformed it into modern-day advice for people who feel lost in life.

Some people find this book groundbreaking. Some say it’s way overrated. But it’s short and easy to read, so maybe it’s worth seeing what it will do with your life.

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Robert Kiyosaki “Rich Dad Poor Dad”

Although I’m not a big fan of Robert Kiyosaki’s educational business, this book is a timeless classic.

“Rich Dad Poor Dad” is all about what the wealthy know and do: buy assets instead of having liabilities and putting money into work.

The book is basic, simple, and fun to read. For those people who are already good with money, it won’t be of much use. Nevertheless, if you feel that you always fall behind in your life financial-wise, this book will surely get you some ideas about how money works.

Many people claim that this book changed their lives. So, at least it’s good to know what the fuss is about.

PS. If you’re interested in getting better with your money habits, you’ll like this post: “Skipping Your Morning Latte Won’t Make You Rich.”

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Brian Tracy “The Art of Closing the Sale”

Some books are built around one thought and can be summarized in merely a few sentences. Well, this is not such a book. “The Art of Closing the Sale” is packed with actionable advice and strategies that would appeal to people with different knowledge or experience at sales.

Nowadays, everyone sells something. Even if you’re not technically employed as a sales person, and you’re a business owner or a digital nomad, you still need to sell things or services. Besides, no matter your employment status, you need to sell yourself as a brand (to your employer or your customers).

This book is pure gold—you shouldn’t read it, you should study it.

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Felix Dennis “How to Get Rich”

Let me start with this quote from the book: “Making money is a knack, a knack that can be acquired. And if someone like me can become rich, then so can you—no matter what your present circumstances. Here is how I did it and what I learned along the way.”

I love how blunt and direct this book is. Dennis shows his path to big money, with all the good, the bad and the ugly about this process. The book describes his great successes and painful mistakes. It’s written with a large dose of self-criticism and British humor—which, I guess, makes it stand out among many American business biographies.

This book also touched my heart because it was written in a stunning villa (previously owned by David Bowie) on the Caribbean island of Mustique. I visited this place while sailing among Caribbean islands a few years ago, and returning there is one of the main points on my bucket list!

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Have you read these books?

What books do you recommend?