During my entrepreneurial journey—from 1997 to today—I’ve read many books across business, entrepreneurship, fiction, and personal growth. A few of them had a truly life-changing impact on me.
In this article, I’m excited to share those books with you. I genuinely believe that these reads can inspire and guide you, no matter which field you’re in or what goals you’re striving for.
Before you start, a small note — these books are not listed in any order. Each one touched my life differently, and all of them deserve a place on your reading list.
The Physcology of Money
The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel is one of the most eye-opening books on how we think about money, wealth, and financial decisions. Instead of teaching formulas, it focuses on mindset—why some people grow wealth and others lose it, even with the same knowledge.
This book changed the way I look at spending, saving, investing, and financial freedom. If you want to build a healthier relationship with money, this is a must-read.
Rich Dad Poor Dad
Want to break free from the “9 to 5” mindset and start building real wealth?
Rich Dad Poor Dad will open your eyes to smart money habits, passive income, and the mindset the wealthy use to succeed. It’s simple, practical, and life-changing — a book everyone should read at least once!
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
What valuable company is nobody building?
The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t make a search engine. If you are copying these guys, you aren’t learning from them.
It’s easier to copy a model than to create something new: doing what we already know how to do takes the world from 1 to n — adding more of something familiar. Every new creation goes from 0 to 1. This book is about how to get there.
Atomic Habits
a·tom·ic hab·it, noun.
Definition: A small habit with big results.
People say when you want to change your life, you need to think big: swap job, move house, change partner. But they’re wrong.
World-renowned life coach James Clear has discovered a completely different way to revolutionise your behaviour. He knows that lasting change comes from hundreds of tiny decisions – doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes early, or holding a single short phone call. He calls these atomic habits.
Sapiens : A Brief History of Humankind
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari is a fascinating journey through the history of humankind—how we evolved, built societies, created money, religion, nations, and the modern world we live in today.
The book brilliantly connects history, psychology, culture, and economics to show how human behavior has shaped our progress. It opens your mind to new perspectives and makes you rethink the world around you. If you enjoy deep, thought-provoking books that change how you see life, this one is unmissable.
The Alchemist: A Modern Classic of Magic and Mysticism
Combining magic, mysticism, wisdom, and wonder into an inspiring tale of self-discovery, The Alchemist has become a modern classic, selling millions of copies around the world and transforming the lives of countless readers across generations.
This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself a king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to surmount the obstacles in his path. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within.
The Richest Man in Babylon
In the early 1920s, George S. Clason wrote a collection of parables set in ancient Babylon that provided guidance on one’s financial well-being.
These parables were distributed as pamphlets to U.S. banking and insurance customers and were so well-received by the public that in 1926, the parables were collected into one volume under the title of his most famous story, The Richest Man in Babylon. Largely seen as a classic in personal financial advice, The Richest Man in Babylon has provided millions with guidance and inspiration for financial wellness.
Why I Stopped wearing my Socks
Why I Stopped Wearing My Socks is Alok’s real-life story of starting up a business. It traces his roller-coaster ride as an aspiring entrepreneur, traversing through a variety of business ideas in the family business up to his big breakthrough as one of India’s first entrepreneurs to tap the power of the Internet. It details the amazing success of Mobile2win, a venture eventually acquired by the Walt Disney Company.
The chapters in the book are actual stories, throbbing with memorable anecdotes that conclude with crisp learnings for the readers. Why I Stopped Wearing My Socks is a deeply compelling story about beating the odds, staying motivated and gung-ho entrepreneurship. It is an inspirational as well as a practical guide to emerging a winner.
The Story of my experiments with Truth
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” In this compelling autobiography, Mahatma Gandhi narrates the story of his life—an extraordinary journey from an ordinary upbringing in India to becoming a global symbol of peace, justice, and nonviolent resistance.
My Experiments with Truth is more than a memoir; it is a reflection on Gandhi’s lifelong commitment to truth (satya) and his relentless pursuit of moral and spiritual growth. With raw honesty, Gandhi shares how he confronted fear, prejudice, and injustice, transforming personal struggles into opportunities for self-discovery and social change.
Romancing with Balance Sheet
There is no such thing as a non-finance person. It is an error to think that finance management is limited to the Finance Department alone. In fact, it is happening right through the organization–for every action you take impacts the bottom line of your company.
Read this book to understand what Profit really means and how Inventory and Sales impact it. Learn to read Balance Sheets and deploy Funds intelligently. Make the most efficient use of your Working Capital and discover the simple secrets of Marginal Costing, Leverage and Funds Flow. Written in a simple conversational style, Romancing the Balance Sheet will teach you all the intelligent ways of Good Financial Management.
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