Books have the power to influence, change, and shape a person.
The huge benefit of reading a book is that we can receive all the learnings that took a lifetime for the author to attain. In short, reading a book is as if somebody else lived and experimented with life so that we can make ours better.
Being rich should not be your goal, but there is nothing special in poverty either. And you certainly have to put more effort than average to live better than average life. The way to start is by looking at how other successful people did it and learning from their journey.
Who can be your best swimming coach? The Olympic swimmers of course! Similarly, who do you think can show you the way to riches? The rich people!
Yes! People who worked their way from the very bottom. People who have seen it and lived through it.
However, the issue is that not many people write books. Their lifestyle simply has better things for them. But when somebody from the rich lifestyle chooses to share their wisdom with us, their advice is equivalent to gold.
And there are only a certain number of such advice available to us. They are found in the books that these successful people have written.
The books below entirely focus on the raw and direct ways to make more money, whether by teaching you to change the mindset, strategies or by showing you the ideas that lead you to prosperity. These are books that I have personally read and found helpful.
Rich Dad Poor Dad
The surest way to get rich is to work harder and longer than your competition, right?
Wrong.
This book comes as a huge blow to many of us who have been taught incorrectly about money. Written by Robert Kiyosaki–who has earned international fame for this very book–Rich Dad Poor Dad focuses on how the poor always remain poor simply because they have been given the wrong formula to financial freedom.
As the book advocates, people who work for money never get rich. In reality, the rich are those who make money work for them.
I was introduced to the idea of passive income from this book. If you also still don’t know about it, it is basically to have a source of income that does not need your constant effort. Basically, that source of income makes your money while you sleep. For example, Youtubers who make helpful videos get paid every time somebody watches the ads that are displayed at the start and end of their videos. The same is the case with book writers and online course publishers. Once they put in their idea and effort to create something of value, that thing will earn for them as long as it is valuable to others.
Needless to say, the book has a lot more things than anyone can ever summarize. Rich Dad Poor Dad is worth every second and minute of your time.
The Richest Man in Babylon
This book was first published in 1926 but it still remains relatable a century later.
Even if you are not so much into reading books, this one should be a piece of cake to read. The book is portrayed as a story where a very wise and rich character called Arkad teaches the poor and miserable people of Babylon to be rich.
Best Tip Ever: Read this if you want to be a Freelancer in Nepal
As taught by Arkad, these are the seven ways you can prevent an empty purse:
- No matter what, always save at least 10% of what you earn.
- Unless you become careful, your expenses will always come to equal your income no matter how much you earn.
- Instead of just saving your money, find a way to invest and multiply it. Let your money make more money.
- Look for ways to invest but try to minimize the possible risks. Most people who want to get rich too soon also fail too hard.
- Try to buy your own home as soon as possible. Rent will lead you to poverty. Instead, make a bigger home and rent some rooms to others. (This is hard but not impossible.)
- Ensure a future income. I know you feel young and immortal right now but you are one day going to get old like everyone who walked on Earth before you. Have a plan that will take care of you when you get old.
- Be more deserving to be rich every day. Skill is equivalent to wealth. Learn more things consistently so that you can increase your earning power.
These are the seven cures for a lean purse taught in the book. There are countless such teachings and parables (stories) in the book that are certainly worth following. The Five Laws of Gold is another of my favorite teachings in the book.
It is now up to you to read it.
1,000 Ways to Make $1,000
Legendary businessman and investor Warren Buffett read this book when he was 7. It is said that this particular book greatly shaped him into who he became in the forthcoming future.
Buffett always loved numbers and money. When only a child, he sold candies, Cola, and chewing gum from door to door. Buffett also got into investing from a very young age. His numerous entrepreneurial ventures during teenage and youth made him a significant amount of money.
Thus, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that this book added fuel to the fire to succeed within Warren Buffett.
1,000 ways to make $1,000 is not for those who do not want to get their hands dirty on something. In fact, as this book advocates and as is the reality, you never earn without getting the hands dirty.
This book is a collection of ways different people have earned $1,000. Since the book was published in the year 1936, when it talks about earning $1,000, it is referring to the equivalent of earning roughly $18,500 at present.
With such a large number of ideas, each different from the last, it is impossible to not find a way that suits you by the time you finish reading the book.
Wrapping Up
Each of these three books stands out on its own. Each has its own style to teach you and shape you towards the path of financial prosperity and freedom.