The Why I Failed Book List
I owe all my current success to reading. It is the primary means by which I gained decades of experience in a few short years and also how I discovered why I failed in the music business. I am an unappologetic advocate of reading.
I understand, however, that the business section of your local book store can be intimidating and searching online is even worse. So, out of the thousands and thousands of business books on the market today, I've compiled the following list as a musician friendly list covering topics such as goals, personal finance, people, marketing, business strategy and many more. There's something to be learned from them all.
My list begins with a book about money for the simple reason that our society as a whole does an awful job of teaching financial literacy and I believe this to be the primary reason most people will fail in life.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad is the best book I've read on this subject and I recommend it as the way to begin your business education. Because he was raised by an educator (Poor Dad) and mentored by a business man (Rich Dad), Robert Kiyosaki understands first hand that people succeed or fail because of thier knowledge and beliefs about money. Subtitled "what the rich teach their kids about money - that the poor and middle class do not", this book explains these differences in simple, yet powerful language and illustrations. If you're confused about money, and we all are, this is a book for you.
Once you have a solid understanding of money, it's time to learn business and Michael E. Gerber presents all you need to know in this easy to read, story form book.
The E-myth Revisited explores the failures of an overwhelmed young woman as she struggles to re-launch and sustain a business that has all but destroyed her life. Through her experiences, you'll learn all the components and functions that must be present in a successful endeavor. And though it's true that you are not building a multimillion dollar, multi-location company, every You, Inc. business needs the same components and functions - especially in the music business.
Now that you know how to handle money and build a business, you need to learn about the most important part of your success: people.
For more than half a century, How to Win Friends and Influence People has been considered the book on this critical subject. Don't let the title put you off, this is not about manipulating others. On the contrary, it is an entirely "others" centered book filled with examples, anecdotes and tips that teach you everything you need to understand, get along with and succeed with people. I recommend you read this book every year. It is that important.
As a successful musician, your life is complicated and there is no better book about staying organized and sane at the same time than this one
Getting Things Done explains the step by step process David Allen teaches the busiest executives in the world. His method is designed to give you control of your life while ensuring that you are getting things done on time and in the correct priority.
I'll have more recommendations soon.
