How to Become Rich – 10 Powerful Books about Wealth and Money

Who doesn’t want to become rich? The answers are here. Embrace them. The rich know things that most people don’t. Learn from the wealthy.

One thing that successful people have in common is that they understand it’s not about how much they earn, but what they do with their money. They have learned how to handle finances and know how to grow their wealth.

Here are 10 powerful books to learn from the rich how to become rich…

1. The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles

First published in 1910, the book covers the “science of getting rich” – and, according to the author, it is an exact science, like algebra or maths.

There are laws that determine the process of acquiring wealth. If these laws are learned and followed, one will become rich with mathematical certainty.

Most people consider money as a finite resource for which they have to compete. This book disconnects from “obedient thinking” which holds you back from real wealth.

Wealth is as endless as the creative mind.

The aim of the book is to change your thinking about the concept of “money”.

The ideas and concepts thematise the mental approach to money. It is a book that you can read in a day, but then it takes all your life to process the content and put it into action.

2. The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason Samuel

A classic from 1926, reprinted numerous times, which delivers old wisdom in the form of entertaining parables carrying basic financial knowledge such as:

“Hold back more than you earn” or “Let savings work for you” or “Get out of debt” or “Pay yourself first” or “Protect your assets sustainably”…

It is claimed that the ancient Babylonians were the first people who discovered the universal laws of wealth.

This is a fascinating book showing that successful financial principles from 6000 years ago still apply today.

The first reality check is to make a fundamental decision to reduce personal debt. Protecting your assets and income helps increase your wealth, which is extended by investing responsibly and systematically.

This book will help anyone, at any income level, improve their current financial situation. You will earn an enormous return on your investment in this book. Read it and then begin growing wealth for the rest of your life.

3. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

First published in 1937, this is the end product of two decades of research conducted by Napoleon Hill.

He interviewed more than 500 of the wealthiest men and women of his time and uncovered the secret of their great fortunes.

The result is a book teaching how rich people think. Only then can we adopt their behaviours and become rich as a result.

This book has a chapter dedicated to some of today’s most important issues – Specialized Knowledge, Decision Making, Imagination and Organized Planning. It also has principles for Teamwork, Creative Vision, Health, etc.

This is a classic, and the examples are as relevant today as they were in the early twentieth century.

There are thousands of self-help books on the market and hundreds of self proclaimed “gurus” who make a living by copying the wisdom in Hill’s books. However, there is not much in any of them that Hill hadn’t already touched upon.

4. The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz

Millions of people around the world have improved their lives since 1959 by reading The Magic of Thinking Big.

Dr. David J. Schwartz helps the reader to organize themselves as optimally as possible in order to earn more money and, most important of all, to become more at peace with themselves.

The book demonstrates useful methods, without getting lost in empty promises. The author shows that intellect or innate talent are not necessarily connected with success and satisfaction but, personal habits, thinking and behaviour are.

The theories presented are supported by a variety of case studies.

This books helps you overcome the disturbing habit of making excuses; it teaches you to dream again, to rethink what you truly are, to get on terms with your attitudes, and your action habits.

Of course, the book is not the Holy Grail for financial problems, but it is a useful tool. It helps explain why we behave the way we do and suggests improvements.

By reading the book you will learn how your own behaviour affects life choices and future success, positively or negatively.

5. The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton

This entertaining book is one of Amazon’s best-selling books on personal finances.

David Chilton simplifies the complex matter of personal finance and money management by packaging it in the form of a novel.

First published in 1989, the book provides very useful money management principles.

The story revolves around a group of friends who visit a barber shop once a month, and there they receive powerful advice on managing their money from their “wealthy” hairdresser.

With the help of his fictional figure, Roy, and a large dose of humour, Chilton teaches how to take control of finances and take them into your own hands – slowly, steadily, and with sure success.

It is by no means a Get-Rich-Quick story, but the narrative demonstrates that you don’t even need an average income to achieve financial independence.

6. The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley Ph.D.

This book, first published in 1996, has become an incredible bestseller in America.

What do millionaires have in common? How do you recognize the millionaire next door? Where do they go shopping? What kind of car do they drive? How did they become rich?

In this book, the authors interviewed millionaires to reveal similarities among them.

Contrary to expectation, real accumulators of wealth don’t do any of the things that popular perception would have us believe. They don’t have expensive tastes, live in posh houses, drive sport cars or wear the trappings of success.

Instead, they budget very carefully and live well within their means, setting aside a sizeable portion of their income for investment. Most millionaires are apparently penny-pinching, well-disciplined in handling their finances and frankly, downright dull! Not the sort of people that warrant a second glance.

This book is a must-read. You may fault some aspects of it, but the message is one that everyone should consider, even if you find reasons to ignore its conclusions.

7. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach their Kids about Money is an absolute bestseller since its launch in 2000, a highly acclaimed book.

When Robert grew up, his “Poor Dad” taught him that the road to success is “get a good education, get a good job and save your money”.

This is certainly not a bad piece of advice but, over time, Robert Kiyosaki realised that this advice did not lead him to prosperity.

“Rich Dads” on the contrary give their children a completely different advice. They teach “start a business, make passive income and invest effectively”.

This is an easy to understand book which teaches a different way of thinking about money and wealth.

Do yourself a massive favour and buy this book! Take some time out to read it from cover to cover, then read it again and follow the advice. This book will honestly change your financial life!

8. Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker

The author is not only a good writer, but above all, has the ability to guide the reader step-by-step through his thought process.

Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind powerfully exhibits the relationship between thinking patterns and financial success.

Eker presents simple but very powerful concepts. It may be often a surprise to the reader to find situations in their own daily lives described in the book and how wrong their own behaviour looks retrospectively.

As you read this book, you will discover many interesting insights into how to become wealthy. It is very illuminating to see the connection between how you think and what you do. Attitudes about money determine our life, and thus financial success or failure.

The particular strength of this 2007 publication is the solutions to questions such as which strategies create wealth, and what really rich people do that others don’t.

Unsuccessful people see obstacles and risks in most things whilst successful people see potential growth and opportunities. It all starts in your mind!

9. It’s Called Work for a Reason! by Larry Winget

Larry Winget grew up poor and has experienced first-hand bankruptcy, but he managed to work his way back and is now a multi-millionaire.

This book was self-published in 2008 and is not your “average self–help book”. It comes from a contemporary author who is considered one of the icons of the present day personal development movement.

Larry Winget has his very own biting and no–nonsense signature. His writing style earned him the titles “Pitbull of Personal Development®” and “World′s Only Irritational Speaker®”.

Winget′s “get off your butt and go to work” approach to self–improvement boils success down to a simple formula:

Everything in your life gets better when you get better.

Stop making excuses, stop blaming others and take responsibility for your life and your results.

Larry is clearly a vehement opponent of the duplicity of other financial and business books that stroke the egos of their readers and communicate what people want to hear.

The book argues that poor results in the workplace are caused by your own poor performance, and nothing else.

10. You Were Born Rich by Bob Proctor

In this 2014 publication, Bob Proctor takes the reader on the journey to a surprising discovery:

Success is not grasping for something you don’t have, but success is based on effort and rearrangement of all fragments that are already there.

The title may be misleading. You Were Born Rich has nothing to do with being born with a silver spoon in your mouth. It’s about personal potential which everyone is born with. The title of the translated edition in Germany is: Know the Wealth Within You.

The underlying message is:

Look into yourself and change the negatives concepts we all have had programmed into our ‘heads’. So much damage is done to our self esteem, confidence, sense of well being and ability in our early childhood.

Although many of us are aware of this, it’s applying the required changes that is the hard part, but this book helps you get to the root of the matter.

Bob says, “You go in life either forwards or in reverse… you grow or you die … you create or disintegrate”.

With this selection of books about wealth, personal finance and money management, you will quickly find that making money and managing it is not as complicated as may often be the impression. Many of these books follow the same concepts and strategies. Why? Simply, because they work.

Money management is not rocket science. However, even if effective financial management may seem intimidating at first glance, once you develop the correct attitudes and habits, it should be easy and inevitable to change your financial future.

A last personal note: I was very fortunate to grow up with parents who gave me the mind set of the rich on my way. My preferred saying on the topic of money, which many of my friends have written down to remember is:

It is easier to make money than living a life of saving money.

Which money management books have you read? Are there any books that you would recommend in addition to our list? Please help others and leave a comment below. Thank you.