There’s nothing like reading to expand your horizons and see the world through new eyes. That’s just one of the benefits of reading books regularly—it opens your mind to new ideas, cultures, and perspectives.
We bet you heard this at least a hundred times by now, but it’s completely true.
Reading is essential to enhance your creative thinking and get to know the mechanisms of the world we live in. Making it a habit can greatly enrich your life and act as a guide on your journey to self-development. Not to mention the great role it has in facilitating humanity’s progress.
If you’re an entrepreneur or you’re thinking of starting your own business or launch a successful digital product, you must by all means read. This allows you to avoid some of the trial and error stages of building a business. It encourages you to brainstorm new ideas and create a strategy that is going to level up your business.
During my first 10 years as a digital entrepreneur, I read very few books and had almost no mentorship—and my success reflected that. In contrast, the next six years were a turning point. My business grew steadily, and that shift was largely due to me rediscovering the benefits of reading books regularly. I began reading and listening to books consistently, gaining insights, mentorship, and clarity through reflection and meditation.
A Better Strategy
When asked about the key to business success, Berkshire Hathaway CEO, Warren Buffet claimed reading at least 500 pages a day is essential. That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest. All of you can do it, but I guarantee not many of you will.
The famous businessman said that 80% of his working day is spent reading and thinking. It is not enough just to read and accumulate knowledge, you also have to use your critical thinking when looking for solutions or making decisions.
You may think that finding the necessary time to read in your already overwhelmingly busy day is a task in itself. But it’s actually not.
Think of it this way, if you invest in yourself, you actually invest in your business too. You can start by carving an hour out of your day and allocate it to reading and learning something new.
A Better World Through the Benefits of Reading Books Regularly
Bill Gates is passionate about reading because it helps him learn more about the world and make better decisions for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. But he doesn’t just stick to nonfiction—he also values fiction for how it takes you out of your own head and into someone else’s experience. His example perfectly reflects the benefits of reading books regularly: expanding knowledge, building empathy, and staying mentally sharp.
Bill has a blog where people can learn more about his book recommendations and read book reviews. We recommend you check it out.
Bill’s love for reading and learning goes even further as he made it a habit to take a “think week” twice a year. Basically, he goes to a cabin in the woods by himself and reads papers written by Microsoft’s employees, which present new innovations and prospective investments.
No interruptions, no daily stress, no other tasks to do but to learn and focus on innovation (every entrepreneur’s favorite pastime).
Having a space where you can go to focus entirely on strategy is essential for boosting productivity, growing your business, and, in Bill’s case, changing the whole world for the better.
A Better Future
We all heard about Elon Musk’s almost science fiction-like plan for SpaceX and about the success of Tesla.
How are such great ambitions born in the first place? That’s where books come to surprise one’s mind with untapped opportunities for innovation.
Elon even went so far as to admit in an interview that he was raised by books. He said that as a child he used to read science fiction novels for more than 10 hours a day. As a businessman, he was inspired by Douglas Adams’s philosophy in the popular science-fiction novel The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Above everything else, this book ponders on the meaning of human life and the importance of asking the right questions.
Coming up with well-informed questions requires a deeper understanding of the world around us. And that understanding starts with reading. After all, the benefits of reading books regularly go far beyond knowledge—they sharpen your thinking, spark curiosity, and bring you closer to success. Your next breakthrough might just be a few pages away.
There isn’t a better time to become a serious reader and start your reading journey than now.
You’ll be surprised just how much of a difference reading can make in your life. It provides new insights, perspectives, and ideas. It keeps alive and nurtures your sense of curiosity about the world. And, it helps you get unstuck from your current situation and gain the confidence to take the next steps.
There are going to be moments in your life as an entrepreneur when not even the books you read and your own experience will prevent you from making mistakes, but you will be more likely to make the right decisions once you develop a daily reading habit.
Business Book Recommendations: Unlock the Benefits of Reading Books Regularly
Just before you go, here are a few book recommendations, which helped us grow our own business:
Buyer Personas: How to Gain Insight into your Customer’s Expectations, Align your Marketing Strategies, and Win More Business by Adele Revella
- Competing Against Luck: The Story of Innovation and Customer Choice by Clayton M. Christensen
- Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
- The Law of Success by Napoleon Hill (the most comprehensive and profound book) about success
- Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson (for simplicity)
- 12: Elements of great management by Jim Harter (for company culture and employee engagement)
- Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg (learning how to communicate effectively – Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella set this as mandatory reading for senior leadership)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey (for learning to be productive in your thinking)
Now’s your turn, which books have completely changed your perspective and helped you as an entrepreneur? Tweet @mariusvetrici and let me know your picks.
Article originally published on Enterprise Nation’s blog.
