Real Lessons You Don’t Get in Business School
Introduction
An MBA is often seen as the key to success. But is it always worth it?
I’ve worked in real businesses, led real teams, and read hundreds of books. I realized some of the best business lessons never came from a teacher.
They came from books.
Here are 10 books that gave me lessons no MBA class ever did.
1. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
Key Lesson: Launch fast. Learn faster.
This book taught me to build, test, and improve fast. It helped me stop fearing failure.
MBA Teaches: Planning and control.
This Book Teaches: Action and learning.
Source: The Lean Startup, Eric Ries, Crown Business, 2011.
2. Good to Great by Jim Collins
Key Lesson: Discipline builds great companies.
This book made me understand that greatness comes from habits and people, not luck or big ideas.
MBA Teaches: Business models.
This Book Teaches: Leadership from within.
Source: Good to Great, Jim Collins, HarperBusiness, 2001.
3. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
Key Lesson: How we think about money is more important than how much we know.
It taught me that money decisions are emotional, not logical.
MBA Teaches: Finance formulas.
This Book Teaches: Money behavior.
Source: The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel, Harriman House, 2020.
4. Deep Work by Cal Newport
Key Lesson: Focus is your superpower.
This book helped me protect my time and energy. It taught me that deep work beats busy work.
MBA Teaches: Time management.
This Book Teaches: Time mastery.
Source: Deep Work, Cal Newport, Grand Central Publishing, 2016.
5. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
Key Lesson: People follow your “why,” not your product.
It taught me how to inspire people through purpose, not just business plans.
MBA Teaches: Product strategy.
This Book Teaches: Purpose-led leadership.
Source: Start with Why, Simon Sinek, Portfolio, 2009.
6. Measure What Matters by John Doerr
Key Lesson: Focus on what really drives progress.
OKRs changed the way I set goals. Simple, clear, and trackable goals win.
MBA Teaches: KPIs and performance reviews.
This Book Teaches: Clear goal-setting.
Source: Measure What Matters, John Doerr, Portfolio, 2018.
7. The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
Key Lesson: Leading is hard. Be honest about it.
This book showed me the truth behind being a CEO. It’s not always pretty.
MBA Teaches: Ideal leadership models.
This Book Teaches: Real-world chaos.
Source: The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz, Harper Business, 2014.
8. Atomic Habits by James Clear
Key Lesson: Small habits create big changes.
This book gave me tools to improve every day. It made personal growth easier and fun.
MBA Teaches: Change management.
This Book Teaches: Daily change.
Source: Atomic Habits, James Clear, Avery, 2018.
9. Rework by Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
Key Lesson: Simple wins.
This book helped me see that business doesn’t have to be complex. It can be lean and fast.
MBA Teaches: Structure and scale.
This Book Teaches: Clarity and action.
Source: Rework, Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson, Crown Business, 2010.
10. Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
Key Lesson: Great leaders protect their teams.
This book made me realize that care builds trust, and trust builds performance.
MBA Teaches: Leadership skills.
This Book Teaches: Human leadership.
Source: Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek, Portfolio, 2014.
Conclusion: Books That Taught Me What School Missed
These 10 books taught me how to think, lead, and act.
They gave me tools I could use on Monday morning—not just theory.
MBA courses gave me structure.
But these books gave me clarity, confidence, and courage.
What You Should Do Now
Pick one book from this list.
⏱ Read just 10 pages a day.
Apply one new idea each week.
It’s not about reading fast. It’s about reading well.
Join the Conversation
Which book changed the way you work?
Comment below and let’s grow together.
External Resources
-
The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
https://theleanstartup.com/ -
Good to Great – Jim Collins
https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/good-to-great.html -
The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel
https://www.morganhousel.com/the-psychology-of-money -
Deep Work – Cal Newport
https://www.calnewport.com/books/deep-work/ -
Start with Why – Simon Sinek
https://simonsinek.com/product/start-with-why/ -
Measure What Matters – John Doerr
https://www.whatmatters.com/ -
The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz
https://a16z.com/book/the-hard-thing-about-hard-things/ -
Atomic Habits – James Clear
https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits -
Rework – Jason Fried & DHH
https://basecamp.com/books/rework -
Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek
https://simonsinek.com/product/leaders-eat-last/
Ankit Joshi
