In a recent post on X, financial expert Dave Ramsey revealed one of his top tips for aspiring millionaires: turn off your television. Ramsey’s advice might seem surprising, but his reasoning goes beyond a simple anti-TV stance. According to Ramsey, financial success begins with lifelong learning, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by reading consistently.
Ramsey, the 64-year-old financial coach known for his no-nonsense advice, believes that spending time on self-improvement, especially through reading, is crucial to building wealth. “The average millionaire reads a nonfiction book every month,” he shared, emphasising that wealthy individuals are often focused on self-education rather than mindless entertainment. His advice to his followers: make reading a daily habit, dedicating 30 minutes each night to acquiring knowledge that could improve their future, according to Ramsey on X.
The Millionaire Reading Habit: A Key to Financial Growth
Ramsey’s recommendation to invest in reading is far from unique among the world’s wealthiest individuals. Many of today’s billionaires attribute much of their success to a habit of reading widely and consistently. Wealthy individuals, including Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Elon Musk, are known for their vast libraries and voracious reading habits, often using books as sources of inspiration, learning, and strategy.
Ramsey’s guidance taps into this larger trend. Reading nonfiction, he suggests, opens doors to practical skills, insights, and perspectives that can directly impact one’s financial decisions and mindset. Rather than spending hours on television, the world’s millionaires dedicate their time to learning from others’ experiences and building their knowledge base.
Books on Billionaires’ Bookshelves: What the Wealthiest Read
Here’s a look at some of the books cherished by the world’s wealthiest people, and how these readings shape their approach to success.
1. Warren Buffett: Value Investing Classics
Known as one of the greatest investors of all time, Warren Buffett credits his financial wisdom to books such as The Intelligent Investor and Security Analysis, both by Benjamin Graham. According to The Investors Podcast, Buffett calls The Intelligent Investor one of the best investments he ever made, as it deeply influenced his approach to value investing. The book provides valuable insights into the stock market and has played a central role in Buffett’s career.
2. Bill Gates: Gaining Perspective on Society and Inequality
For Bill Gates, reading is a way to understand and solve complex global issues. Gates’s favourites include Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty and The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. According to Inc., Gates finds that every book offers a new perspective, helping him develop insights that fuel his philanthropic initiatives. Gates has often spoken about how reading more than an hour daily has been fundamental to his success.
3. Elon Musk: Biographies as Guides for Innovation
Elon Musk’s reading habits reflect his admiration for innovators. One of his favourite books is Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson, a biography that recounts the life of one of America’s most famous entrepreneurs and inventors. Musk has often cited Franklin’s story as an inspiration for his own life, seeing it as a reminder that with hard work and innovation, one can achieve extraordinary things.
4. Mark Cuban: Business Strategy and Focus
For Mark Cuban, reading is essential for business success. Cuban favours The Gospel of Wealth by Andrew Carnegie, a classic that underscores the importance of using wealth for societal benefit. Cuban often encourages entrepreneurs to read Rework by Jason Fried, a guide to business efficiency, which he considers essential for anyone aiming to build a start-up.
Why Turning Off the TV Can Lead to Wealth Creation
According to Ramsey and other financial experts, reading offers more than just new knowledge. It also expands perspectives, sparks creativity, and improves communication skills—all crucial for financial growth
1. Broader Perspectives: Reading helps cultivate a broader understanding of the world and human behaviour. In an article with TIME, Gates credited Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature as transformative for his approach to philanthropy. Gates explained that the book offers a compelling argument about how violence in society has decreased, inspiring Gates to focus his philanthropic work on making the world a better place.
2. Creative Thinking and Ambition: Many successful individuals, like Musk, say books stimulated their imaginations and encouraged them to think big. Musk’s early interest in science fiction motivated him to develop ambitious projects like space exploration. Books like The Lord of the Rings and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy sparked Musk’s creative mind and contributed to his innovative thinking, paving the way for projects such as SpaceX and Tesla.
3. Effective Communication and Decision-Making: Reading extensively can strengthen communication skills, which are invaluable for building wealth. According to Fast Company, venture capitalist Ajit Singh believes reading is essential for effective communication. By reading 50-60 books annually, he develops skills that help him articulate his ideas and strategies, a vital asset in the business world.
Turning off the television may seem trivial, but Dave Ramsey insists it is the first step toward greater financial success. He argues that by dedicating time to reading and learning, individuals can set themselves on the path to millionaire status. Instead of passive entertainment, active learning prepares aspiring millionaires to seize opportunities, make informed decisions, and achieve their financial dreams.
