10 Books Recommended By Tim Ferriss
Last Updated: By TRUiC Team
The most successful entrepreneurs know how to maximize their time. They study how to efficiently lead, manage, and run a business as effectively as possible.
There are numerous ways for entrepreneurs to learn, but no method surpasses reading. Books have the length necessary to go into great detail, and notes and highlights can be inserted right into the pages. Most other forms of media don't have the combination of length and easy note-taking.
Entrepreneurs like Tim Ferriss understand this concept well. Ferriss made his work methodology famous with "The 4-Hour Work Week," but his downtime is hardly empty. It's filled with self-improvement, including reading. In this guide, we explore some of the reads that Ferriss himself recommends.
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Business Books Tim Ferriss Recommends
To get your reading list started, consider these must-read business books endorsed by Tim Ferriss.
Also Recommended: Check out our list of the best startup books.
1. 'Anything You Want: 40 Lessons for a New Kind of Entrepreneur' by Derek Sivers
"Anything You Want' is emblematic of what Tim Ferriss values in business books: "short, hilarious, and profoundly practical."
Brevity and humor aren't valued at the expense of information and practicality, however. Ferriss has referenced the 40 lessons in this book dozens of times. Each lesson is a highly practical snippet that explores what in life is worth pursuing -- and how to get what you want to pursue.
"Anything You Want" is just 90 minutes in audio form ( or 96 pages in hardcover), meaning you can read the whole thing in one sitting. Be prepared to go through Derek Sivers' excerpts individually, though — you won't want to miss anything.
2. 'Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha' by Tara Brach
Tara Brach is a student and a Buddhist, and she's taken the Buddhist message of acceptance to the page in "Radical Acceptance." She's far from the first author to share Budhsim's teachings, and Ferriss certainly isn't the first founder to embrace the philosophy (Steve Jobs famously did).
Brach's understanding of Buddhism and success is of particular interest to entrepreneurs, though. She sees self-doubt as the underlying cause of much suffering, and thus alleviating suffering is done by overcoming self-doubt. Overcoming doubt is, of course, foundational to entrepreneurial success.
Few others identify the foundational obstacle to both global goodness and business success as the same issue. For Ferriss, the book helped address an anger that was a hindrance to further success. For you, the book might help with any number of aspects of personal and professional growth.
3. 'How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big' by Scott Adams
Scott Adams' book "How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big" is only slightly more serious than his long-running "Dilbert" comic strip.
The book contains a miscellany of counterintuitive tips and tricks from Adams' failures. As he goes through the examples, he shares subtle ways of shifting fate more in your favor. There isn't a blueprint for success (the book is literally on failures), but you'll find little ways to improve the odds.
Ferriss undoubtedly reads Dilbert regularly, given how much he praises this book.
4. 'The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help' by Amanda Palmer
The most successful entrepreneurs and founders don't stand alone but rather have a vast support network behind them. That network may be family, friends, colleagues, teammates, or others. It's there, though, and entrepreneurs must learn to use it.
"The Art of Asking" is Amanda Palmer's account of struggling with this paradox. She had support networks but wouldn't reach out when she needed help. This is despite holding trays out and asking passersby for coins during her early career. She couldn't overcome the challenge of being vulnerable and asking.
Ferriss describes himself as having the same tendency. He has a support network around him, yet would isolate himself. Reading Palmer's success overcoming this helped Ferriss begin to ask his support network, too.
5. 'Creativity, Inc.' by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace
Ed Catmull co-founded Pixar, one of the most creative companies of recent years. He knows that the successes of movies like Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story were grounded in creativity, and "Creativity, Inc." is a study on this discipline.
Catmull identifies creativity as essential to success in any field of business, including even the more "boring" ones. His book studies how to bring creativity to all fields.
Ferriss identifies storytelling and creativity as "two meta-skills" that everyone needs regardless of field. He finds Catmull's book one of the best on developing and implementing the second meta-skill.
Looking for more book recommendations? We asked startup founders to share their favorite books on entrepreneurship, and here's what they said.
6. 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!' by Richard P. Feynman
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" is the autobiography of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard P. Feynman. The book goes well beyond the physics that earned a Nobel Prize. Other topics touched on include parenting, travel, philosophy, and more.
Ferriss was introduced to Feynman's thinking around 2005 when he read this book. The juxtaposition of world-class physics, playing bongos, and cracking safes immediately intrigued Ferriss, and he's continued to study Feynman's thinking since. Ferriss has worked his way through other books, letters, and classes.
Tim Ferriss has said Feynman’s works "hugely impacted every aspect of my thinking," To find out whether they'll impact you similarly, begin with this one. You can then go on to other books and letters if you're as taken with the thinking as Ferriss has been.
7. 'The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph' by Ryan Holiday
"The Obstacle is the Way" follows the age-old strategy of turning problems upside down. Ryan Holiday grounds his particular method in stoicism, using willpower to overcome desires.
Holiday also takes the concept of inverting problems to another level. He doesn't suggest just looking for alternative ways to address problems but rather seeking ways to turn problems into unique opportunities. How can problems become actually useful rather than merely neutral?
The creative approach to inversion thinking matches how Ferriss approaches problems well.
8. 'Secrets of Power Negotiating: Inside Secrets from a Master Negotiator' by Roger Dawson
"Secrets of Power Negotiating" is a manual on negotiating. Dawson doesn't look for win-win scenarios, which aren't viable in many situations. He instead coaches readers on how to get what they want through powerful negotiations while hopefully convincing others that they won too.
The book is chock full of practical ways to get what you want. It covers body language, phone negotiations, identifying hidden meanings, cross-cultural negotiations, and more. Ferriss recommends getting the audio version for maximum benefit.
9. 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card
Another fun read, Orson Scott Card's classic science-fiction "Ender's Game" takes place when hostile aliens are attacking. Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is the hero that's selected for his talent but must overcome pressure and manage expectations. He must rise if the aliens are to be defeated.
This is a favorite story among sci-fi fans, but it's not merely a good tale. Ferriss sees "Ender's Game" as a case study on how to capitalize on your strengths and take advantage of weaknesses.
If you haven't read Ender's Game before, pick it up for a fun story. See whether you don't take some practical lessons on leadership from it too.
10. ‘Musashi' by Eiji Yoshikawa
Again drawing lessons from fiction, Ferriss reads "Musashi" by Eiji Yoshikawa as a case study on strategy and critical thinking.
Protagonist Musashi transforms from a promising young warrior into the greatest swordsman. He studies not just maneuvers but also critical thinking and strategy during this time and ultimately uses his success for more than mere survival.
