How I Discovered the 21 Books That Made Me My First Million
If you’re tired of scrolling through endless self-help recommendations, searching for that million dollar mindset shortcut—you’re not alone. In 2024, I realized that 95% of self-help books are fluff when it comes to building real wealth. That’s why I distilled my years of reading into a blueprint: 21 books that made me my first million. These are organized into three stages—0→1 (mindset foundation), 1→2 (action and execution), and 2→3 (scaling mastery). Follow this roadmap, and you’ll cut away the noise and get straight to strategies that work.
0→1: Mindset—Building Your Inner Foundation
“Dig down deep first; then build higher.”
1. The Magic of Thinking Big
this is truly the perfect first step on your massive journey to making your first million. the book is pretty easy to summarize based off the title: it’s going to teach you how to actually think big. because if you want to live a big reality you have to be thinking big, you have to be feeling big, you have to be believing big. so if you’re someone that struggles with personal fears, doubts, discouragement and you always seem to be getting in your own way—this book is absolutely massive. you truly cannot miss this one. this is something that all of my kids are going to be forced to read next.
2. Think and Grow Rich
this book is now getting a little mainstream, but I promise you this is one of my favorites on the entire list. it dives deep into faith, spirituality, sexual transmutation, the subconscious mind, imagination—truly everything. it shows how you can utilize certain metaphysical principles to get what you want out of life. Napoleon Hill was a pretty trippy dude; he wrote this in the 1930s, which is insane. it’s a kindergarten-level intro to these topics, and later you’ll graduate to a college-level dive. but don’t skip it: Think and Grow Rich lays the critical foundation for your million dollar mindset.
3. Psycho-Cybernetics
this one helped me break through trauma and mental barriers. it dives into the psyche of the mind—your thoughts, your self-perception—and helps you reprogram a new identity. when your mind is your biggest enemy, you self-sabotage. Psycho‑Cybernetics turns your mind into your ally, teaching you to truly see yourself as worthy of success.
4. The Untethered Soul
before diving into financial strategies, you need emotional mastery. The Untethered Soul shows you how to observe your thoughts, body, and soul from a detached perspective—like a third-person witness to your own life. this detachment dissolves ego-driven fears and clarifies what truly matters in your quest to make your first million.
5. The Power of Now
reality exists only in the present moment. if you struggle with anxiety, this book will recalibrate how you experience time. anxiety is a future-based emotion; mastering presence frees you to focus on high-leverage actions that build real wealth.
6. The Celestine Prophecy
a fiction-infused guide to intuition and life’s synchronicities. if reading non-fiction overwhelms you, this narrative will draw you in while teaching you to recognize the universe’s signs—an essential skill for any entrepreneur.
7. The Courage to Be Disliked
a dialogue between a philosopher and a youth on freeing yourself from the need for others’ approval. social fear costs you opportunities—this book liberates you to act authentically, a key trait of high‑earning, impactful leaders.
1→2: Action—Turning Clarity into Execution
“Blueprint the journey, then build.”
1. The One Thing
focus beats multitasking every time. this book teaches you to zero in on your single most important task (the 80/20 rule in practice), boosting productivity and accelerating revenue growth.
2. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
a brutal wake-up call on discipline and mental toughness. Goggins’ story will snap you out of comfort-zone thinking, enforcing habits that compound into serious financial gains.
3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen Covey’s timeless framework: from proactive mindset to win-win networking. these habits are the operational playbook I followed to structure my business and life for scalable success.
4. Atomic Habits
small changes lead to massive impact. James Clear’s strategies on habit stacking and identity-based habits rewired how I approach daily wins—each tiny victory fueling long-term wealth creation.
5. How to Win Friends & Influence People
your network is your net worth. Dale Carnegie teaches the art of human connection—because behind every sale, partnership, or deal is a person you need to relate to.
6. The 4-Hour Workweek
Tim Ferriss’ ultimate guide to leverage: outsource, automate, and build self-sufficient systems that earn without constant input. this mindshift unlocked the financial and location freedom that funded my first million.
7. Principles by Ray Dalio
an evidence-based toolkit for decision-making and organizational design. Dalio’s logic-driven principles helped me refine strategies, manage teams, and avoid costly mistakes as revenue scaled.
2→3: Mastery—Scaling Wealth & Influence
“Play the game at the highest level.”
1. Reality Transurfing
(∼800 pages) the most powerful book I’ve ever read on how reality functions. it’s a mind-expanding, biblical-level manual that taught me to navigate probability spaces and manifest outcomes—fundamental for multi-million growth.
2. The 48 Laws of Power
Robert Greene’s deep dive into power dynamics. once you’ve built your kingdom, this book shows how to defend and expand your influence ethically and strategically.
3. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
the Stoic emperor’s private journal—published posthumously—to instill humility, resilience, and authentic leadership. it’s the mindset anchor every high-stakes CEO needs.
4. Lords of Easy Money
understanding the Federal Reserve’s role is critical when protecting and growing substantial capital. this exposé on global monetary systems revealed vulnerabilities and opportunities I used to safeguard my wealth.
5. The Creature from Jekyll Island
a deeper, investigative look at how money is created and manipulated. it equipped me with the macroeconomic insights to make strategic asset allocations during market shifts.
6. The Changing World Order by Ray Dalio
a data-driven analysis of global power transitions—essential reading for anyone managing multi-million portfolios across borders. this book guided my decisions on asset diversification and residence planning.
Conclusion & Next Steps
Reading 21 books that made me my first million is one thing; applying them is another. Start with the 0→1 stages to build your million dollar mindset, execute through 1→2, and then scale with 2→3 insights. Bookmark this guide, track your progress in a journal, and revisit key chapters monthly. Ready to transform your reading into real revenue? Dive in, take consistent action, and watch your wealth compound.
