Successful people and good leaders, although not all of them, share a common habit, which is the love for reading. Some of them are so passionate that they set goals to read at least a dozen books each year (most of you immediately thought of Bill Gates). Although there is a common misconception that good books can only be found on the shelves of classics, contemporary authors write amazing, even life-changing books, and millions of people purchase them. So, the New York Times’ best-selling authors’ lists are not an exaggeration, as they truly are sold in millions.
In this article, we highlight three contemporary authors whose books aim to inspire positive thinking and action. The titles you will encounter are particularly valuable in helping readers become successful leaders.
Maria Konnikova – A Poker Player’s Guide to Thinking Like a Leader
Maria Konnikova is a New York Times best-selling author and Harvard-trained psychologist who famously took up professional poker to study decision-making.
In The Biggest Bluff, Konnikova applied her academic insights to the high-stakes world of poker, proving that smart thinking can beat the odds. Under the mentorship of poker legend Erik Seidel, she went from novice to champion in under two years, winning over $300,000 in tournament earnings. Along the way of learning how to play poker as a winner, she mastered managing risk, making decisions under uncertainty, and controlling her own emotions – all critical skills for leaders. Poker taught Konnikova “greater emotional & physical regulation, tolerance for risk & uncertainty, more intelligent decision-making, a grasp of the intertwined roles of chance & skill, and sheer confidence,” she explains.
This mindset is vital for leaders navigating volatile business environments; play the hand you’re dealt, but play it brilliantly. As Konnikova puts it, “this book isn’t about how to play poker. It’s about how to play the world.” Her work is grounded in behavioral science (she cites concepts like the Ben Franklin effect and the sunk-cost fallacy in her writing) and has earned praise for its real-world applications. It’s no surprise that Konnikova has been invited to speak at forums like Davos on the topics of poker and decision-making. By blending psychology with poker strategy, she offers leaders a fresh playbook on strategic thinking, risk management, and self-mastery.
Adam Grant – The Power of Generosity and Rethinking in Leadership
Organizational psychologist Adam Grant has become one of today’s most influential leadership contemporary authors by challenging conventional wisdom on success. A professor at Wharton, Grant burst onto the scene with Give and Take (2013), which upended the notion that “nice guys finish last.” He presented compelling evidence that givers, people who help others win, often achieve extraordinary success themselves. This “generosity drives success” framework, backed by extensive research, struck a chord in business circles (the book hit #2 on the NYT bestseller list its first week).
Grant followed up with Originals (2016), examining how non-conformists and creative thinkers move the world by speaking up and improving the status quo. In 2021, he released Think Again, which became a #1 New York Times bestseller.
Core themes
Grant’s core message is that success comes not just from competition, but from contribution and constant learning. He draws on psychological and economic studies to show that helping others can enhance networking, collaboration, and innovation within an organization, and that the best leaders foster cultures where people feel safe to share original ideas and even challenge their superiors. Gran popularized the idea that there are givers, takers, and matchers in workplaces, and that smart “otherish” givers— those who help others while also keeping their own goals in sight —often rise to the top.
He also highlights the power of rethinking: great leaders don’t let ego or old habits prevent them from changing their minds when new evidence emerges. As Grant notes, “We learn more from people who challenge our thought process than those who affirm our conclusions,” emphasizing the value of constructive dissent.
James Clear – Tiny Habits, Big Results for Personal Mastery
James Clear’s core thesis is elegantly simple: small habits, if consistently practiced, yield compounding improvements in our lives and careers. He likens habits to the “compound interest” of self-improvement, where incremental 1% gains add up geometrically over time. For leaders and entrepreneurs, this message translates into a powerful strategy – focus on refining your daily routines, systems, and processes, and the outcomes (better productivity, health, skills, etc.) will follow. In Atomic Habits, Clear presents a framework of four “laws” for behavior change (make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying) based on psychological and neuroscientific research into how habits form.
Each principle is illustrated with real-world examples, from athletes’ training regimens to business routines, showing how high performers use habit science to their advantage. The advice is deeply evidence-based, drawing on insights from psychology and economics (Clear cites studies on everything from the cue-reward loops in the brain to the economics of willpower) while remaining very accessible. As Clear himself explains, most of the ideas in the book are built on “many hours of reading and research” across various fields, distilled into practical guidance.
Great Influence
The influence of Clear’s work on successful thinkers is hard to overstate. Atomic Habits has been recommended by CEOs, elite coaches, and educators as a blueprint for sustainable improvement. Its enduring spot on bestseller contemporary authors lists attests to its broad impact; in fact, it’s one of the best-selling nonfiction books of all time in recent years.
By reading Clear, leaders learn how to engineer better habits in their teams and personal lives: from establishing morning routines that set up a productive day, to creating environments that make healthy or creative choices more automatic. The takeaway is empowering; huge success doesn’t require Herculean moves, but rather a commitment to consistent, small improvements. James Clear’s work provides a practical roadmap for continuous growth, making it an essential read for anyone aiming to lead themselves— and others —to success, one tiny habit at a time.
Photo by Vincenzo Malagoli; Pexels
