If you’re starting your own business, there’s no better way to get inspiration than from a book. There are so many successful people who’ve written about their journeys that it’s easy to find one that will inspire you.
Here are my favorites:
168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam
Reading this book was a lifechanger for me. Vanderkam is a productivity specialist and writes about how to craft the life you want. She makes raising a family, writing books and having hobbies all look easy.
Her secret? Using your time well. We all have the same amount of hours in a week, she says, and if you really want, you can fit in the most important things to you. Reading this book will remind you that you don’t have to sacrifice everything for the sake of your business. You can still find time to hang out with your family, play with your dog and even exercise. It’s all about cutting out the nonessentials like Facebook, checking emails and hitting the snooze button. (Grab a copy here).
Yes Please by Amy Poehler
When you think of Amy Poehler, you probably think “comedian” before you think “entrepreneur.” But the Boston-born SNL alum is more than a pretty actress. She produced her hit show, “Parks and Recreation,” started a website for young girls and works with an organization that helps orphans around the world.
Reading about her journey will inspire you to say yes to the things that scare you, to take chances and to be confident in your abilities. Her writing is witty and hilarious, but it’s her lessons about bouncing back from divorce and heartbreak that will leave you inspired and amazed. (Grab a copy here).
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Since this book was released, Rubin has written two other books on happiness and self-improvement. But this is the original. The book details her year-long journey to make her life happier.
Talk about a daunting goal. She breaks down her goal into monthly resolutions and finds ways to add little bits of happiness into every moment. She’s got a researcher’s mind and her ways of finding happiness are analytical and precise. It’ll make you inspired to find ways to add joy and motivation in your own life. (Grab your copy here).
Rework by David Heinemeier Hansson & Jason Fried
In an era of 40-hour work weeks, it’s easy to assume that they way you’ll do business as an entrepreneur will be the same way you worked in a cubicle. Not true.
This book shows how you can change your schedule, increase your productivity and do work better than people working in a traditional format. By having the freedom to experiment, you can see what efficiency really means, how to do work that actually matters and how to avoid the time-suck that an office environment can bring.
For anyone trying to start their own business, this book will show you a new way of thinking about work.
Starting a business can be scary, and it helps to see how other people were able to make huge changes in their own lives. These books will keep you motivated when you lose a client, lift you up when you miss your daughter’s soccer game and make you laugh when you’ve been yelled at on the phone. Keep them around to remind you that the life of an entrepreneur is never easy, but often rewarding. (Grab your copy here).
Books are the some of the best tools in your frugalpreneur arsenal. While blogs (like this one too!) are great, there’s something about a book that empowers you to focus and really dive into content without the lit screen distractions that come with an internet connection.
A book seems to be more reflective, contemplative form of knowledge that are more likely to light a fire under your tush than an article you mindlessly find on LinkedIn or stumble on in your RSS feed- books are old school in the digital and mobile age, but still around for a reason. Happy reading!