Bill's Book List

One of the first three books that birthed the idea for Runnin' Down a Dream. Danny's book shares the story of his success but also recounts a lifetime of learning about the hospitality business. Lessons for everyone.

I originally read this book as a basketball fan, but I discovered Knight was one of the most ambitious learners you will ever discover (and one who would eventually become an ambitious teacher as well). If you want to attack a new career, do it with the fervor and gumption Knight did.

What I love about this story is how intentional Dylan was. He called himself a "musical expeditionary." One person called him a sponge. He studied, studied, studied. His 2022 book, The Philosophy of Modern Song, shows that he has never stopped learning and studying his industry.

This second part of Range does a deep dive on what I would call external learning and the breakthroughs that come from borrowing far analogies. We mention this in both Principle Two: Hone Your Craft and Principle Four: Embrace Your Peers—encouraging you to step a bit further away from center as you evolve.

My good friend wrote an amazing book that is partly an account of his historical journey and partly a playbook for new founders. It appropriately expresses Tony's independent spirit. You never dent the world using the traditional strategy.

Somewhere in our cowriting journey, someone suggested to us that the book that best illustrated our original speech was this one. Jen's rise from next to nothing to the top of her field is awe inspiring. But in her personal account of that trajectory you see so many bold and intentional steps. They all paid off.

This is a great book for anyone who doesn't have confidence about which direction they want to go. Time-tested and worth your time. It may not give you an exact answer, but you will definitely leave with a better perspective and multiple options to explore.

Burnett and Evans take a modern approach to helping you find your direction, with less introspection than What Color Is Your Parachute? and more prototyping and scenario planning. Many exercises are provided. If you need help with that first step of identifying your core curiosity, I say you must read both books.

This extremely well-known book that went on to become a blockbuster movie had a big effect on Sam Hinkie, inspiring him to leave Bain and Australia to chase his dream job and completely changing his life.

My cowriter Michael and I had the privilege of talking to Professor Duckworth about our book. Her own bestselling book Grit drives home the notion that effort can easily beat talent and reinforces this with studies. When you know the path you want to take, Grit will give you the tools (and support) you need to give it your all.

The definitive book on self-driven external learning. Satya Nadella credits this book with changing the culture at Microsoft—which led to perhaps the biggest turnaround story in the history of business. It's impossible to continue to "hone your craft" throughout your career without a growth mindset.

Our book starts with the finding that over half of the population eventually has career regret and would like a "do-over." Daniel Pink teaches you to put that nagging "regret" voice to work and let it power changes in your life. If you are having trouble with the boldness required to leap toward something new—read this!

We mention Mike Leach only briefly in the book, but his spirit was with both of us throughout the entire writing process. We simply love his story and his "way." Mike rose to the top of his dream job by abandoning a legal career and starting over at the very, very bottom. Also, his journey was prototypical of this book: learning widely, connecting everywhere, and leaving a massive mark on the game.

This book on using storytelling techniques in modern nonfiction writing is a follow-up to a previous book on the same topic called The New Journalism, by Tom Wolfe. The book studies the key elements used by the modern greats of nonfiction writing: Malcolm Gladwell, Michael Lewis, Jon Krakauer, and others. I have read everything those three have written—and their writing has had a major influence on me and this book.

Gottschall argues that humans are inherently "storytelling animals." He explains the science behind why this is the case and the implications for everyday life.

King's own career could have easily been one of the core stories written in our book. It has all the pieces that we describe. What's great is that he took the time to write a book about the way he writes, and why, and what's important to him. This is a literary classic, a must-read for aspiring writers, and another story that might inspire you to chase a nonobvious career.

Warren Buffett often says, "The most important degree I have is from Dale Carnegie. Without it, I wouldn't be where I am." This is a foundational book about interpersonal skills that is as important today as it was in 1936 when he wrote it.

An active minister, Schuller believed in the transformational power of what he called "possibility thinking"—the exploration of what could go right. If you aim to shoot for the stars with a new dream job, this attitude shift will likely help.

Arguably the grandaddy of the category, with over twenty-five million copies sold, Seven Habits gives you the tools you need to be successful and to do it in the right way. An important foundational read for anyone.

Robbins is one of the most successful motivational speakers in the world. He is exceptional at giving you the boost you need to kick it into gear and start doing what you inherently want to do. If you know what job you want to go chase but feel you don't have the gumption or energy to go do it, Robbins's book might be the key.

If you want to chase your dream job, you will need to be productive and efficient. Atomic Habits teaches you how small changes in how you go about your life can make that happen.

Some might categorize this book under behavioral psychology, but I've included it here intentionally. If you're going to commit to a long pursuit of your dream job, it's important to ensure that the destination will truly make you happy. Gilbert's book serves as an insightful checkpoint, prompting you to confirm that your goals and values align clearly with the effort you're about to undertake.

It is super important to understand whether you are playing a finite game or an infinite one. Most of our perspective about competition and game strategy comes from finite games. Many of the issues you face in life, including your career, are different. And your strategy should reflect that. Always know which is which.

As mentioned earlier in the book, if you intend to chase a dream job in any creative field, this book is a must-read. Rick has a proven ability to maximize the creative output of a diverse set of talented individuals. These are his life lessons that could help you as well.

Kuhn introduced the concept of "paradigm shifts," describing how science progresses not linearly but through revolutionary shifts in thinking. Such shifts create massive start-up opportunities. A critical book to understand innovation, disruption, and the evolution of ideas.

Most founders have never taken a business class. You need some structures and frameworks for how to analyze and critique different business decisions and strategies. This is an excellent place to start. A cornerstone read.

Moore figured out that there is a classic go-to-market strategy for most start-ups that sell to enterprises (businesses). The key is to attack the first customers first (innovators and first adopters). The trick is to know how to do that correctly and then eventually to cross the chasm. Many start-ups die that don't follow this advice.

Like Crossing the Chasm, Christensen's book identified a "truism" that holds for most technology business. The reason that a "start-up" can break in and take share from an "incumbent" is that the incumbent's product gets bloated. This "rotation" around new tech trends is pervasive, but to be successful you have to play it right.

The story of Phil Knight and the birth of Nike. So well written. So many great stories. A window into just how many times the company almost didn't make it. In the end a gritty story of business success that should inspire you.

We all study successes, and there are plenty in this book—but sometimes it's even more valuable to learn from failure. Go Corp had everything: the best founder, a talented team, and top VCs—but it still didn't succeed. Kaplan tells the story in captivating detail, providing a humbling reminder of how difficult entrepreneurship can be. The silver lining? Most of the individuals involved went on to achieve great things afterward.

Warren Buffett cites this as the most important book on investing written by the man you now know was his key mentor. What else is there to say?

This is the first book everyone should read before they think about investing. It provides a clear overview of how capital markets function, along with the essential math you need to assess the probability of success between aggressive and more conservative (perhaps even boring) investment approaches.

This is the book that got me hooked on investing. Super practical and approachable, it gives readers the confidence needed to enter the stock market. However, I still recommend reading A Random Walk Down Wall Street first!

Lewis's debut book offers a compelling insider's view of Wall Street. Though Lewis intended it as a cautionary tale, many readers, myself included, were instead drawn to its depiction of the excitement and fast-paced nature of finance.

My good friend illustrates how psychology, philosophy, and science intersect with investing. He skillfully addresses the roles of skill, luck, and behavioral biases in financial decision-making.

Another home run by Lewis, this book deeply explores the causes of the 2008–09 financial crisis and the mortgage collapse. It provides an insightful view into how and why Wall Street can be deeply flawed.

Lewis again exposes imperfections in the American trading markets, this time delving into high-frequency trading and revealing how certain market players created unfair advantages.

Simply too captivating to miss. This gripping account chronicles Jho Low's massive fraud involving the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund and the numerous accomplices and high-profile connections he made along the way. It reads even better than fiction.

Providing classic negotiation and networking wisdom, this book is a straightforward, highly practical, and foundational read. It can serve as your introduction to sales, negotiation, and management—all things you will need—and can easily be the first business book you read.

I read this in business school. A local Texas car dealership magnate offers lessons for anyone who runs a service business. Really good.

An essential guide to overcoming difficult negotiations by focusing on empathy, patience, and strategic thinking. Ideal for those frequently navigating complex deals or disputes.

A must-read for anyone aiming to understand what separates truly outstanding companies from the merely good. Timeless lessons on leadership, culture, and disciplined management. One of the classics. Valuable to have in your vault.

Super insightful for understanding the contribution of luck versus skill in success. Essential for decision-makers and investors aiming to sharpen analytical thinking. Great read, as the author covers many different industries.

This is an advanced-level negotiation course offering modern, sophisticated strategies for your toughest situations. Highly recommended for experienced negotiators or executives facing high-stakes scenarios. Deepak is one of the smartest people I know.

As discussed previously, I met Michael in 1994. His success even then was unbelievable, but since then he has continued to grow, pivot, and extend the company. The structure of this book inspired what we did with our own book. Michael alternated chapters between the history of Dell and chapters on his fight with activists for the company. Make sure you listen to the audiobook to pick up on Michael's emotions.

The author brilliantly breaks down the psychology behind persuasion, revealing how seemingly insignificant details can significantly influence decisions and behavior. Essential for anyone interested in human behavior and marketing.

The first of many big hits for Malcolm Gladwell. Explores how small ideas or trends reach critical mass to become major phenomena. Essential for understanding virality, marketing strategies, and consumer behavior.

Investigates the power and pitfalls of intuition and rapid decision-making, revealing how our unconscious mind can lead us toward effective—or flawed—judgments.

Ariely reveals the surprising ways humans consistently act irrationally, challenging assumptions about rational decision-making. Highly readable, insightful, and often entertaining.

This powerful exploration of how subtle shifts in framing and choice architecture can lead to significantly better decisions offers actionable insights for policymakers, businesses, and individuals.

Another insightful read from Mauboussin, this book challenges readers to question intuitive decision-making, highlighting common pitfalls and providing strategies to improve outcomes.

Kahneman's groundbreaking book explores the dual systems of thought—fast, intuitive judgments versus slow, analytical reasoning—and explains why we make systematic errors in judgment and decision-making. This is now the bible. Long but worth it.

Annie Duke, a former poker champion, demonstrates how embracing uncertainty and probabilistic thinking can dramatically improve decision-making in business, investing, and daily life. Her "Always think about it like a bet" is quite provocative.

Dawkins describes evolution by natural selection with clarity and precision, arguing persuasively that complexity and order emerge naturally without design. I concur. This is crucial reading for appreciating evolutionary thinking applied broadly across disciplines.

This is my favorite book. It's about the rise of the Santa Fe Institute, where I now sit on the board. No other book has affected me quite the way this one has. The institute and the book study the dynamics of complex multivariable systems. Most important systems are complex and very hard to study and understand. Yet many assume they are simple.

Meadows helps managers understand that their products and services exist within complex systems. Without this understanding, unintended consequences are prevalent. Conversely, fully grasping system dynamics can help identify precise points for effective change.

I recommend you read them in order, one right after the other. Ridley gives us an ultrawide time lens to show how technology spreads and drives prosperity gains. His concept of "ideas having sex" is etched in my brain. I wish every policymaker could be forced to read both of these.

Harari's groundbreaking narrative explores human history, examining how Homo sapiens became the dominant species through unique cognitive and social abilities. It also touches on the critical power of storytelling used by many to control large swaths of the population.

Pinker presents compelling evidence that the Enlightenment ideals of reason, science, and humanism have significantly improved global living conditions. And I am here for it. A critical antidote to pessimism, advocating for continued commitment to rational progress.