More and more people these days are quitting their 9 – 5 jobs and becoming their own boss. Even if that means doing a side gig, you still are now in control of when you work and how you operate your own Business.
I applaud all of you that are starting a business! After I become a freelance writer and digital marketer, I needed some guidance. A friend of mine recommended these two books and they provided just the information I was looking for.
Peak Performance
The Peak Performance isn’t about business per se. It has to do with how the most accomplished people in their field achieve the success at what they do. Bard Stulberg and Steve Magness analyze business success by studying the science of human performance. What comes about are examples from athletes, artists, and CEOs about what they do day-to-day in their careers that make them productive and efficient.
Many times I hear that the one and only way to achieve success is by getting up bright and early, hitting up the gym, and taking breaks throughout the day to prevent burnout.
What this book shows is that there is no definitive one size fits all answer for success. Do the work and you’ll be rewarded. Not anything new really, but seeing it in a more scientific way was interesting. A good read for any business owner who needs a little direction.
The Lean Startup
Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable. The Lean Startup takes a scientific approach going beyond the usual looking at a week to week report of sales and dives deep into how a startup can survive and flourish in today’s world.
Startup companies are now approaching the way they start their business differently. They are now taking a new approach to how products/services are launched and marketed. CEOs and founders do all of this and more without elaborate business plans which I found to be interesting. I’ve looked back many times thinking that I should map out my business more accurately, but now that appears that doing so wouldn’t change where I am at now.
Business books to me can be a bit dry, but the innovative and new age thinking that these two books take on kept my interest up. As someone who wants to be as successful if not more so than anyone else, I was glad I invested the time to read these this year.
2019 is upon us and if you have an idea for a business or want to become a successful freelancer, I suggest taking a stab at these. You never know. What you learn from these books could turn your small business into a multimillion dollar one!
