In regards to personal career development, we are told we have a few options:

• Pony up big bucks for a Master’s or MBA course

• Suffer through a boring conference/convention

• Read super-specific books about our domain

There is a far simpler and cheaper way to level up generally in your career.

However, there’s almost too much information out there.

To keep it simple, I’ve narrowed down early career success to 5 concepts. Those concepts are:

1. Leverage - establishing power over your career.

2. Passion - enjoying what you do.

3. Discipline - resisting short-term satisfaction.

4. Leadership - lifting others up.

5. Creativity - avoiding the status quo.

There are 5 books that I think speak directly and profoundly to each of these respective concepts.

Here they are in the order laid out above.

1/ So Good They Can’t Ignore You (Leverage)

If you haven’t read anything by Cal Newport here is a gentle reminder to do just that. This book will teach you how to control your career and not let your career control you.

Newport argues that we should focus on what we are good at not what we are passionate about.

The general framework:

• Identify what you’re good at

• Do it often

• Get paid for it

• Leverage it as much as possible

2/ Grit (Passion)

It’s no secret that success in any career takes hard work and grit. In this book, Angela Duckworth will teach you how to manufacture Grit, especially when you are tired, fatigued, and ready to give up.

If you work in an environment where your compensation is directly related to the hours you work or the sales you make, this book is for you.

Not convinced yet? Start with her 5 min TED Talk.

3/ The Slight Edge (Discipline)

A great career is built over time and The Slight Edge will help you establish the discipline to build great habits over the length of your career.

Just like money, habits compound. Olson argues that everything you do, no matter how small, is extremely powerful in the aggregate.

If you don’t know where to start from this list of books, start here.

4/ Start With Why (Leadership)

I have mixed feelings about Simon Sinek, but if I had to recommend any of his books it would be this one.

Put simply, “Why” is more powerful than “What”, “When”, “How”, or “Where”.

Sinek uses some pretty cool examples to argue that when we “find our why” everything else falls into place.

If you are struggling to identify your purpose and/or are a new manager/leader give “Start With Why” a shot

5/ Originals (Creativity)

Even if you are a Financial Analyst, creativity and the ability to bring novel ideas to the table are necessary to level up in your career.

In “Originals”, Grant explores how to recognize a good idea, speak up without getting silenced, build a coalition of allies, choose the right time to act, and manage fear and doubt.

Plus, the stories he uses as examples are pretty freaking cool.


All told, 5 concepts (Leverage, Passion, Discipline, Leadership, and Creativity) will help you grow your career. These books will help you internalize those 5 concepts.

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