14 Books On Work & Success To Get You Through The Daily Grind

	Title	Author(s)
1.	Waiting	Debra Ginsberg
2.	The 50th Law	50 Cent & Robert Greene
3.	Rock On	Dan Kennedy
4.	Heartland	Sarah Smarsh
5.	Nine Years Under	Sheri Booker
6.	Summer at Tiffany	Marjorie Hart
7.	The Trauma Cleaner	Sarah Krasnostein
8.	No Is a Four-Letter Word	Chris Jericho
9.	Playing With Fire	Theo Fleury & Kirstie McLellan Day
10.	Raising the Bar	Gabrielle Douglas
11.	Powerhouse	James Andrew Miller
12.	The Beekeeper's Lament	Hannah Nordhaus
13.	Difficult Men	Brett Martin
14.	Waiter to the Rich and Shameless	Paul Hartford

Ideas for Personal Self-Improvement

Putting effort into your career is great, but without self-care, you'll burn out before too long. Keeping your personal life in order can reflect positively on both your professional life and your own happiness, so consider using a few of these techniques:

Make sure you're getting enough sleep
Cook more meals at home
Stretch and massage your muscles regularly
Plan out a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule
Take time to relax and meditate
Learn a new language
Get regular exercise

5 Tips for New Business Owners

Make sure your business is insured.
Stay on top of your finances before tax day comes around.
Learn how to use hashtags and other social media tools.
Have a nice-looking, high-quality logo for your company.
Keep all of your files well organized.

How to Find and Do Work You Love

In Depth

At the start of a long day, it can sometimes be comforting to know that even those at the top had to start somewhere. Whether you're your own boss or just starting out as an employee, there's great advice out there from people who have been right where you are now. Presented in no particular order, here are fourteen books about the daily grind.

#1 on the list is "Waiting" by Debra Ginsberg. Working in restaurants is a unique blend of wild personalities, long hours, and bizarre labor. In this fascinating memoir, Ginsberg takes readers behind the scenes of the food service industry. After spending several decades as a waitress, the author has seen everything, from gross culinary moments to inspiring stories. She shares tales and tips that will make you see things differently the next time you're eating out.

At #2 is "The 50th Law" by 50 Cent and Robert Greene. Before he was a famous rapper, Curtis Jackson was just trying to survive. Life on the streets was dangerous, and a daily struggle. But he overcame it, and turned himself into a highly successful musical artist and entrepreneur. In this inspiring story, Jackson details how he fought through adversity and countless obstacles on his path to stardom.

Before he was a famous rapper, Curtis Jackson was just trying to survive.

Coming in at #3 is "Rock On" by Dan Kennedy. Somehow, someway, the author carved out a career at a major record label. Half of the time he didn't know what he was doing, but it turns out that most of his colleagues were equally lost. This hilarious memoir details Kennedy's outrageous adventures in the wild and crazy music industry.

#4 is "Heartland" by Sarah Smarsh. This "New York Times" bestseller details the difficult life of blue collar workers in the United States. Smarsh grew up a fifth generation wheat farmer in Kansas. While her family possessed an incredible work ethic, they remained poor. With powerful commentary on the nation's economic policies and its treatment of the impoverished, the author shines a necessary spotlight on America's heartland.

At #5 is "Nine Years Under" by Sheri Booker. When she was just a teenager, Booker began working at a funeral home in urban West Baltimore. What she witnessed there was heartwarming, tragic, funny, and at times nearly unbelievable. From fights between spouses and mistresses, to the dead being buried with drugs and alcohol, she saw it all. Her view of the world was forever altered by spending her formative years surrounded by the bereaved.

When she was just a teenager, Booker began working at a funeral home in urban West Baltimore.

Coming in at #6 is "Summer at Tiffany" by Marjorie Hart. In 1945, the author and her best friend moved to New York City, where they became the first women to work on the Tiffany and Co. sales floor. They met celebrities, danced at nightclubs, and experienced a life completely foreign to what they had known in the Midwest. Along the way, Hart fell in love, learned lessons about herself, and had the direction of her future dramatically altered.

#7 on the list is "The Trauma Cleaner" by Sarah Krasnostein. This is the story of Sandra Pankhurst, who was raised in an abusive household, and was a constant victim of transphobia. Despite those obstacles, she dedicated her life to helping people in similar situations. Pankhurst created a business where she cleaned the traumatic and emotional triggers out of people's homes. By caring for humans who had been hurt, she was able to help those who needed it most.

At #8 is "No Is a Four-Letter Word" by Chris Jericho. As a kid, Jericho was always told that his dreams were unrealistic. That included his goal of being a professional wrestler. He refused to take no for an answer, and he ultimately became a WWE champion. His attitude of never giving up, no matter the obstacles, helped him accomplish amazing things, and learn valuable lessons.

That included his goal of being a professional wrestler.

#9 on the list is "Playing With Fire," by Theo Fleury and Kirstie McLellan Day. Poverty and household chaos were just two obstacles that Fleury faced as a kid. He overcame them, and managed to make it as a professional hockey player. But once he became a star athlete, he met even more challenges, including drug abuse and gambling. Once again, he had to persevere to survive, and ultimately thrive.

At #10 is "Raising the Bar" by Gabrielle Douglas. After winning two gold medals in the 2012 Olympics, Douglas was thrust into the public eye. She was offered fame and financial opportunities, and gymnastics went from her passion to a full-time business. Despite being a teenage celebrity, she was able to balance her work with her personal life, and stay true to her roots and values.

#11 on the list is "Powerhouse" by James Andrew Miller. Creative Artists Agency was founded in 1975, and quickly made an impact on Hollywood. This juggernaut has its hands all over TV and movies, not to mention sports and musical acts. Using firsthand accounts from those involved, the author goes behind the scenes to view the glory, terror, greed, and betrayal of the most famous agency in the world.

Creative Artists Agency was founded in 1975, and quickly made an impact on Hollywood.

At #12 is "The Beekeeper's Lament" by Hannah Nordhaus, which tells the story of John Miller, a successful migratory beekeeper. Award-winning journalist Nordhaus details the importance of bees, as well as the dangers they face. Many people are unaware of how critical these insects are to the environment, and the author seeks to change that through this tale of a man who has dedicated his life to these little creatures.

Coming in at #13 is "Difficult Men" by Brett Martin. A television revolution started in the late 1990s, as programs began to tackle new and difficult subjects. With successful shows like "The Sopranos" and "Breaking Bad," it became acceptable to have problematic, and even villainous protagonists. Through interviews with actors, directors, executives, and many more in the industry, Martin describes the creation and impact of modern TV.

Finishing the list at #14 is "Waiter to the Rich and Shameless" by Paul Hartford. After trying to make it as a musician, the author ascended the ranks of the food service industry. Eventually, Hartford became a server at one of Hollywood's finest establishments, where he frequently rubbed elbows with celebrities. At first it was romantic, but eventually he found himself grossed out by the behavior of the upper crust.