Here Are 5 Books that Changed the Way I Work, Invest and Live

Straight to the Point

I am 20 years old, and while writing this article, I have been living the best time of my life. The most critical element in this was the books I read.

Books are the least expensive investments to get the highest ROI. And because you have one life with 4000 weeks, it’s too short to make every mistake and learn from them. So, the authors of these books have made enough mistakes for you to learn from, and most importantly, they have documented them.

You might be a seasoned reader or a beginner; these five books are ideal to start with if you haven’t or reread in the arranged order to make the most of them.

These are not just books like others but a guide to my decisions. If you are familiar with my notecard system, I consider revising the most crucial advice before I move on to do something big.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

We are often told that to do something big, you must make drastic life changes. Some of us with higher degrees of endurance might achieve this, but with much pain, which is not the most efficient way to get there.

Atomic Habits explores the power of tiny changes, those very small habits that accumulate over time and significantly impact your life.

This book is very neatly arranged and, as I observed, contains a lot of proof of all the author’s statements, backed by actual experiments done by psychologists.

Each chapter elegantly explores the power of tiny changes, slowly revealing the actual ways of achieving them. It includes many diagrams, graphs, tables, and lists of facts that will keep you reading.

In addition, I love the way its language is written. It’s simple and satisfying (probably because it was one of my earliest books), and I recommend you read it in the early morning with coffee.

Deep Work by Cal Newport

This is my most scribbled book (I don’t do it anymore; it was just once because I couldn’t resist the facts).

Most of my Software Engineer and Hacker work requires long sessions of what Cal Newport calls “Deep Work.”

The author defines Deep Work as “Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limits. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate.”

Opposite to Deep Work, he defines Shallow Work as “Noncognitevely demanding, logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted. These efforts tend to not create much new value in the world and are easy to replicate.”

This book follows these two terms and provides a comprehensive guide to achieving deep work levels through various methods supported by scientific evidence. It has many references to experimentation and evidence throughout the book.

This is one of those books where you need your notebook to start making notes. Scribble the ideas and make note cards on them. I don’t usually recommend scribbling on books, but since I did it myself and it helped me this time, I would say go ahead.

Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

This book has been a game changer since I started earning money as a university student. I recommend you read it as soon as possible, whether in your 20s or 60s.

This is not a book about making money but about understanding people’s behavior regarding finances. It will help you achieve what I call “financial maturity” and help you understand some of the most stupid financial decisions people make.

It takes you beyond the financial equations and statistical analysis, realizing that economics is more than mere numbers. It’s about people’s ability to understand money based on their experiences.

This book is like my personal guide to managing finances, not with numerical data but with philosophy with which I interact with money, how I spend it, and how I save it.

Thanks to Morgen Housel’s excellent podcast, which continues with me in my financial journey. It feels like he is just walking with me, helping me understand money more broadly. I have listened to all his episodes multiple times, made notes, and researched every statement he makes.

It is life-changing.

The Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett

This one covers a very large range of topics.

Steven Bartlett hardly needs any introduction. His podcast, “Diary of a CEO,” is one of the fastest and fastest-growing. With all his experience interviewing hindered people and conducting thousands of experiments, he has compiled this knowledge into 33 Laws.

This book is a goldmine if you are building a company, starting a new business, creating content, selling and building products, or growing personally.

This is one of those books written for every type of reader as early as possible. It has wisdom for every kind of person related to business, finance, lifestyle, decisions, philosophy, teamwork, etc., and much more.

After reading this book, I realized that his podcasts are one of the best ways to continue learning and understanding how great people build businesses and work on their lifestyles.

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson

This is my most read, followed, and thought-upon book (and I saved it for last).

It’s really hard for me to explain how much this book has changed my life (literally, I started working on my health, and now I am a regular endurance runner and avid football player in parallel with my love for computers).

I am very thankful to Eric Jorgenson for compiling Naval Ravikant’s wisdom and writing it into a book.

This page-turning book would change how you perceive finance, make money, and live your life. Its philosophical, real-world perspective will make you think about every line you read. You are free to question the statements in this book, disagree with them, and take what you want.

I recommend you read this book linearly, turning each page one by one and re-reading it while taking notes. Eric Jorgenson has made it accessible, and its soft copy is available online. But if you can purchase it, buying a hard copy would be a great choice since you will need this book for a long time.

It’s a perspective-changing book. Hats off.

Bonus: The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

NOT FOR WEAK HEARTED. If you find this book evil, don’t read this paragraph. Skip to the conclusion.

But you shouldn’t since it’s not meant to make you a wrong person (but I can’t change your mind).

I was shocked when I first randomly purchased this book and started reading it. It had all these evil titles like “Pose as a Friend, Work as a Spy,” and “Crush Your Enemy Totally.”

Thankfully, I saw on Robert Greene’s YouTube channel that he clarified that he doesn’t mean you should follow the rules. But you should remember that people can use these against you, and you must be aware of them.

That’s the reality of the world. It’s not a fairy tale.

I recommend reading it. I usually silently read it in the evening and even made notes. It has many exciting stories of historical events that support and oppose laws.

Conclusion

These are my five recommended books that you should buy and read right now. Everything in this article is based on my personal experience, and these are the must-have books on your bookshelf.

I will explore and write more about more books parallel to my technical blogs on Linux Kernel Development and Software Engineering content in future blogs.

Till then, happy reading!