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Its not always fun to look your finances in the eye, but it can unlock a rewarding path forward. These five books make tackling personal finance approachable, clear, anddare we say itan enjoyable journey. Rule Breaker Investing: How to Pick the Best Stocks of the Future and Build Lasting Wealth By David Gardner The real secret to building lasting wealth on the stock market is breaking the old investing rules. In Rule Breaker Investing, Motley Fool cofounder David Gardner teaches how to craft a purpose-driven portfolio, manage investments, and even master time management for a smarter, happier, richer investment journey. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author David Gardner, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness By Eric Jorgenson Naval Ravikant is a legendary investor, entrepreneur, and founder in Silicon Valley. Beyond his business acumen, he is known for the distilled wisdom that he shares on living a rich and meaningful life. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant compiles his most powerful ideas about achieving wealth and happiness. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Eric Jorgenson, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon. All the Presidents Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money By Megan Gorman The money dramas that plague us today are tales as old as time. We share all the same personal financial issues of the present with Americans of the pastincluding presidents. History is filled with relatable stories of money management (and mismanagement). How do your wealth-building skills compare to those of our nations presidents? Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Megan Gorman, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon. Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms That Run Your Life By Noah Giansiracusa Robin Hood Math is a guide to navigating the algorithmic world we inhabit today. By understanding the numbers games influencing our experiences and opportunities, we can better resist their undue influence in shaping our lives. Math is a tool for empowerment. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Noah Giansiracusa, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon. The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life By Nick Maggiulli The optimal wealth strategy varies based on your financial starting point. Depending on where you sit on the Wealth Ladder, the best approach to getting more money shifts. Its not necessarily about hard work but rather picking the correct place to focus your time and energy based on your current situation. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Nick Maggiulli, in the Next Big Idea App or view on Amazon. This article originallyappeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission.
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E-Commerce
Tell me: Do things like this ever happen to you? You have clarity of purpose. You know what you need. You walk into another room to get it. Then, distraction hits, and you forget entirely what prompted you. Or else, you search the house for your car keys or your glasses, or your wallet. A good 10 minutes later, you realize theyve been with you the whole time. You sit down to write an article about an intriguing study having to do with memoryif only you could remember what it was. Yes, these are highly personal anecdotes. But like all the best stories, I hope theyre simply the unique expression of universal truths. Perhaps second only to the fear of death itself, the one thing Ive heard business leaders admit that they fear most is the idea of losing their memory. And thats why Ive latched on with gusto to a recent study out of Harvard University, among other institutions, that suggests a simple, straightforward way to improve cognitive health. A Mediterranean-style diet Writing in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers from Mass General Brigham, the Broad Institute of MIT, and yes, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, say that making a simple dietary change can influence key metabolic pathways that protect memory and cognitive function. The strategy: Make a conscious change to switch to a Mediterranean-style diet. More on the nose, according to a summary: People following a more Mediterranean-style diet had a lower risk of developing dementia and showed slower cognitive decline. Theyre not the first to tout the benefits of this diet; heck, Ive written about other studies here before. But this team analyzed data from two studies, including a total of 5,705 men and women from two longitudinal studies: the Nurses Health Study, followed by the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. And, by studying three factors: long-term dietary patterns, participants inherited risk for Alzheimers disease, and the incidence of new cases of dementia, they were able to make some striking conclusions. Help reduce the risk According to the studys first author, Yuxi Liu, PhD, a research fellow in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Womens Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, and a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard Chan School and Broad: These findings suggest that dietary strategies, specifically the Mediterranean diet, could help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and stave off dementia by broadly influencing key metabolic pathways. Before I forget (ironic, right?) we should ensure that weve established what a Mediterranean-style diet actually entails. It includes a few factors: First, the primary fat source is olive oil, as opposed to higher saturated fats that are sometimes seen in Western diets. Second, whole grains. Lots of them. Plus, vegetables and fruitsprobably four servings per day. Third, lean proteins. Think fish, chicken, turkey, and eggs. Fourth: Very limited red meat intake. Finally, lots of fiber from a variety of plant sources. My favorite kind of study Honestly, this makes it fall into the category of frankly quite pleasurable things I might do anyway, even without the study. Which therefore makes it my favorite kind of study. Short version? Do something Id normally do almost without prompting, and get an unexpected benefit? Im on board with that. Barely even need a reminder. Bill Murphy Jr. This article originally appeared on Fast Companys sister publication, Inc. Inc. is the voice of the American entrepreneur. We inspire, inform, and document the most fascinating people in business: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters that represent the most dynamic force in the American economy.
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E-Commerce
When I first ventured into self-employment a few years ago, I received a lot of advice from fellow freelance writers: Know your worth. Dont take low-paying work. The advice was valid, as too much low-paying work is a recipe for burnout. But to the newly self-employed, I would say: Know your worth. And also, there are very valid reasons to take low-paying work, if it can help launch your business. You can open the right doors without selling yourself short. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/04\/workbetter-logo.png","headline":"Work Better","description":"Thoughts on the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn't suck, by Anna Burgess Yang. To learn more visit workbetter.media.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.workbetter.media","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} The project is good for your portfolio Potential clients will expect proof that your work is goodespecially if its the type of work that can be displayed in a portfolio (design, video, writing, or other creative work). Portfolios dont grow overnight. One good client at a lower rate will lead to a better client who pays more. Even now, several years into freelance writing, Ill still take projects below my normal rate if I think the work will be a standout in my portfolio. The payoff comes when clients approach me and say, I saw your work for XYZ companyI love that publication! Sometimes projects can earn you far more in the long run than your short-term payout. The project will connect you with important people Some of my best clients are referrals, even when the original project was low-paying, boring, or short-term. Ive even had clients rehire me when they move on to their next gig. Youll quickly learn which people in your industry are movers and shakers. By working with them, you could get a glowing recommendation or countless referrals. You can also say yes to speaking on panels, podcast appearances, and writing guest posts for publications if you feel like the work will get you in front of the right audience or make good industry connections. These are often a much lower lift than a full-blown paid project and can have a similar impact. You can learn new skills If you need it, heres your permission to say yes to a project thats slightly outside of your skill set. Slightly being the operative word. You need to be confident that you can meet the clients expectations. But its also an opportunity to try something new and get paid for the work. Dont ever, ever overpromise and under-deliver. However, sometimes the only way to gain new skills as a solo business owner is to take on the work, wow the client, and get the project into your portfolio so you can take on future projects that require the same skill set. Its OK to say no For many self-employed people, money is a primary factor in accepting projects. But just like there are valid reasons beyond money to take on new work, there are also valid reasons for declining workeven if the money is good. Bad clients can cost you. They can absorb too much of your time and mental energy. You may also reach a point in your business where you dont need the money, even if you have the bandwidth. One of the best things about running your own business is that you get to make those decisions. When you work for an employer, youre forced onto projects or stuck with colleagues youd rather avoid. Self-employment is different. Taking on clients is a business decisionand you should get comfortable basing your decisions on factors other than money. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/04\/workbetter-logo.png","headline":"Work Better","description":"Thoughts on the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn't suck, by Anna Burgess Yang. To learn more visit workbetter.media.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/www.workbetter.media","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}}
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