By Joanna Martin

I’m an avid reader… but although I love a good fiction blockbuster, I’m always hungry to read a great business book that is going to help me continue to grow as a lifestyle entrepreneur.

Over the years I’ve read plenty and I am sure you have too… but there are a few that stand out in my mind as truly brilliant.

So today I thought I’d share my top 5 recommended business books with you.

#1 “Switch: How To Change Things When Change Is Hard” by Chip and Dan Heath

This book is an incredible study into how we struggle to make basic changes in our lives, yet bigger changes are made every day without any internal drama.

When you start to think about what Chip and Dan have to share, you’ll realise that changes such as upgrading to the next iPhone comes easy… while at the same time, changes in your business processes and systems can be much more difficult to come to terms with.

An insightful study of human behaviour, supported by psychologist studies, I recommend this book to teach you how to accept difficult but necessary change with ease. After all, without change, we cannot grow.

#2 “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell

In this book you’ll enjoy a great insight into why some people become successful yet others don’t.

Malcolm delves into the history of some of the world’s greatest innovators such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, to examine whether their success is linked to their IQ, the time of birth, their education, culture and geographical location … discovering the secret ingredient that separates winners from losers.

The writing style is fun and anecdotal… this is not a heavyweight statistical study but an enjoyable read offering lots of insights that you can learn from.

#3 “The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere And Join The New Rich” by Tim Ferriss

This is the lifestyle entrepreneur’s bible… the blueprint for creating a successful business that fits around your lifestyle.

In this book youll learn how Tim went from earning $40,000 a year working a 40 hour week to generating $40,000 a month working in mini bursts with large periods of semi-retirement.

Packed with case studies from successful business owners and templates you can copy for your lifestyle business, I recommend you take the time to read this book.

#4 “The Complete Artist’s Way: Creativity As A Spiritual Practice” by Julia Cameron

This is an amazing and spiritual book which delves inside your mind, unleashing your creative vision. It was from Julia that I first realized how much clarity and extra focus I could have as a result of keeping my daily pages… and the benefits to my own creativity by making regular time for my lifestyle dates.

Don’t be put off by the term ‘Artist’ because what Julia has to share is valuable to entrepreneurs… we regularly need to be creators too. Inside this book, you’ll find Julia’s gift… a deep insight into how you can cultivate a more creative and spiritually rewarding existence.

#5 “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

A story of a young shepherd boy who sets off on a journey hunting treasures, from his home in Spain, through Tangiers and over into Egypt where he finally encounters The Alchemist. This is a feel-good fable that will remind you of your need to stay connected to your heart space and follow your dreams.

A gentle, easy read, this book is already a classic, but it’s one to read over and over… a constant reminder that your intuition is there to serve you… and of your responsibility to tune in to the messages it is delivering to you.

I’d love to hear your interpretations of these books when you’ve read them. If there are other books that you rate highly too, please share these in the comments so we can create the biggest and best list of book recommendations for our community of lifestyle entrepreneurs.