In this post, I have shared 4 life changing books that I have personally read and I’m so much influenced.

I’m not just going to share the names of these life changing books but also the major lessons it taught.

It‘s an old saying that “BOOKS ARE BEST FRIENDS” and yes they are. The stories are written and lessons taught are worth millions of dollars.

I personally like reading self-help books, because such books are directly related to our life and share real-life situations, problems along with solutions.

Note: This post is going to be super important so keep reading until the end. You can skip the conclusion part written in the end.

List of Books	Action
1. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki	Buy Now
2. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hills	Buy Now
3. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason	Buy Now
4. Influence the psychology of persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini	Buy Now

So, let’s dive into the list of life changing books and learn their precious lessons:

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad (1st life changing book)

This life-changing book, RICH DAD AND POOR DAD is written by Robert Kiyosaki in which he starts his journey from a childhood story when he and his friend Mike were 9 years old and they decided to become rich.

Robert’s father (to which he called POOR DAD) was highly educated with a Ph. D and his only principle was to finish school and secure a Job. He was doing one of the highest paying jobs but his all money was spending on paying monthly bills.

He had been left with nothing at the end of the month.

On the other hand, Mike’s father (to which he called RICH DAD) was a business owner, with less formal education, but his focus was on learning stuffs that works in real life.

He was the right person to teach lessons on HOW TO BE RICH.

Without further delay, both Mike and Robert went to Mike’s Father to ask “HOW TO GET RICH.” Hopefully, Mike’s father agreed to teach them.

Well, the story is too long you can read in the book.

For now, let’s dive into the lessons we can learn from this life changing book RICH DAD AND POOR DAD.

LESSONS TO LEARN:

a. Don’t work for a paycheck

Robert says that paycheck is a trap that binds people to do work at minimum wage which they don’t even personally like. They do it because paycheck makes them greedy and they keep chasing it.

Whereas entrepreneurs don’t work for a paycheck, and that’s the reason they’re able to find new ways of earning and create a system so that they can employ others who will then work for them.

In short, Robert wants to say that if you want to be rich you have to start your own business because jobs don’t make people rich.

 b. Don’t trade your money for time

Job is a Job where people trade time for money. It simply means that you are paid for the number of hours you work.

Once you stop working, your income stops. On the other hand, Business owners hire others to work for them. So, even if they’re (business owner) not working, money keeps flowing into their bank accounts.

c. Don’t rely on single source of income

The biggest problem with the poor and middle class is that they rely on a single income source, which is the biggest risk in itself.

Some people have savings but that’s not worth it. Robert says that people should create multiple sources of income so that they can secure their future.

The best way to do is to save 10% of the income you earn and invest it. Investment without proper financial knowledge is risky too, so make sure you take advice from experts.

Also, read this book: The intelligent investor.

d. Don’t buy liabilities, invest in assets

Liabilities empty your pocket, whereas assets put money in your pocket. Poor people don’t have any assets and the middle class thinks that their liabilities (ex: home, car) are assets.

Robert suggests that one should never buy liabilities without investing in assets first. However, most people buy things that they don’t even need just to impress others who don’t care.

You should never waste your hard-earned income on liabilities. Liabilities include House, car, bike, etc. Assets include Business, stock, bonds, land, etc.

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e. Create passive income sources

Robert has focused on creating passive income sources because you’ll be making money while sleeping.

What are the sources of passive income? Business, Stock market, YouTube channel, Blog, websites, MLM, etc. Once you have created passive income sources you’ll become financially free.

It is one of the best life changing books for financial knowledge. Robert has even explained how he has started his real estate business and why it’s one of the successful businesses of all time. I recommend reading this life changing book.

2. Think and Grow Rich: (2nd life changing book)

THINK AND GROW RICH is written by Napoleon Hills in which he describes how an average person can become rich using his power of thoughts.

The books start with a story where Edwin C. Barnes wanted to work with Thomas Edison. He was definite in his purpose. “Definite”, in the sense, he didn’t change his mind easily.

He knew that working with Edison was not easy, because Edison was a famous inventor but he (Barnes) was nothing. However, he took the decision that no matter what he will go into partnership with Edison definitely.

However, there were two problems, first, he did not know Edison, and Second, he did not have enough money to go to Orange, New Jersey.

Somehow, he managed to go there, and in his first interview, he presented himself to Edison but he didn’t join Edison as a partner. And of course, it was not easy to become a partner of Edison.

However, he got a simple job with minimum wage in Edison’s Office. He was assigned tasks that were unimportant to Edison but Important to Barnes.

Months Passed but nothing happened, however, Barnes didn’t change his mind. He never said, “Oh! it’s a waste of time” or  “years have been passed and nothing had happened yet”

His purpose was definite that didn’t let him lose the way.

Finally, he got a chance to prove himself.

The incident was like this, Thomas Edison had invented a Dictating Machine (Ediphone), but his salesman was not sure enough that it could be sold easily.

Barnes silently slipped in the office and asked Edison to give him a chance, he was sure to sell that device and truly, he did well, even Edison had given him the contract to market his new device in the nation.

And this is how Barnes came into partnership with Edison and their business alliance operated for more than thirty years. Barnes become rich in money and his thought and efforts proved that anyone can “THINK AND GROW RICH”

Why this is proven to be life changing book for me let’s dive into the 5 out of 13 steps to riches and learn.

 a. Desire: (The first step towards riches).

As we have seen, in the case of Barnes whose desire was to go into partnership with Edison.

It was his desire that helped him to take the rail to the Orange without any second thought.

His goal was definite, his desire becomes stronger with the passage of time, and at last, he got the chance to prove himself and became a rich person.

b. Faith: (The second step towards riches)

Faith has a relation with the mind. Napoleon says, “When FAITH is blended with the thoughts of vibrations, the subconscious mind instantly picks up the vibrations, translate it into the spiritual equivalent, transmits into the infinite intelligence, as in the case of prayer.”

Faith is necessary to strengthen your desires. Most people don’t know how to develop faith? Faith can be developed by repeated affirmations and instructions to the subconscious mind.

You can convince your subconscious mind that you can achieve what you think and your subconscious mind will pass it back to you in the form of “FAITH.” All you have to do is to give instructions to your mind and use affirmation every day.

c. Auto suggestion: (The third step towards riches):

Autosuggestion means self suggestions. The thoughts that came to our mind consciously.

We are consciously responsible for the thoughts we allow our mind to think over, it’s also the way through which we can gain absolute control over our subconscious mind.

The author suggests that you should make a list of definite goals and read them aloud in the morning and at night. Repeating this process, you’ll create thoughts habits that will be favorable to your actions and it will gradually turn your dreams into reality.

d. Specialized knowledge: (The fourth steps towards riches)

The author says that there are two types of knowledge, one is general, and the other is specialized. You need to have specialized knowledge in the field you’re intended to work.

However, it’s not necessary that you have all the required knowledge in your own mind. Once when Henry Ford was asked some general questions in the courtroom by a lawyer he replied, “If I should really WANT to answer the foolish question you have just asked or any of the other questions you have been asking me, let me remind you that I have a row of electric push-buttons on my desk, and by pushing the right button,

I can summon to my aid men who can answer ANY question I desire to ask concerning the business to which I am devoting most of my efforts. Now, will you kindly tell me, WHY I should clutter up my mind with general knowledge, for the purpose of being able to answer questions, when I have men around me who can supply any knowledge I require?”

In short, you need to have expert people around you who can supply the answer to any question you’re intended to ask regarding your field.

e. Imagination: (The fifth step towards riches):

It’s one of the most powerful weapons that can influence our real actions. Every work starts with an idea, which is intangible in form.

It has been rightly saying, “MAN CAN ACHIEVE ALL THAT HE CAN IMAGINE” Imagination is a way through which you can shape your actions and desire.

The CREATIVE IMAGINATION is the best, it comes from within where new ideas are developed and executed. You should imagine everything you want in life, the things you have written on the list in the second point of this particular life changing book.

There are 13 steps to riches written in this life changing book. Let’s see them in brief, you can read in detail in the book.

1. Organized planning
2. Decision
3. Persistence
4. Power of the mastermind
5.  The mystery of s*x transmutation
6.  The Subconscious Mind
7.  The brain
8.  How to outwit the six ghosts of fear

3. The richest man in Babylon (3rd life changing book)

The richest man in Babylon is written by Geroge S. Clason.

I love this book a lot because it contains various stories that teach how to be rich. The lessons given in this life changing book are so powerful that even a person in debt can become rich. I’m going to share those priceless lessons here:

The first thing is that people should avoid any kind of debt. So let dive into the priceless lessons.

a. Pay yourself first:

The biggest lesson of this book, it says that you should pay 10% of what you earn to yourself.

This money is yours and it should be kept in your wallet or anywhere. Do remember that this amount should not be used or spend, no matter what.

The author suggests this technique because that money will keep jingling in your wallet and you’ll be satisfied. There’s one more reason for doing this, we’ll discuss it in further points. Keep reading!

b. Remove all debt:

You have to clear all your debts. The author suggests that you should use 70% of your income to clear your debts. Clearing your debts is important for two reasons:

1. You can save more money after clearing your debt
2. You gain trust from the creditors for future benefits

c. Investment:

The money, which you have paid yourself, should be put to work. It means that you have to invest it so that it can make more money in the form of interest, but wait you don’t have to use the interest amount, reinvest it so that it can make more money and repeat this process. You can accumulate huge wealth if you’ll repeat this process.

d. Live below your means:

One of the best advice of this life changing book. You have to enjoy your life with 20% of the income you earn not more than that.

It’s necessary to enjoy life or it will become boring and stressful. Don’t buy fancy dress and luxury stuff because such items will depreciate in value once purchased.

e. Increase the ability to earn:

Exactly, a man should increase his ability to earn more income. It can be done by increasing more knowledge or hiring people who are experts in their fields to help you make more money.

These were the priceless lessons from the book “The Richest man of Babylon”

4. Influence: The psychology of persuasion (4th life changing book)

This life changing book is written by Robert B. Cialdini, based on his research and experiment done on thousands of people.

I’m currently reading this book a few more chapters are left. I have shared the valuable lessons read until now.

Let’s learn some of the priceless lesson from this life changing book.

a. Ask for favor by giving reasons:

You can easily take favor from others, and you’re more likely to be successful if you give them a reason. Let’s look at the experiment by Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer.

Langer asked for a small favor from the people standing in a line to use the library copying machine Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?

The effect of this request-plus-reason was huge that around 90% of people agreed and allowed him to skip the row. For, the second time he asked Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine? This time he gave no reason and only 60% of people agreed.

The third time he asked Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies? Here he provided no genuine reason but still, nearly 93% of people agreed.

His experiment proved that giving people the reason is enough to get favor from them. The word “BECAUSE ” has made all the difference in this case.

b. The reciprocation:

It’s another powerful weapon of influence where you can take huge favor from others.

In this case, a university professor conducted a simple experiment where he sent Christmas cards to strangers. The result was amazing those stranger people have replied to his cards addressing him, the best part was that they didn’t know the professor nor anyone of them tired to enquired about him.

One more experiment was conducted by Professor Dennis Regan of Cornell University.

This experiment was conducted in a painting exhibition, where a subject who was Dr. Regan’s assistant was rating with other subjects. There were two conditions.

During a short period, Joe left the room for a couple of minutes and return with two bottles of Coca-cola one for himself and other for the subject saying, “I have asked him (the experimenter) if I can get myself a coke, he agreed so I bought one for you” In the other cases, Joe return empty hand, however, he behaved Genuinely.

After the rating was finished and experimenters left the room, Joe asked for a favor from the subjects. He indicated that he was selling raffle tickets for a new car and that if he sold the most tickets, he would win a fifty-dollar prize.

Joe sold more tickets to those who have received earlier favor from him; some of them even purchased six to seven tickets.

Both the experiments prove that reciprocation is powerful and when you are the first to favour someone, you’re more likely to receive favour from them because they become obligated and tries to remove that obligation from their heads and hence some people return more favour.

c. Reciprocal concession:

It’s another form of reciprocation where you can indirectly get most people to say YES to your request.

The author shares his personal experience where he was walking down the street and was approached by a boy of eleven or twelve years old.

He told him that he was selling a ticket of 5 dollars for the Annual Boy Scouts circus to be held on the upcoming Saturday.

The author declined his request, the boy then said, “Okay so at least you can buy some chocolate bars, just for 2 dollars” The author without any second thought purchased those chocolate bars and give 2 dollars to the boy. He was astonished, “Why I did that? I don’t like chocolates”

Later, the next day when he discussed this matter with his research assistance he found that it’s an indirect method of reciprocation where you can receive favor from others.

A simple example: Suppose you went to the shopping mall and asked for the price of a T-shirt, the salesman said $100/T-shirt but you declined and suddenly the salesman shows you another T-shirt claiming that it’s of same quality despite its color and pattern only for $20.

Without question, most people will agree to purchase that T-shirt because $20 is a small amount for the same quality of T-shirt at $100 T-shirt.

Here, the T-shirts you’re getting for $100 and $20 both are same and generally sold for 20 dollars only. Since, salesman are trained to get most of the sales, they use this technique.

Okay, so these were the three priceless lessons from INFLUENCE: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSUASION there’s a lot more to discover, I’m currently reading this book. I Will share more lessons when I’ll finish reading.

Final words on life changing books

Okay, so I have shared all the 4 life changing books with their great lessons.

In the end, I would like to say that there’s a lot of knowledge hidden in the self help book, and you should consider reading them. Reading books is an investment you make in yourself.

As there’s a famous quote, “LEARN MORE TO EARN MORE,” and even the last lesson I have discussed from the book THE RICHEST MAN IN THE BABYLON put lights on this statement.