If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. – Derek Bok
Finding the time to expand your educational horizons as a business person is no easy task. When you’re caught up in the turmoil of daily business life, carving out time to add to your knowledge and skill sets is often very far down the list indeed – you just want to get through the day in one piece and rest up before another one begins.
In terms of reward on time invested, however, very little beats having a commitment to ongoing business education. Just a little time invested regularly and wisely can be enough to lift your entire game to the next level and save you a staggering amount of time and wasted effort over the long term.
Rather than shell out a fortune on an expensive and unnecessary MBA, we recommend starting small and getting your business basics lined up with just a couple of key books to give you a head start on a world-class business education.
You Don’t Need An MBA
Don’t get me wrong here! If you’ve already completed an MBA and are busy enjoying the fruits of the programme in terms of high-level contacts and a lifelong network, hats off to you! The reality for the vast majority of business people – entrepreneurs in particular – is that taking time out for an MBA is massive overkill.
If you’ve got the time, money and resources that it will require, by all means go for the MBA option. Otherwise, rest assured that a world-class business education can be obtained via a combination of experience and a smart learning strategy.
Treat Yourself To A World-class Business Education In Four Books
You may or may not agree with the exact titles we’re about to suggest, but there are outsize educational benefits to be gained by picking a core business curriculum and simply sitting down and studying.
Here are our picks for the first four books to start off with:
- The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufmann: You could spend two years and north of $150,000 or you could read this book. The choice is up to you!
- Work the System by Sam Carpenter: If you’re going to read one book about how to step clear of day-to-day organizational chaos in businesses of any size, make it this one.
- Getting Things Done by David Allen: In order to truly succeed long-term in business, you’ll need a system for managing your own time and attention. This technique is endorsed by everyone from leaders of Fortune 500 companies to successful solo entrepreneurs.
- Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: The lifeblood of any business is profit, but the amount of companies that lurch by month to month with the threat of imminent closure hanging over them is astonishing. This book puts you in control of your profits rather than the other way around.
By the time you’ve worked your way through those tomes, you’ll have all the information you need to knock it out of the park over the course of a career in pretty much any industry on earth.
Of course, we recommend committing to ongoing education in your particular field, but the four titles above will get you further than most college courses. Happy reading!
