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It is no news that successful billionaires do read. Previously, Tribune Online disclosed the five most life-changing books that will leave a lasting impact and could even alter the course of your life. Meanwhile, becoming a billionaire is not just about luck; it’s about mindset, discipline, and strategic decision-making. Many of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and investors credit part of their financial literacy and success to a handful of transformative books. And while they do so, some of the most-read financial books among billionaires cover a range of topics, from investment philosophies to personal success stories. Hence, for every aspiring entrepreneur who dreams of being one of the top billionaires across the globe, the following five books are the most read to invent, invest, and scale your business. 1. The Intelligent Investor This is the famous investing book by Benjamin Graham, who was Warren Buffett’s mentor. The greatest investment advisor of the twentieth century, Benjamin Graham, taught and inspired people worldwide. His philosophy of “value investing” that shields investors from substantial error and teaches them to develop long-term strategies, made The Intelligent Investor the stock market bible ever since its original publication in 1949. Over the years, market developments have proven the wisdom of Graham’s strategies. While preserving the integrity of Graham’s original text, the book was revised by a financial journalist, Jason Zweig, whose perspective incorporates the realities of today’s market, draws parallels between Graham’s examples and today’s financial headlines, and gives readers a more thorough understanding of how to apply Graham’s principles. Vital and indispensable, The Intelligent Investor is the most important book you will ever read on how to reach your financial goals. 2. Zero To One For the recent time of technological stagnation, the great secret is that there are still uncharted frontiers to explore and new inventions to create. In Zero to One, by legendary entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel. This book reveals how you can find singular ways to create those new things. Thiel begins with the contrarian premise that we live in an age of technological stagnation, even if you’re too distracted by shiny mobile devices to notice. Information technology has improved rapidly, but there is no reason why progress should be limited to computers or Silicon Valley. Progress can be achieved in any industry or area of business. It comes from the most important skill that every leader must master: learning to think for yourself. For this reason, the book is at #2 on the list of favorite books of billionaires that every entrepreneur should read. In it, Peter explored a lot about his own journey and startups after PayPal, as well as his contrarian approach to successful VC investing. Doing what someone else already knows how to do takes the world from 1 to 0, adding more of something familiar. But when you do something new, you go from 0 to 1. 3. Business Adventures Written by John Brooks, this book is a collection of 12 in-depth articles, originally published in The New Yorker, exploring real-world case studies of business, finance, and corporate America, mostly from the mid-20th century. This book has been read and praised by renowned billionaires, such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and others. Bill Gates, who originally borrowed a copy from Warren Buffett, disclosed that “Business Adventures remains the best business book I’ve ever read.” For that reason, although written some decades ago, the book remains relevant due to its focus on behavioral economics and institutional dynamics. 4. Think and Grow Rich Shark Tank’s Daymond John, like many other successful entrepreneurs, considers this classic book by Napoleon Hill to be a real life-changer. The book has been called the “Granddaddy of All Motivational Literature,” and was the first book to boldly ask, “What makes a winner?” Napoleon Hill, America’s most beloved motivational author, devoted 25 years to finding out how the wealthy became that way. After interviewing over 500 of the most affluent men and women of his time, he uncovered the secret to great wealth. The most famous of all teachers of success spent “a fortune and the better part of a lifetime of effort” to produce the “Law of Success” philosophy that forms the basis of his books and that is so powerfully summarized in this one. If you haven’t read it yet, put it at the top of your to-do list. It can completely change your trajectory in life and what you are capable of achieving. 5. Direct From Dell Michael Dell’s own story, from childhood adventures to overcoming business obstacles and growing one of the longest-lasting and biggest computing brands after starting with just $1,000. At nineteen, Michael Dell started his company as a freshman at the University of Texas, drove away from his parents’ Houston home in a white BMW he had bought by selling subscriptions to his hometown newspaper. And today, he is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dell Computer Corporation, an $18 billion company, the second-largest manufacturer and marketer of computers in the world. In Direct From Dell, Michael Dell himself tells the incredible story of Dell Computer’s successful rise, beginning in his college dorm room with $1,000 in capital. For young, ambitious entrepreneurs who are tech-savvy, this book has been well recognized as it explores the birth of a “Dell hallmark,” the direct model, which, in its ability to reach the customer directly, eliminated not only a substantial middleman markup but also the possibility of costly excess inventory, setting the stage for other extraordinary achievements. In a nutshell, reading the same books as billionaires will not just make you rich overnight, but it will sharpen your thinking, expand your understanding of financial literacy, and help you make smarter financial choices. These books are not just financial guides; they serve as blueprints for building a mindset that attracts wealth, whether in investing, business, or life.
