Best Classic Books: 7-Day Challenge to Learn Timeless Success Lessons
Want to learn from the greatest minds in history? This 7-day challenge brings you the best classic books, packed with proven principles that stand the test of time.
Day 1
"The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason offers timeless financial wisdom through parables from ancient Babylon, focusing on principles such as saving 10% of your income, living within your means, and avoiding get-rich-quick schemes.
The book champions the concept of "paying yourself first" by setting aside at least 10% of your income before paying any expenses.
"A part of all I earn is mine to keep." —George S. Clason
Why read it?
After reading "The Richest Man in Babylon," the principle of "paying yourself first" truly resonated with me.
This idea of automatically saving a portion of your income before anything else has shifted the way I manage my finances.
It’s a small change that can make a huge difference in your financial journey.
The stories, set in ancient times, brilliantly illustrate how such a simple habit can lead to lasting wealth and financial independence.
The book’s advice is straightforward but powerful, teaching not just to save, but to actively invest in our future selves.
It's inspiring to see how applicable these ancient principles are today, and I can't recommend this book enough to anyone looking to improve their financial health.
It's kind of like hearing life lessons from a wise and wealthy grandfather, but with more camels. 🐪
Day 2
Discourses of Epictetus is a compilation of lectures on Stoic philosophy from almost 2,000 years ago.
The book delivers timeless wisdom that continues to be intensely practical, guiding us on how to stabilize our emotions, become more self-disciplined, and live a good virtuous life.
"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will." —Epictetus
Day 3
Think and Grow Rich is about more than money—it's about getting what we want in life.
Napoleon Hill interviewed 500+ successful people (like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison), identifying a 13-step formula for achievement, which includes 1) a burning desire, 2) a definite plan, and 3) persistence past failure.
"The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat." —Napoleon Hill
Why read it?
Okay, this book may seem a bit 'out there' to some people because of its focus on using imagination and positive thinking to top into the mystical law of attraction.
Some people will love it and others will think it's straight up bonkers.
This isn't your cut-and-dry financial planning book.
So, if you're looking for straightforward budgeting tips, this might not be your cup of tea.
But hey, who knows?
Maybe your good vibes will help you attract the perfect accountant into your life...
Day 4
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius is a classic of Stoic philosophy and shows us how to become more self-disciplined, stop caring what people think, and control our emotions.
The author was a powerful Roman Emperor about 2,000 years ago and wrote down these ideas in a private journal to himself.
"Choose not to be harmed—and you won't feel harmed. Don't feel harmed—and you haven't been." —Marcus Aurelius
Day 5
Man's Search for Meaning was written after Viktor Frankl survived the concentration camps of WW2.
He noticed that his fellow prisoners who could find purpose and meaning in their suffering found the strength to survive, while others perished.
This book is also a guide to finding meaning in your life.
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's way." —Viktor Frankl
Day 6
As a Man Thinketh says our thoughts set the course our life, not our circumstances.
James Allen says thoughts are seeds for actions, so our mind is a garden where we must cultivate the right seeds.
This short, inspiring book still influences many modern self-help teachers.
"Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are." —James Allen
Day 7
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie is a timeless guide to influence, connection, and people skills.
Whether you're leading a team, selling a product, or just trying not to be awkward at parties—this book teaches how to make people like you, win them over, and change minds without creating conflict.
"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." —Dale Carnegie
Why read it?
How to Win Friends and Influence People is a super practical guide for handling real-life situations with more confidence and less stress.
Through tons of vivid stories and examples, it shows you how to deal with things like disagreements, angry people, awkward conversations—you name it—without making things worse.
Whether you want to get along better at work, improve your relationships, or just be more persuasive in everyday life, this book gives you timeless tools that actually work.
Day 8
Letters from a Stoic is about how to stop feeling unsatisfied in life or worried what people think.
Seneca says we must first reduce our desire for pleasure, wealth and social approval.
Then we can become less fearful and hesitant with techniques like remembering that we're all gonna die.
"If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you're needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person." —Seneca
Day 9
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the life story of one of the Founding Fathers of America.
Franklin is often described as a "self-made man" and "The First American" because of his lifelong dedication to values like enthusiastic work, self-education and personal improvement.
"Human [happiness] is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day." —Benjamin Franklin
Day 10
Civilization and Its Discontents was written by Sigmund Freud, possibly THE most influential psychologist of all time.
He said people are unhappy in modern society because they are forced to suppress many of their instincts for sex and aggression.
"Beauty, cleanliness and order plainly have a special place among the requirements of civilization." —Sigmund Freud
