A List of Books That Can Change Your Life

Quite frequently I am asked for book recommendations on leadership and personal growth and development. So I decided to compile this list of books that are in no particular order. In fact, my favorite books are listed at #4, #15, and #18. This list is not finished and will never be finished. As I continue to read I will continue to recommend the books that I like. I’ve done you the favor of listing the links to each book on Amazon.

1. 20,000 Days and Counting: The Crash Course for Mastering Your Life Right Now– Robert Smith

I recommend this to everyone as the first book they should read when deciding to change their lives. It’s a great book that will leave you motivated and with a completely different mindset than before you started it. After reading this book I looked at everything in a brighter light and felt more control of my situation than I ever had before. We only have a certain number of days here on earth. The question is… what are you going to do with them?

2. The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success– Andy Andrews

This is another great book for people looking to change their current situation. It’s a fictional book based on the apparent end-of-life travels of the character David Ponder. During his travel he meets famous historical characters that both you and I know and gains a very important life principle from each of them.

3. The Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class– Keith Cameron Smith

This is a short, yet profound book. As I read it I felt very convicted on acting and thinking like a “middle class” citizen. When you read this book it will become clear to you that simply acting and thinking like a millionaire will help you become one.

4. How to Win Friends & Influence People– Dale Carnegie

I cannot say enough about this book! Applying the simple disciplines that Carnegie mentions in this book will have people leaving a discussion with you feeling better about themselves and life in general. People will WANT to be around you all the time because you’ll make them a better person.

5. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You– John Maxwell

This is a MUST read book if you are looking to become a greater leader. It’s the #1 book you need to read on leadership. This book has led to me being a HUGE John Maxwell fan. Out of all of the books that he has written, this is the first one you should buy!

6. The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness– Jeff Olsen

This is the book that started it all for me. It changed my thinking and will do the same for you. It made me realize that EVERY thing that I did either moved me closer to my goals or farther away. It’s the book that made me begin reading personal development and leadership books in the first place.

7. The Science of Getting Rich– Wallace D. Wattles

If you have ever thought to yourself, “I don’t need anymore money. I make enough” or “I’m comfortable with my wealth right now,” then you need to read this book. You’re in for a BIG shock! When I first began reading it I thought, “Man, this guy is greedy and this book is just all about greed”… THEN I was awakened to the truth of what God wants for us and for others. Wattles uses Scripture to explain how The Lord wants us to earn as much income as we can.

8. Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job– Jon Acuff

This book involves a very hard concept for most to grasp. Jon Acuff explains the mindset and actions you need before leaving your current job (whether you like your job or not) and starting your dream job. If you are considering beginning your dream job, you have to read this book!

9. The Top 10 Distinctions Between Entrepreneurs and Employees– Keith Cameron Smith

After reading Top 10 Distinctions Between Millionaires & The Middle Class, I began reading every book Smith wrote including this one. This is a quick read, but don’t think because it is short that t is any less impactful than other books on this list. Make sure this is one you get!

10. The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective– Andy Andrews

There are too many great things I can say about this book. Andy Andrews describes his time as homeless living under a bridge and then meeting a man by the name of Jones who changed his life forever by being a “Noticer.”

11. The Greatest Salesman in the World– Og Mandino

This book will BLOW YOUR MIND at the end of it. It’s like one of those movies that is really good the whole way through and then you get to the end and your thought is “WHOA!” Trust me on this… you NEED to read this book.

12. The Noticer Returns: Sometimes You Find Perspective, and Sometimes Perspective Finds You– Andy Andrews

Just when you thought Jones from “The Noticer” was out of sight, he’s back again to change more lives. This book is geared toward raising your children not just to be great children, but to become great adults. Andy is a master of teaching people how to raise children into successful adult leaders in society. Whether you have children now or may have children one day, you need to read this book as soon as possible to understand how to use “standards” to foster your child’s growth into an amazing adult.

13. The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity– Andy Andrews

This is the sequel to “The Traveler’s Gift.” David Ponder is back to help save the world this time and has the help of all the great leaders this world has ever seen. This book is another mind changing motivational book that will make you spring into action.

14. Think and Grow Rich– Napoleon Hill

Talk about changing your thinking… that’s EXACTLY what this book is about. Hill explains how just changing your thinking can make you rich. I highly suggest this book to everyone who sits around wondering how they can get out of that financial hole and increase their wealth.

15. Killing Sacred Cows: Overcoming the Financial Myths That Are Destroying Your Prosperity– Garrett B. Gunderson

This is probably my most favorite book on the list. Please see my two posts on this book to get a great idea of the value it adds:

• Killing Sacred Cows Review (Possibly the best book I’ve ever read!)
• Killing Sacred Cows – Myth #1 (The Finite Pie)

16. Rich Dad Poor Dad: What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!– Robert Kiyosaki

This book will help you think intelligently about earning income. There are several ways to earn money… some are wise and some are not. Kiyosaki explains which ways are the wise ways to earn income and why they are.

17. Rich Dad’s CASHFLOW Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom– Robert Kiyosaki

This book dives a little deeper into the 4 quadrants you choose to be in as an income earner. It’ll help solidify your decision to be in the “I” quadrant as fast as possible.

18. The Servant: A Simple Story About the True Essence of Leadership-James C. Hunter

As I mentioned above, this is one of my favorite books on leadership. It takes place at a monasterial retreat and the main character learns from a very successful leader, who also happens to be a monk, all that he needs to turn his situation around not just with his business, but also with his marriage and family life.

19. The Heart of Leadership: Becoming a Leader People Want to Follow– Mark Miller

This book has some of the same concepts as The Servant. It lays out exactly WHAT you need to be a successful leader and the most important leadership quality. It’s a very easy, yet impactful read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

John Maxwell Quotes

A while ago I posted several Jim Rohn quotes. You can never have too many of those. Another influential leader is one you’ve probably heard about, John Maxwell. He’s written countless books on leadership. He’s an author, speaker, pastor, and one of the foremost trainers on leadership that there is. He was named the #1 leadership and management expert in the world by Inc. Magazine. His books have helped reshape my life and he has some of the best leadership quotes I’ve ever read. So here is a list of some of my favorites that I have compiled:

 

Use The “What?” Glasses; Ask “What?” Not “Why?”

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

It’s all about the ‘tude, dude.

Ever heard of “stinkin’ thinkin'” before? I have… a lot. Way too often I heard the phrase, “Stop that stinkin’ thinkin’!” The sad reality is, I heard that phrase often because people directed it toward me. I didn’t realize it was something I could stop. Stop complaining? Stop arguing? Stop worrying? That’s just a part of life, right? WRONG! It doesn’t have to be.

My attitude today is nothing like the attitude I had a year ago. I’m sure you’ve heard Jim Rohn’s quote that “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If not, then I’m telling you right now that it’s not just a quote. It’s TRUTH. The attitude of the five people you spend the most time with will become yours as well; however, only you are responsible for your own attitude. Your attitude is not the fault of anyone else’s actions, words, etc., BUT others’ attitudes will certainly rub off on you. So if you’re in need of an attitude adjustment, you need to take responsibility for your own attitude AND your first order of responsibility is to check who those five people are.

“The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” – John C. Maxwell

When things aren’t right in your life, there’s always one place you can point to that is guaranteed to help you get on track – The Bible. Paul wrote to the Philippians: “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.”  Philippians 2:14-15 (NLT)

I don’t know about you, but I’m not one to read the Word of God and say, “No.” We aren’t supposed to complain. Complaining breeds more complaining. Sulking breeds more sulking. Misery breeds more misery. Arguing breeds more arguing. You getting this yet? If you want to get anywhere worth going in life, you have to have a positive attitude.

“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.” – Wade Boggs

It’s not that some people just have it and some people don’t. It’s a choice. That’s right, a choice. You can either choose to complain about circumstances and ask, “Why?” and “Why me?” or you can ask “What?” As in, “What can I learn from this experience?” and “What is God trying to teach me?”

“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” – Khalil Gibran

Guess what happens when you have a positive attitude and view life through the “What?” glasses? You attract other people who are positive as well. I don’t know about you, but I cannot stand being around negative people and those that complain all the time. I know you all know someone like that. How often have you hung around them and when you left them you were in a sour mood? Probably every time.

Take an inventory of the five people you spend the most time with and of your circumstances. Get an accountability partner; someone that’ll keep you in check if you start complaining. The #1 person I spend time with is Mariah and she’s the most positive person I’ve ever met. She’s also not afraid of keeping me in check either and somehow she always does it in the sweetest manner.

Are you ready to move up in this life or do you want to continue on your same path? “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” – Zig Ziglar

“Check yo’self before you wreck yo’self.” – Ice Cube