The year is drawing to a close and it’s almost time to relax, unwind and catch up on some well-deserved reading! We’ve compiled our top 10 list of must-read books to get you motivated so you can take new year by the horns! Whether you want to grow in a personal or professional capacity, we’ve got you covered with both local and international bestsellers that are bound to inspire you to take 2021 to a whole new dimension! Without further adieu…
1. The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma
An oldie but a goodie. Legendary leadership and elite performance expert Robin Sharma introduced The 5AM Club concept over 20 years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximise their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity. Get ready to discover the early-rising habit that has helped so many accomplish epic results while upgrading their happiness, helpfulness and feelings of aliveness.
2. The Upside of Down by Bruce Whitfield
Read up on the bright side with The Upside of Down: How Chaos and Uncertainty Breed Opportunity in South Africa. In a world of fake news, deep-fakes, manipulated feeds of information and divisive social media agendas, it’s easy to believe that our time is the most challenging in human history. It’s just not true. A robust mindset is the one common characteristic Bruce Whitfield has identified in two decades of interrogating how South Africa’s billionaires and start-up mavericks think differently.
3. Virus-proof Your Small Business by Douglas Kruger
An absolutely essential read for any small business owner in this challenging time. Right now, owners of small businesses need every smart-cut they can find. Business coach and author Douglas Kruger provides actionable answers on what small businesses can do to survive the Covid-19 crisis, with a list of 50 practical ways your business can survive – and even thrive – during this time of uncertainty.
4. The Asian Aspiration by Greg Mills, Olusegun Obasanjo, Hailemariam Desalegn & Emily Van Der Merwe
What can the great continent of Africa learn from Asia? In 1960, the GDP per capita in South East Asian countries was nearly half that of Africa. By 1986 the gap had closed, and today the trend is reversed, with more than half the world’s poorest now living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Why has Asia developed while Africa lagged? The relevance of Asia’s example comes as Africa is facing a population boom, which can either lead to crisis or prosperity.
5. What’s Your Moonshot? by John Sanei
As of today, more than 3.5 billion people are connected to the internet. By 2023 that number will be around 7 billion. People no longer want to pay for content, but they will pay to be emotionally invested in a product if it prioritises personalisation, convenience, trust and brand recognition. In What’s Your Moonshot? trend and innovation strategist John Sanei invites you to prepare for this brave new world by understanding the digital, networked age we have entered and learning how to future-proof your business.
6. The Soul of Sorbet by Ian Fuhr, Johanna Stamps Egbe
This book takes a look at health and beauty conglomerate Sorbet, the fastest-growing beauty franchise business in Africa. In just 10 years the business has gone from being mistaken for an ice-cream shop to being a household name. By 2019 the company is projecting a group turnover of R1 billion. The dramatic growth of Sorbet over the last five years has driven business leaders to question: “What is so different about Sorbet?” As this book shares, Sorbet is a fundamentally different type of business – at its very soul it looks like no other business in South Africa.
7. The CEO Next Door by Elena Botelho, Kim Powell & Tahl Raz
Everything you thought you knew about becoming a CEO is wrong. The CEO Next Door is crammed full of myth-busting and counter-intuitive insights into what it really takes to get ahead. Discover the way actual CEOs of top companies think and behave, and the kinds of traits to develop if you want to make your ambitions a reality and take your career right to the top.
8. 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
Jordan Peterson has helped millions of people aim at a life of responsibility and meaning. Now he can help you. Drawing on his own work as a clinical psychologist and on lessons from humanity’s oldest myths and stories, Peterson offers 12 profound and realistic principles to live by. Deep, rewarding and enlightening, the Sunday Times bestseller is a lifeboat built solidly for stormy seas.
9. The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
The New York Times-bestselling author offers a bold new approach to business strategy by asking one question: are you playing the finite game or the infinite game? In The Infinite Game, Sinek applies game theory to explore how great businesses achieve long-lasting success. He finds that building long-term value and healthy, enduring growth – that playing the infinite game – is the only thing that matters to your business.
10. Christo Wiese: Risk and Riches by TJ Strydom
Christo Wiese has never shied away from a risky business deal. Since acquiring Pep Stores, he has built an impressive business empire which includes Shoprite and a number of other companies. He has tried his hand at politics and has bought diamond mines, banks and wine farms. Fifty years of risk-taking in the business world paid off and made him the richest man in the country – until he overplayed his hand with Steinhoff and lost a huge part of his fortune…
And we threw in one more, just because, well… one can never have too many books!
11. Limitless by Jim Kwik
For the last 25 years, Jim Kwik has helped everyone from celebrities to CEOs to students improve their memory, increase their decision-making skills, learn to speed-read and unleash their superbrains. In Limitless, readers will learn Kwik’s revolutionary strategies and shortcuts to break free from their perceived limitations. They’ll learn how to supercharge their brains with simple, actionable tools to sharpen the mind, enhance focus and fast-track their fullest potential.
Once you’ve drawn some inspiration from these riveting titles, why not get inspired to elevate your future by checking out the world-class online courses available at GIBS?
