My Recommended Reading List About Sales, Marketing, Personal Finance, and Human Behavior

My Reading List

People who know me understand how important that reading is to me. I love reading books, articles, magazines, and various topics of interest on the internet. If I can learn at least one golden nugget from whatever the book or article I am reading, I am happy.

“In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”

- Mortimer J. Adler

Human beings have been writing and reading for more than 5,000 years. That means there is a very good chance that whatever your interests are, someone else wrote about it before. So if there is a topic or subject that you want to learn more about or need help, there is a high chance you will find books and article written about it. Plus, the person that wrote it is most likely very knowledgable in the subject matter.Why not learn from those that are experts in that specific subject and ave time?

The purpose of reading is not to just accumulate raw knowledge. Rather it is about helping you find meaning and understanding in the areas where you want to
learn and grow.

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“Formal education will make you a living; self-education
will make you a fortune.”
-Jim Rohn

Invest in your personal education. If you commit to the self-education mindset, you will be better prepared for what life and opportunity has to offer and have more answers than you can use.

The books I recommend below are a few of the my favorite and most impactful ones for me. I hope you find it the same if you decide to read just one or all of them.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

Prioritizing our schedules against the daily demands of our time can lead to a great amount of stress. Stephen Covey presents an approach to being effective in attaining goals by aligning oneself to what he calls "true north" principles based on a character ethic that he presents as universal and timeless.

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

Why do people succeed and others fail? Angela Duckworth is a pioneering psychologist and wrote this book that shows parents, educators, students, and business people both seasoned and new that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent but a focused persistence called grit.

SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham

For those who want to get an education in sales, this book a must-read. The findings in this book are based on sales calls conducted over a period of 12 years. There are interesting conclusions backed by case studies and well-documented research on key success factors for the sales professional.

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

Can you really spot the millionaire next door? Thomas Stanley and William Danko dig deep into how the unassuming millionaires became wealthy. They illustrate how most people have it all wrong about how you become wealthy in America.

Peak: Secrets From The New Science Of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool

The answers to how one would develop and achieve superior performance in their fields should include this book as a priority read. This book summarizes the findings of Ericsson’s 30-year research into how one acquires expertise in their chosen profession. The book was written partly as a response to the misrepresented but increasingly commonplace idea of the "10,000-hour rule," popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his 2008 book Outliers.

The Truth About Money by Ric Edelman

When it comes to getting personal finance advice, I can’t find anyone better than Ric Edelman. This is one of the most comprehensive personal finance book you can find. Ric Edelman explains it all in plain English – investments, insurance, taxes, mortgages, leasing cars, getting out of debt and wealth planning. A terrific and practical book for effective personal financial planning.

This is a fascinating read for those who are interested in applying economic theory to a variety of subjects that are not usually covered by conventional economists. The authors tell compelling stories that show how economics is, at the root, the study of incentives. They show how people get what they want or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.

This is one of my favorite books in sales. With the abundance of information found on the internet, potential customers first research various products and services and get an idea on what they think is best for them way before they contact an organization about their offerings. The authors show how you identify the appropriate key people in organizations to help catalyze the process and get people in the same room to discuss and teach them insights into their problems that they didn’t know existed.

Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T.Harv Eker

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to get rich easily, while others are destined for a life of financial struggle? T Harv Eker explains how you may know everything about marketing, sales, negotiations, stocks, real estate, and the world of finance, but if your money blueprint is not set for a high level of success, you will never have a lot of money. It is chock full of ideas, insights, and strategies that will change your way of thinking and results.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini, PH.D.

Why do you buy a product or pay for a service? What motivates your customers to say yes? Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert the in the expanding field of influence and persuasion. The principles he talks about in this book are the foundation for many marketing campaigns. These principles have been relevant for the past 30 years and will continue to be in the future.

Acres of
Diamonds by
Russell H. Conwell

Although this is a very short book, it leaves an ever-lasting impression that will shape your way of thinking for the rest of your life. Russell Conwell shows you how to find fortune if you know where to look. He will explain his philosophy that “all good things are possible.”

If you are looking to learn more about building your savings and wealth through carefully diversified portfolios, then this book is an important read. William Bernstein takes through examples of how to craft and build your investment portfolio in a manner that maximizes returns and reduces risks. He will take you through the fundamentals of important topics like multiple-asset portfolios, optimal asset allocations, market efficiency, and strategy implementation.

There are so many more books that I can include, but these are my favorite ones for the blend of education that would immensely help you in your journey to improve your knowledge in personal finance, personal habit-forming, sales, and marketing concepts.

I’ll leave with one of my favorite quotes:

“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings, so that you shall gain easily what others have labored hard for.”

- Socrates