Best Business & Personal Development Books 2017

I probably don't need to tell you that reading and self-education are two of the most important components to success. I read a lot of books, and last year I read a book a week for 6 months.

I mostly read about entrepreneurship, personal development and spirituality. Here's my top recommendations that I keep coming back to time and time again and that I hope you can enjoy too.

Business Books

The Four Hour Work Week – Tim Ferris

I read The Four Hour Work Week in San Francisco a few years ago when I was driving myself into the ground building a software company. It opened my eyes to lifestyle businesses and partially encouraged me to make some dramatic changes in my life.

The Personal MBA - Josh Kaufman

Pretty much everything you need to know about the fundamentals of business in a single book. This should be first on your reading list if you're starting (or already running) a business.

The $100 Dollar Startup - Chris Guillebeau

A recent purchase of mine, full of inspiring stories of people quitting their 9-5 jobs and starting their own passion-focused businesses with little to no investment.

How to Build a Billion Dollar App - George Berkowski

If you own a software startup, then this should be your manual. I found it much more useful and interesting than some of the more acclaimed books on startups. The author walks through the entire process step-by-step from his own first-hand experience.

Losing My Virginity - Richard Branson

I couldn't put this one down when I got it. It's packed full of incredible stories from the early days of Richard founding Virgin records to his recent space exploration endevours.

Future Crimes - Marc Goodman

I picked this up after a fleeting interest in rekindling my childhood hacking days. A facisinating book on cybercrime and what the future might look like with hackers taking over robots to commit murders.

Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson

Incredible. Just read it.

Predictably Irrational - Dan Ariely

More psychology than business, but a fascinating and entertaining read that explains why we do the things we do.

Anyone Can Do It - Duncan Bannatyne

Another biography that I really enjoyed – I think it's important to familiarise yourself with the life stories of successful people and pay particular attention to how they got started.

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products - Nir Eyal

If you're a designer or entrepreneur working on a tech product, then this is a great tech psychology book on building sticky products.

The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley

A compilation of case studies on American's millionaires. They're not what you think...

Personal Development & Spirituality

Think & Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

If you only ever read a single book, read this. This book will change your mindset forever. Packed full of accounts and stories from the authors interviews with Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie.

The Master Key System – Charles F. Haanel

Another oldie, similar to Think & Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill. Full of classic information on developing a mindset for success and the power that our thoughts have.

How to Win Friends & Influence People - Dale Carnegie

This is an absolute must for anyone in business or interested in personal development. This should be required reading in all schools.

The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle

This is one of my favourite books on mindfulness, I've read it at least five times and practice the principles daily. If you want to learn to control your mind, eliminate stress and live a life full of peace and gratitude, then this should be your life manual.

Practicing the Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle

This is a precursor to The Power of Now and serves as an introduction for people new to the subject. I still read it on occasion because it's shorted and easier to digest than The Power of Now

Awareness – Anthony De Mello

You could read this book a thousand times and still not take in all the points it has. Fascinating read on the nature of life.

Make Yourself Unforgettable: How to become the person everyone remembers and no one can resist - Dale Carnegie

It's hard to go wrong with a Dale Carnegie book, if you enjoyed How to Win Friends & Influence People - Dale Carnegie, pick up a copy of this next.

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

This is the only novel I've read in about 20 years – a friend bought it for me when she witnessed my relentless searching and need to be somewhere other than where I was. Although it's a novel, it has many personal development and spiritual threads throughout.

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