Listening to These 8 Audiobooks on Success Is a Better Use of Your Long Commute Commuting is mostly just unpaid work, unless you make an effort to learn something along the way.
By John Boitnott Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Commutes are getting longer, and in some cities they're up to two hours each way. I have a friend in Los Angeles who does this. He passes the time with audiobooks. Now that's still a lot of time to be stuck in transit, but he doesn't view it that way. He says it allows him plenty of time to feed his personal and professional goals.
I've spent years listening to literature in the car while commuting, but somewhere along the line I switched over to books on business and personal improvement. I mostly gravitated toward amazing people who built their success from scratch and who experienced tremendous hardship. It stands to reason that if you're dealing with hardships like a long commute, it's important to hear motivational words that can help you transcend the difficulties.
Here are eight audiobooks that will help grow your success, both personal and professional, on your next commute:
1. How to Make Money Online in 2017 by Brandon Herrera
Whether you're in the corporate world or an entrepreneur, making money online is the ultimate goal for many. It allows incredible freedom and can lead to increased wealth, particularly if you can ultimately automate your earnings. But, how can you do it, especially when the platforms and technology are always changing? This up to the minute audiobook reveals secrets of exceptional online earners to either complement or replace your current income.
Related: 8 Reasons a Powerful Personal Brand Will Make You Successful
2. Leading Technology of 2017: And Why You Should Know Them by Adidas Wilson
Even if you work in technology, it's nearly impossible to keep pace with all the latest developments in every industry -- but this book breaks it down for you in a fun, fast-paced audiobook version. Learn about the >latest innovations of the biggest companies and how you might even adopt aspects of them for your own success.
Related: Habits of the World's Wealthiest People (Infographic)
3. SEO 2017 for Growth: The Ultimate Guide to Learn Search Engine Optimization with internet Marketing Tips by Lela Gibson
This one's good for marketing professionals who want tips they can apply right away. Whether you're looking at SEO through a professional or personal lens, it's paramount that you learn how to play the game and abide by Google algorithm best practices. If you don't appear on the first page of Google search results for your name, business, and/or key phrases that relate to your goals, studies have shown that you may as well not exist online at all. Learn about the latest SEO white hat hacks and how to increase your SEO success.
Related: 11 Ways Successful People Deal With People They Don't Like
4. Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty
What's behind the building of capital in contemporary society and what causes inequality? How is wealth concentrated, and can it be maneuvered for your gains? Piketty drives the heart of why democracy is struggling in some areas because of how capitalism is structured. The book uses unique data from 20 countries and digs 200 years into history to unearth the major economic and social patterns that produce success, and the lack of it.
Related: 11 Habits of Truly Happy People
5. Spark Joy: A Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
What does organization and tidying up have to do with success? Quite a bit! However, there are certain approaches that are proven to work better than others. The author's strategies have been called life-changing and have helped her build a global fan base. Learn simple, effective ways you can use neatness to enrich every part of your life.
Related: He Went From Dead Broke to Millionaire Because He Just Wouldn't Stop Trying
6. The Sale of a Lifetime: How the Great Bubble Burst of 2017-2019 Can Make You Rich by Harry S. Dent Jr.
Are we headed for a burst of the tech bubble? We've yet to see that come to pass. But, how can you take action that leads to personal and professional success if there is a pop of the bubble? Author Dent Jr. predicts that we're in the midst of what he calls an "80-year four season economic cycle." If a crash is around the corner, worse than the 2009 era, it's time to prepare yourself and make the most of it.
7. Multipliers, Revised and Updated: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman
This beloved Wall Street Journal bestseller has been updated and revised to explore how some executives and leaders drain the capability of their teams while others excel at optimizing their people's successes. With so many different types of leaders in the world, what can we learn from those who attract success? Discover a variety of updated examples and pinpoint how you can spot the best types of leaders -- and become one of them yourself.
If you're in your car for hours a day, you might as well try to find more joy in it, as well as make it more fruitful. Whether you're looking to gain historical perspective, do your job better, or just keep your apartment cleaner, these recent audiobooks use current examples and tell you exactly how to create a more successful, enriched life.
8. Unqualified by Anna Faris
A unique gem that straddles the fence between sheer entertainment and a genuine guidebook for bettering your life, comedian and actor Anna Faris is blatantly raw and gritty as she details her rise to fame. If you've ever felt unqualified for anything in your life, from relationships to professional success, you'll relate to this whip-smart, fast-moving audiobook.
