15 Books Steve Jobs Thought Everyone Should Read
Fifteen books Steve Jobs thought everyone should read.
Welcome to a Lux Calm, the place where future billionaires come to get inspired. Hello A Luxors! We hope you're having a great week so far because you're about to receive something that'll make it even more awesome: the 15 most important books recommended by Steve Jobs.
You all seem to love these book videos a lot, so we had to make another one, and this time we have some that have had a tremendous impact on the growth of Apple's former CEO. When you're reading a book, the best way to get the most out of it is to highlight important information, make comments on the side, ponder on some of the new ideas you get from the book, and then implement what you've learned. That's what we are doing, and that's what Steve did.
But you should bear in mind something really important: read books for your immediate benefit. In his 20s, Steve was on a quest for higher learning to solve unanswered questions in science, so he started reading books on spirituality. Shortly after, he went on a pilgrimage to India. After he founded Apple, he needed to be a better manager and a better leader, so he focused on books that could refine his management and leadership skills. That's how he did things, and so should you.
With all that said, here are the 15 books Steve Jobs thought everyone should read.
Number one: The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen. This is such a great book, and let us tell you why. It provides the reader with a good framework for understanding why some large companies fail and others that just arrived on the market are skyrocketing toward the top. Together with some great examples, the main focus of the book is on innovation and how companies can better take care of their customers' needs. This book definitely needs to go into your shopping cart, and although it's a little expensive at $20.99, if you go to a locks com slash free book and sign up, you can get the audiobook version for free. You can use that URL to get any of the books we mentioned in this video.
Number two: Only the Paranoid Survive by Andrew S. Grove. The author tells the story in a manner that everyone who reads it will see how Intel reinvented itself from the memory business to the microprocessor business. With the ever-changing world, there comes a point in every business where they either change themselves and emerge stronger or decline after reaching a certain level of success. Some people, or companies, start singing their own praises, brimming with pride, and ultimately lose their drive. This memoir is a perfect antidote for this problem. Only the Paranoid Survive will surely enhance your managing skills, which will keep you humble and hungry for more. With those, you can be aware of that inflection point where you'll either reinvent yourself to emerge stronger or decline.
Number three: The Way of the White Clouds by Lama Ana Gurkha Govinda. Now we have a book that's way different than the first: a spiritual autobiography that renders the incredible journey of Lama Anna Garriga Govinda through Tibet during the Chinese invasion. This book was first published in 1966, and whoever reads it is immersed in its mysteries and gains a fresh perspective on things. Steve read this book early on in the 1970s, and it helped to shape his beliefs and philosophy. It also upgraded his spiritual self to a whole new level. There's a good chance that reading this book might just do the same for you.
Number four: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Next, we have, as the title implies, another autobiography which is widely considered a spiritual classic. The book is an introduction to the ancient science of yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation told through the story of Paramahansa Yogananda. Written in 1946, it is as relevant now as it was back when Jobs first read it. You can say that this was the moment he started his journey to self-realization. Autobiography of a Yogi was so important to Steve, he left a whole bunch of copies in a brown box to be handed out at his memorial service as a last gift.
Number five: Meetings with Remarkable Men by George Ivanovich Gurdjieff. This spiritual quest will make you understand that generally, people live their lives asleep, not knowing themselves. It will give you a remarkable sense of what it truly means to live to the fullest, with conscience, with purpose, and with heart. And for those of you who enjoy watching videos as much as reading books, there is also a movie adaptation of the book made in 1979.
Number six: Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. You're probably thinking, "Oh, another book on spirituality," and yes, you're 100% right. The author presents the basics, from posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of non-duality in a way that's remarkably clear and simple and also resonates with the joy of insight throughout the book.
Number seven: 1984 by George Orwell. This sci-fi classic was published in 1949, and it introduces the reader into Orwell's grim vision of a totalitarian bureaucratic world and one average guy's attempt to find individuality. The author's dismal approach to the relationship between individuals and institutions may help you to understand yourself a little better. What are your limits, and what would you do in certain situations? Also, 1984 is a great example to showcase the fact that everything that makes us who we are—our characters, our personalities, strengths and weaknesses, even our free will—are all completely shaped by circumstances.
Number eight: Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Moby Dick is not just a classic but a masterpiece that has lived on through the ages, carrying Melville's profound imagination and life lessons along with it. One of the best lessons to take away from the book is the significance of learning. The main character in the book articulates that all skills he acquired were done through personal experience rather than with the help of an institution. This epic story has also impacted Jobs's view on leadership since his adolescence, which is why it's on his recommended list.
Number nine: Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. This is a novel that will make you check every premise at the root of your convictions. It will make you rethink whether a man who stopped the motor of the world is a destroyer or a savior. Steve was constantly searching for a broader perspective on things, and Atlas Shrugged was one of those books that made a significant contribution to his way of seeing the world. If you want to get this book, we know $42 might be a little expensive, but we've got you covered. If you head to a locks com slash free book and sign up, you can get the audiobook version for free.
Number ten: Insanely Simple by Ken Segal. This next book on our list is going to give you that much-needed edge that's going to greatly optimize your business life and probably your personal life. The main focus here is simplicity. You'll take a page out of Apple's book and maximize your efficiency by incorporating simplicity into your life. And A Luxors, if you want to know some book recommendations from Steve's arrival, go to the top right corner and check out our video of 15 books recommended by Bill Gates.
Number eleven: Be Here Now by Baba Ram Dass. And here we have yet another book with a spiritual theme. You wouldn't have guessed there would be so many books on spirituality at the beginning of this video. The book tells the story of a man's transformation from a successful Harvard professor to a spiritual guru upon the acceptance of the principles of yoga and the importance of the spiritual side of human nature. Jobs said that this book had a profound effect on his faith in what is possible in the world.
Number twelve: A Diet for a Small Planet by Francis Moore. We often hear people say, "I'm just one person. What can I do?" or "How is me giving up beef going to have any sort of significance on the planet?" The truth is, one person can make a difference. In fact, one person can change the whole world. Think about a red bucket being filled with raindrops. One drop has barely any impact on the bucket, but if enough raindrops gather, soon the bucket will give out. This book started a revolution in the way we eat and is teaching us the social and personal significance of a better way of eating. It also impacted Steve's way of seeing things, making him give up meat and turning to vegetarianism. As a side note, if you keep reading and educating yourself, you'll soon hit the point where you become aware of the bucket.
Number thirteen: Inside the Tornado by Jeffrey A. Moore. This is a highly useful book that gives you the step-by-step know-how to take your products beyond early adopters and into the lucrative mainstream market. Business is a complex game, and when you don't know how to do it, it can be pretty daunting. If you're struggling with what to do when your company has a new product or service or how to introduce those to a specific target market, this book has got you covered on both of those fronts.
Number fourteen: Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism by Chögyam Trungpa. The author writes in this book about the common pitfalls to which every aspiring person on the spiritual path falls prey—what he calls spiritual materialism. If you're following the path of spiritualism to seek self-improvement, then you're only refining your ego, which is empty. The main idea is that this sense of self, or the ego, is just an illusion, and instead of projecting spirituality through the lens of self-improvement, Trungpa urges readers to just let themselves exist. If you wish to go beyond this mainstream idea of spiritualism and find a far brighter reality, then you've found the right book.
Number fifteen: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. This one is pretty essential and influential of the past century. It's a powerful study of how we live. It tells the story of a father and son riding across the country in search of a better way to live life. It's an odyssey of love and fear, discovery, growth, and acceptance—a deep and philosophical search for life's fundamental questions that propel us forward.
Well, A Luxers, this was a pretty amazing list, don't you think? And now that we're done with the list, tell us which one of these books will you read next? Let us know in the comments, and of course, you know what's coming. Thanks for sticking with us so far. Here's your bonus:
Number sixteen: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. This is one of the most comprehensive biographies that's out on the market today. Walter Isaacson did a phenomenal job on writing this book, touching upon every aspect of Steve's life from the moment he was born right up until he passed away in 2011. It became an instant bestseller, and for good reason. Few people in history reached the status of visionaries and geniuses, and Steve Jobs was one of them.
And don't forget, we have links to every single book in the description. Thank you for spending some time with us, A Luxor. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss a video. If you want more, we hand-picked these videos you might enjoy, or head over to Alux.com for the best in fine living content on the planet. Be a part of the largest community of luxury enthusiasts in the world and tell your story.