Every once in awhile, a book comes along that makes you want to take action.
It challenges your ideas, fires you up, and gives you a lot to think about.
Books can be life-changers. These books changed the way that I look at work and my career. They ultimately led to me quitting my job to do something more meaningful and to pursue a career that I love.
These books will make you want to quit your job and go it alone, find your purpose, and live your dream.
1. The Art of Work by Jeff Goins
Jeff Goins is a writer who is following his purpose and teaching others to do the same. His new book The Art of Work encourages people to listen to their lives, find their purpose, and pursue meaning. With examples of how others have done this and practical advice to find your purpose, you’ll be inspired into taking action.
2. Do-Over by Jon Acuff
It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, it’s never too late for a Do Over, according to the author, Jon Acuff. All great careers have four elements in common, and Acuff reassures you that not only have you experienced those four elements, but you’re well on your way to reinventing your work and doing work you love.
3. Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuck
Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk is infectious. The author’s energy oozes out of the pages and it was difficult for me not to close the book and take action in the middle of a paragraph while I was reading it. Luckily, Vaynerchuk’s examples and practical advice is captivating and keep your eyes on the page.
4. The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
There’s a reason why The Four Hour Work Week remained on the New York Times Best Seller list for so long. This is a powerful book that has changed lives all over the world, giving readers hope that they don’t have to be stuck in an boring 9–5 job anymore, taking a two weeks of vacation each year and leading unfulfilling lives.
5. The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
If you’ve ever thought that you had to have a lengthy business plan or investors to start a business and make money from your passions, The $100 Startup will prove you wrong. With dozens of examples of people who started successful businesses from their own homes, doing what they love for around $100, Guillebeau gives you a roadmap to do the same.
6. The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime by MJ DeMarco
It used to be that the path to wealth was to work for 45 years in a corporate job, save diligently, and wait until you’re retired to live a good life. DeMarco challenges this mindset and gives you the tools you need to create real wealth. And part of that? Ditching the 9–5.
7. Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
If you’re like most people, your 9–5 job doesn’t allow you to take off and see the world. You’re lucky if you can get four weeks off each year, let alone enough time to really enjoy long-term travel or go on your dream trip.
In Vagabonding, Potts encourages you to take a long period of time off, escape from the daily grind and soak in the benefits of long-term travel.
8. Choose Yourself by James Altucher
Written on the premise that job security is no longer, and we can’t count on being “chosen” by somebody else, Altucher encourages readers to “choose yourself.” Using case studies, Altucher gives you the tools to become healthy, happy, fulfilled and wealthy by taking a chance on yourself instead of waiting to be chosen by somebody else.
9. Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett
Writing used to be a field for starving artists and the lucky few who got noticed. Now, it’s a lucrative field for anybody with a knack for sharing information and building an audience.
Social media has opened up our career options immensely, including the possibility of becoming a professional blogger.
This book will make you want to quit your job, start a blog, and connect with the world.
10. The 7 Day Startup: You Don’t Learn Until You Launch by Dan Norris
After reading this book, I wanted to hand in my resignation so I could immerse myself in building a product and launching it using the formula in The 7 Day Startup. Norris debunks the myth that you must spend time and money validating your ideas and helps you take action.
11. Launch: An Internet Millionaire’s Secret Formula To Sell Almost Anything Online, Build A Business You Love, And Live The Life Of Your Dreams by Jeff Walker
If you’ve ever been skeptical of making money online and the claims of people getting rich on the Internet, this book will clear your skepticism. Not only is it possible, but people are doing what they love and getting paid for it online all over the world.
12. Escape from Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur by Pamela Slim
If you’ve ever wondered whether entrepreneurship is for you but are just not happy in your cubicle job, this book is for you. You don’t have to stay in a job you hate, and Slim shows you how to get out.
13. The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career by Reid Hoffman
In The Start-Up of You, Hoffman and Casnocha claim that all humans were born entrepreneurs. And the world is changing. No longer can we rely on our degrees and educations to give us unlimited opportunity and job security. The Start-Up of You helps readers take their skills and abilities and leverage them into a successful entrepreneurial career.
14. Go It Alone!: The Secret to Building a Successful Business on Your Own by Bruce Judson
Tragically, over 70% of American workers are unhappy with their work. In Go It Alone!, Judson breaks the misconceptions that starting a business is difficult and costly, and demonstrates how new media makes it easier than ever before to strike out on your own and lead a fulfilling career.
15. The Suitcase Entrepreneur: Create Freedom in Business and Adventure in Life by Natalie Sisson
If you’ve ever wondered whether there are careers out there that provide the ultimate flexibility to travel where and when you want, The Suitcase Entrepreneur has your answer, and it’s “YES!”.
Not only can you do what you love, you can also lead a location independent career by building a lifestyle business. Sisson shows you how.
16. The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion by Elle Luna
According to Luna, “should” is what we think we have to be doing. “Must” is our true calling—what we want to do, to fulfill our purpose. This highly inspiring book shows readers that they can choose. Nobody can choose for you.
17. The Economy of You: Discover Your Inner Entrepreneur and Recession-Proof Your Life by Kimberly Palmer
Gone are the days when people would have one main career path. When you’d go into the office from 9–5 Monday to Friday and call that a career. Now, there are millions who have side-gigs, which they use to supplement their income and recession-proof their careers. When you see what’s possible in the realm of side-businesses, you’ll realize what’s possible for your career as a whole.
18. The Work Revolution: Freedom and Excellence for All by Julie Clow
The Work Revolution “changes the way the world thinks about work.” With only 30% of the workforce being engaged in their work, something needs to change. And The Work Revolution is a catalyst for massive change in our workplaces.
19. Quitter by Jon Acuff
If you’ve ever wanted to do meaningful work but wanted to find a way to do so without taking drastic measures to blow up your life and challenge your financial security, Quitter will help you “close the gap between your day job and your dream job.” Acuff shows readers how to take control of their work without going broke.
20. No More Mondays: Fire Yourself—and Other Revolutionary Ways to Discover Your True Calling at Work by Dan Miller
Most of us have dreaded Mondays. And that’s unfortunate. If you stick to your terrible day job because of job security, Miller may be able to change your mind. This book demonstrates that the only way to achieve real job security is by doing what you love and following your passions.
21. Let Go by Pat Flynn
Pat Flynn is an online entrepreneur who makes passive income to support his family, allowing him to spend all the time with his children that he wants. This wasn’t always the case, though. Flynn was let go from his job at an architecture firm and in Let Go, he writes about his path to becoming a self-employed online authority.
If you’re in a job you don’t love, or you just know you’re not passionate about your work, these books will challenge your perspective, and push you out of that job-security comfort zone into the arms of your passions.
