My Top 10 Books for Entrepreneurs

It's summer, and I just got back from my vacation.  (I actually intended on writing this during my vacation, but I was enjoying it too much.)  I love to read and have gotten in a habit of reading a book a week.   If you're stuck in life or in business, I can't stress enough how much picking up the right book can make a huge difference in your life.

Over the past year, I was diligent on the book per week, and since we're in the middle of summer, I wanted to give you a list of my absolute favorites, and some of that have made a MAJOR difference in my life.

1. The Big Leap - Gay Hendricks - Most people will read this and discover that they're holding themselves back to doing great things.  I actually put this book down after reading the second chapter and finally finished the book I had been talking about doing for years.  That same book was published just two months later, last September.
2. Everybody Writes - Ann Handley - No matter what your job is, you need to know how to write well.  I love Ann's approach to looking at smarter and simpler way of writing.  After buying the Kindle version, I actually wanted a version I could print out and highlight.  Luckily, I mentioned this to Ann when she spoke at my Entrepreneur Summit, and she was kind enough to send me one.  If you're one who likes to take notes and highlight, don't bother with the Kindle version, go for the print one immediately.
3. 80/20 Sales and Marketing - Perry Marshall - If you want to be great at business, it's crucial you know the numbers, and that's exactly what Perry Marshall breaks down.  After reading this book, my eyes were opened to what was important for me to succeed in marketing, and where I needed to focus my time and efforts.  This isn't about feeling good, necessarily, it's about being practical and strategic in where you're spending your money and time.
4. EntreLeadership - Dave Ramsey - This is a great general business book about building and starting a business.  I love Dave's advice on how to be smart in business, and how to avoid some of the mistakes he made (and I have to relate to a few of those mistakes myself).
5. What To Do When It's Your Turn - Seth Godin - Basically, you can add any book of Seth Godin's to your list, but this is an easy read, and one that will inspire you to finally take action.  So many amazing quotes from this one, but one of my favorites is: 'Leadership isn't about authority, it's about choosing to lead.'
6. Big Magic - Elizabeth Gilbert - I personally loved this one because I have a creative mind by nature.  However, I also loved how much she talked about ideas, and where they come from, plus why it's so crucial that we stay in a creative flow in order to live life to the fullest.
7. How To Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie - One of the greatest books, in my opinion, of all times when it comes to relating with people.  Even in a digital age, this book still holds true in how to understand people and communicate well.
8. Ask - Ryan Levesque - I love practical tips and not just fluff.  This book is incredible for understanding how to better know your customer, and how to make sure what you're creating is something they actually need.  I have taken ideas from this book, and they've made drastic differences in my business.
9. Essentialism by Greg McKeown - Shiny Object Syndrome, it's something that most entrepreneurs will tell you is something they had to overcome or have yet to overcome.  When I say this book changed my life, I'm not messing around.  I have made some major decisions this year because I took a major look at those things that weren't really serving me.  Plus I learned something about myself, in that I'm an emotional investor.  If you're trying to figure out where and how to focus your time, read this book before doing anything else.
10. Outwitting the Devil - Napoleon Hill - Another book that was a complete game changer in how I saw myself and the crazy things that go on in my head.  Although I'm still okay with saying I'm crazy, I realized that most people deal with a lot of the same things, and the road to success is all about mastering our head game.  If you struggle with believing in yourself, taking the big steps, or wasting time, then make sure you pick up this book and realize you're not alone.

Do you have any that you would recommend?  If so, I'm always looking for great books, so please comment below!