Ive always been wondering if it was actually worth reading books or just go into the pit and survive with ideas and progress as you go. Like I got more info from 2 weeks to reddit talk and GPT talk than I ever will get from a book…AND GUESS WHAT? My website is also in the process as opposed to buying a book and reading it.
Then I hear people like Elon musk, mark Cuban etc…read 50 books a year or smth
I just am in a conflict cuz I read books like about art of persuasion and it has actually helped me, but at the same time I dont see the same in business or SaaS
So anyone with a little experience please help out am going for rapid MVP launch and progress at this moment so idk if I should do some book reading.
The few options I see are:
Don't read for now
Read instead of Instagram
Read when ur not making much progress for any ideas.
So any suggestions?
Book reading worth it?
byu/Outrageous_Guess_962 inEntrepreneur
Posted by Outrageous_Guess_962
19 Comments
Would you make GPT enjoy music for you? talk to clients? connect the dots of the knowledge acquired?
Here’s the deal, ChatGPT is pretty good for a lot of things, but reading is more about reflecting deeply with what you’re reading, instead of throwing filtered and concise information your way.
The thoughts of “just having AI tell me” is a dangerous one, some books can be slow and boring. But when it comes to business, a lot of them have pretty intelligent writing, and don’t waste time in going on hyperboles.
I’d recommend any book by Harvard Business School. I’ve also used AI, but didn’t get as good advice as I did with their books when I moved in a managerial position. I also tried giving it a lot of books and giving me a breakdown, but instead in only watered down the content.
TLDR: you gotta read them books dude
Personal opinion- both, books and chatGPT, play different roles, depending upon what you are looking to solve for.
– if you are building your MVP, you need tactics (how to setup a payment system, how to fix a bug etc). In these cases, Reddit + ChatGPT would be far better than books. The key reason would be that books often cant keep pace with the change in technology. A book on setting up MVPs tha published in Q1’25 might already be outdated
– on the other hand, if you are cleaning up your brand strategy, and are looking to have a deeper understanding of consumer psychology, books would be better. That’s because ChatGPT will give you tips, but will not be able to give you a deep nuances understanding of psychology. Also, unlike fixing bugs, consumer psychology doesn’t change every 6 months- so the books aren’t lagging behind
>Then I hear people like Elon musk, mark Cuban etc…read 50 books a year or smth
No, they don’t, so your doubts are right.
If you can, try to look at videos about experiences with SaaS, ideally, if you find failure experiences, so you can skip those pitfalls.
However, if you really want to read a book, find a book about Miyamoto Musashi for two reasons:
* Because it sounds snobby and intellectual [1].
* And because it is really worth reading ([1] and you find that you don’t need to impress others)
Yikes GPT is not a reliable narrator, do not rely on that for expertise. Reading is a valuable way of learning, it’s not required but is beneficial.
When CEOs say they read, they mean information. Not some self-help book packaged to tell you everything you want to hear in a new way so it feels “productive” to read it. This is actually how most of them are written and it is largely a waste of time. I have read 40+ books cover to cover and when I looked back on my list, maybe only 5 of them actually helped me in any way. Be *very* selective about what you read, don’t just do it for its own sake. Consume information that’s directly relevant to your field, not motivational bs that deep down you already know
It’s worth it for deep strategy but usually a waste of time for technical stuff that changes every month. I read a lot of business theory when I started my first agency and it helped with the long-term vision. Stick to building your MVP for now and read when you’re stuck on a specific problem.
I think somewhere along the way people started to glamorize being uneducated. The overwhelming majority of successful people I know and come in contact with read. The rare few who don’t read, consume their information in a different way, but they are always learning.
Read books, listen to books, use LLMs, join groups of entrepreneurs in and outside your industry, consume other forms of information from people who accomplished what you are trying to accomplish.
I found reading to be a cheat code when I was started a business. It gave me access to the best thinkers on all types of topics. It helped me get the resources, so later I could actually hire people to help.
There is no difference between those who can’t read and those who don’t read.
I used to make about $50k a year and figured that was about as good as it could get for me as a college drop out. Started reading about sales, investments, real estate, business management, entrepreneur stories, etc and it became addicting.
I now employ 8 people, own an insurance agency, have 19 tenants that I manage among 7 rental properties, and am partnering up to start a peripheral business.
Without a doubt came from taking up reading
Read. Study, listen. Jim Rohn said you can’t hire someone to do your push-ups.
Chat gpt will give you the info.
Books are not about info. It’s about getting the knowledge deep inside of you so you think differently.
It’s about the thoughts you have while and after reading.
The real issue is we think what we actually want is information. But what we really need is transformation.
Chat GPT doesn’t give us that
You won’t learn how to swim by reading Michael Phelps’s autobiography. But once you know how to swim you can make improvements by reading it.
i;d suggest The Gap and the Gain, by Hardy and Sullivan – not about SaaS – but it totally changed me life – its soooooo good – I listen to it a few times a year now as a reminder…. one of the best books I have ever read – if not the best….
Unreasonable hospitality
Great perspective! I’m currently in the ‘pit’ building my SaaS MVP, and I’ve realized that 2 weeks of hands-on building and using tools like Reddit taught me more than months of passive reading ever could. Books are great for mindset, but ‘The Pit’ gives you the real data. Keep building
Read all the time.
It absolutely is. Constantly learning and expanding your mind is a key tool of the entrepreneur.
Yes, read. It’s incredibly important to learn and reading is one of the most efficient and cost effective ways to do that.
I know a lot of people who read 50 books a year. I have a friend who commutes by train 45 minutes each way Monday through Friday and she reads the entire time she’s on the train. She blows through books like nobody’s business.
I don’t keep track but I probably read about 30. I generally don’t read business books. I read one self-help book by Brené Brown in 2025, but I can’t take any more than that. I read a lot of history, especially African and Asian history because I never learned about any of that in school.
I read a lot of metaphysics and occult books because that’s my spirituality.
Mostly, I read fiction. I just finished rereading my favorite book of all time, Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.
Most books are absolute filler anyway.
A lot of books have a framework and once you discover that framework you can glean key aspects of knowledge from reading just a few paragraphs per chapter.
I used to believe that you had to read a book from start to finish. I don’t believe these high achievers do that. Each chapter is like an essay and essays have a format. Read the first and last paragraph, they usually contain the essence. The proof and examples are in between, and so is a lot of filler.
Of course I only use this approach for books that impart knowledge or something technical. I will also read chapters backwards, especially textbooks because the end is usually a summary of what the chapter imparted. Then I work backwards and fill in the holes in my knowledge. It sounds weird, but it worked perfectly for my ADHD. I wish I had discovered that earlier in school.
For novels and classics I will read from beginning to end though.
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