A special, impactful book can be remarkable for its reader. It offers the potential to change one’s thinking; even their entire approach to life. Sometimes it may one lesson from such a special book that stays with its reader for a lifetime; several books from my past literature courses contained lessons that helped to pave the way for the person I am today. 

Metrics Quietly Set Your Real Priorities

A book that unexpectedly shaped my thinking was How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton Christensen. The lesson that stayed with me is that the metrics you use quietly determine your priorities, often without you realizing it. Applying business-style optimization to career success while neglecting relationships, health, or purpose leads to long-term regret. It changed how I define success by forcing me to ask what I’m actually optimizing for, not just what’s easiest to measure.

Albert Richer, Founder & Editor, WhatAreTheBest.com comparison data

——————————————-

Lead Proactively; Seek First to Understand

The book that unexpectedly shaped my thinking isn’t a business manual, it’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I picked it up years ago, thinking it would give me some quick productivity hacks. What surprised me was how much it focused on character, not just output. It forced me to look at my life and my business, Honeycomb Air, through a much broader lens—specifically the idea of moving from being reactive to being proactive.

That concept hit home hard in the service industry. In the beginning, I was always reacting to the emergency call—a broken AC in the San Antonio heat, a sudden furnace failure. My whole life felt like crisis management. The book made me realize that leadership is about designing systems so you can choose your response, not just react to the chaos. It changed our focus to preventative maintenance, better training, and clear company values, so we could get ahead of the failures instead of just chasing them.

The lesson that stayed with me is Habit 5: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” This is now the foundation of our customer service training. When a homeowner calls us upset because their unit is down, the technician’s first job isn’t to diagnose the refrigerant leak; it’s to listen to the customer and understand their frustration. Only after we show genuine empathy do we earn the right to explain the solution. That simple shift in perspective has been the most valuable lesson for both my personal life and for building the trust Honeycomb Air relies on.

Brandon Caputo, Owner, Honeycomb Heating and Cooling

——————————————-

Choose Response; Lead With Purpose and Clarity

One book that unexpectedly shaped my thinking was Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. The business angle was not my reason for reading the book, but its viewpoint on the sense of purpose strongly impacted my leadership and life approach.

The takeaway that lingered with me is that although we may not always be able to dictate the situation, we can dictate the way we react to it. This was an affirmation for me as a leader of the necessity of clarity, resilience and accountability, particularly in times of uncertainty. I used to be very reactive during setbacks, but through this, I came to the realisation that I should be making decisions based on values and long-term meaning.

This approach has been a contributing factor to my ability to endure hard times and to the development of a company culture where the difficulties are viewed as chances to gain new skills rather than problems to be avoided.

Dhari Alabdulhadi, CTO and Founder, Ubuy Peru

——————————————-

Trust Cycles; Practice Strategic Patience in Downturns

The I Ching (Book of Changes), one of China’s oldest classics, unexpectedly became essential to running my data recovery company.

As CEO of DataNumen, I face a unique business challenge: data disasters are unpredictable, so our sales naturally fluctuate. Customers only seek us when crisis strikes, creating inevitable peaks and valleys in revenue.

The I Ching teaches that change follows patterns—specifically, that extremes transform into their opposites. The concept of “Pi Ji Tai Lai” —roughly, “adversity at its peak transforms into prosperity”—has become my mental anchor during downturns. When sales dip, I remember the Pi hexagram (obstruction) naturally transitions to the Tai hexagram (peace and prosperity).

This isn’t magical thinking—it’s about maintaining strategic patience and emotional stability when market conditions shift. Understanding that business cycles are natural and temporary has helped me avoid panic decisions during low periods and stay prepared for the inevitable upturn.

Twenty-four years later, this ancient wisdom continues to guide both my business resilience and leadership approach.

Chongwei Chen, President & CEO, DataNumen

——————————————-

Set Boundaries; Focus on What You Control

One book that unexpectedly shaped my approach to life is the book “Let Them”. The main lesson that stayed with me was I don’t need to worry myself with the choices that other people make and rather focus on what I can control. I am allowed to have boundaries and peace. This book taught me that with past relationships, I can “let them” be who they are and simply not worry about them anymore because by doing so I am creating the space I need to live more honestly, reduce my anxiety, and as a result build healthier relationships in the future that have acceptance rather than expectation.

Heather Vesely, Social Media Specialist, My Supplements Store

——————————————-

Own Decisions; Persist Through Unclear, Hard Moments

One book that had a big impact on how I approach business and life is The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. It doesn’t sugarcoat leadership or entrepreneurship. It’s about making tough decisions when nothing is clear and results matter.

Progress comes from taking responsibility, making decisions, and learning as you go. That mindset has guided me through challenges at 2ULaundry and Franzy, showing that persistence, focus, and following through on what matters are more important than having every answer in advance.

Alex Smereczniak, Co-Founder & CEO, Franzy

——————————————-

Launch MVPs; Adapt Fast With Customer Feedback

“The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries significantly influenced my thinking by highlighting the importance of validated learning, rapid experimentation, and adaptability in business. The idea of launching a minimum viable product (MVP) to gather insights before refining the offering resonated with me. The key takeaway is the necessity to be adaptable and responsive to feedback, which is crucial for success in fast-paced markets.

Mohammed Kamal, Business Development Manager, Olavivo

——————————————-

Direct Focus; Make Choices That Match Goals

The Secret completely changed how I view life, and not because I am all woo-woo about manifestation.  I understand now that your focus becomes your filter.  The book taught me that it’s not about having a positive mindset; it’s about intentional direction.    When I opened my business, I could have easily focused on all the things going wrong, but instead I just kept moving down the to-do list. I do not manifest by hoping; I make choices that align with exactly what I want.

Jamie Maltabes, Founder, Infinite Medical Group

——————————————-

Seek Leverage Points Over Sheer Willpower

One book that unexpectedly shaped how I think is **Thinking in Systems**. I picked it up during a stretch when problems kept repeating even after we fixed them. One chapter hit hard. The idea that outcomes follow structure, not effort, kinda made me rethink how I react to stress. It felt odd at first applying that outside work. Later, I noticed how often I blamed people when the system were actually broken. That shift stayed with me. I stopped rushing to patch symptoms. Life got calmer once I looked for leverage points instead of willpower. Decisions felt lighter. Progress stuck longer, abit quietly.

Rebecca Brocard Santiago, Owner, Advanced Professional Accounting Services

About Our Contributor

Lindsey Flagg is a professional content creator with a passion for writing, music, and making the world a better place. She holds a B.A. in Communication from Purdue University and has over 12 years of experience in digital communications. In her free time, she enjoys language learning, reading, and discovering new music.