It’s estimated that the average person spends about one-third of their lifetime at work. With all that time spent on the job, how can we make all those hours, relationships, and projects more satisfying? Staying curious and continuing to learn and improve your skills makes your 9-5 an exciting challenge rather than a daily slog. And while everyone’s goals are different, when we punch that clock at the end of the day, we just want to feel fulfilled and of course, take home that paycheck.

To better understand our own strengths and weaknesses, climb the corporate ladder, be more confident, or maybe even fatten that check, we turn to the experts — those who wrote the book on success — to help us reach our goals. Since the most successful leaders are readers, we’ve compiled the most borrowed business books of all time in the Libby app.

Here are the top 10 best business books available free from your local library. And keep reading for even more books to help you get ahead.

1. Atomic Habits by James Clear

In this groundbreaking book, Clear reveals exactly how minuscule changes (doing two push-ups a day, waking up five minutes early, or holding a single short phone call) can grow into life-altering outcomes. He uncovers a handful of simple life hacks and delves into cutting-edge psychology and neuroscience to explain why they matter. Along the way, he tells inspiring stories of Olympic gold medalists, leading CEOs, and distinguished scientists who have used the science of tiny habits to stay productive, motivated, and happy.

2. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Business reporter Charles Duhigg takes readers inside labs where brain scans record habits as they flourish and die; classrooms in which students learn to boost their willpower; and boardrooms where executives dream up products that tug on our deepest habitual urges. Full of compelling narratives, this book contains an exhilarating argument: our most basic actions are not the product of well-considered decision making, but of habits we often do not realize exist. By harnessing this new science, we can transform our lives.

3. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe. She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 500 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture?

4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

This guide has captivated readers for over 30 years, transforming the lives of Presidents and CEOs, educators, parents, and students. And, it can transform you. The book guides you through each habit step-by-step:

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 5: Seek First To Understand Then Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen The Saw

5. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Engaging the reader in a lively conversation about how we think, Kahneman reveals where we can and cannot trust our intuitions and how we can tap into the benefits of slow thinking. He offers practical and enlightening insights into how choices are made in both our business and our personal lives — and how we can use different techniques to guard against the mental glitches that often get us into trouble.

6. Rising Strong by Brené Brown

As a grounded theory researcher, Brown has listened as a range of people — from leaders in Fortune 500 companies and the military to artists, couples in long-term relationships, teachers, and parents — shared their stories of being brave, falling, and getting back up. She asked herself: What do these people with strong and loving relationships, leaders nurturing creativity, artists pushing innovation, and clergy walking with people through faith and mystery have in common? The answer was clear: They recognize the power of emotion and they’re not afraid to lean in to discomfort. Rising strong after a fall is how we cultivate wholeheartedness. It’s the process that teaches us the most about who we are.

7. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

One of the best-known motivational guides in history, Carnegie's groundbreaking book has helped countless people succeed. Originally published during the depths of the Great Depression — and equally valuable during booming economies or hard times — Carnegie's rock-solid, time-tested advice has carried countless people up the ladder of success in their professional and personal lives. In his book, he teaches you:

How to communicate effectively
How to make people like you
How to increase your ability to get things done
How to get others to see your side
How to become a more effective leader
How to successfully navigate almost any social situation

8. Grit by Angela Duckworth

Duckworth takes us into the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she's learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers — from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll.

9. Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers" — the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. He asks the question: what makes high-achievers different? His answer is that we pay too much attention to what successful people are like, and too little attention to where they are from — their culture, their family, their generation, and the idiosyncratic experiences of their upbringing. Along the way he explains the secrets of software billionaires, what it takes to be a great soccer player, why Asians are good at math, and what made the Beatles the greatest rock band.

10. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

With profound empathy and radiant generosity, Gilbert offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Whether we’re looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.

*Title availability may vary by library & region.

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