With all the time at home lately, I have rediscovered the love of books. If you are spending a lot more time around the house and looking for something to fill the downtime, here are some great feel-good books to inspire you.
These books have motivated me over the years and helped me on my journey to own my own business. All of these books are also available as an audiobook if reading is not your thing or you don’t have the time. I take my dog on a walk each morning and my favourite thing to do is to listen to an audiobook or podcast to make the most of the time.
The Power of your Subconscious Mind – Joseph Murphy
I first heard about this book back in 2016 during the Rio Summer Olympics when Michael Phelps stated that the reason for the US team’s superior performance was mental toughness. In the book, Joseph Murphy talks about how powerful the mind actually is and how staying positive and focusing your energy can improve your life.
The Happiness Project – Gretchen Rubin
This sounds like a bit of an idealistic concept, but it is actually filled with lots of practical ideas to implement into your daily life. The book is an account of Gretchen Rubin’s twelve-month adventure where she test-drives theories and scientific research about how to be happier. There are lots of practical tips in areas such as buying clothes or tidying up your house or practising gratitude. It is a really entertaining read.
The E Myth – Michael Gerber
This book looks at the factors that made large franchised business models successful and then provides tools on how to implement those factors into a small business. They are applicable whether you are running a franchise or not. It is about creating systems and processes for your business to help it run more efficiently. The book has also been written for a wide range of industries, so you can also find the edition relevant to your field.
The Barefoot Investor – Scott Pape
This book changed my life. I loved it so much. I am an accountant, but I hate the idea of sticking to a budget in my personal life. This book made me look at my spending differently. I listened to the audiobook and Scott Pape is really engaging and easy to listen to (even for those who don’t have a finance background).
She Means Business – Carrie Green
This book helped me start my own business and turn my dream into reality. It’s a really great book to get you in the right mindset, fired up and ready to take action. If you have something that you have been wanting to do for a long time and never had the courage to do it, this is a great book to get you in the right headspace. It’s full of lots of great tips and personal stories of Carrie’s own experience.
Unfu*k Yourself – Gary John Bishop
Gary John Bishop has a great no-nonsense, tough-love approach in his book. There are some great quotes. “You are not your thoughts. Act. You are what you do” and also “You change your life by doing, not by thinking about doing”. It’s a great motivational tool to help you to take action to move you in the right direction.
488 Rules for Life – Kitty Flanagan
This has nothing to do with business, but if you need to clear your head and need a bit of comic relief, this book is fantastic. I laughed out loud several times and had to replay several sections to my mum who hates small talk and the phrase “How’s your day been?”. I would recommend the audiobook so you can listen to Kitty read the book personally.
If you have any books that have inspired you, please leave a comment, get in touch, or connect on Facebook or LinkedIn.