I've always enjoyed the inspiration and entertainment that comes from a great book.

The problem is, I rarely have time to sit down and devote hours of my undivided attention to reading books. My life is just too busy (or so I tell myself).

Fortunately, people in my predicament have another option: audiobooks.

Audiobooks are a great way to consume all the same content from a book while getting other stuff done.

Whether you listen while you exercise, drive to work or mow the lawn, audiobooks are the perfect substitute for people (like me) who would rather read through their ears instead of their eyes.

The Problem

Unfortunately, audiobooks have their own set of issues. They aren't all created equal.

• Some audiobooks have poor production quality.
• Some are narrated by incredibly monotonous or annoying voices.
• Some narrators have absurdly thick accents or speaking patterns that detract from the message.

Not to mention, some audiobooks are WAY too long (most likely because the original book is long). Not everyone has 100+ hours to listen to a single audiobook!

A few of my favorite books were nearly destroyed when I listened to a poorly executed audiobook rendition of the exact same material. It's not easy to judge the quality of an audiobook when you only have a 30-second preview to go by.

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The Best Audiobooks I've Heard

Since I've listened to A LOT of audiobooks in my time (it's pretty much the only way I read anything these days), I wanted to let you know about some of my favorites.

I thought these audiobooks were extremely well done and actually enhanced the original text by adding emotion, inflection, emphasis and even music in some well thought out places.

Some of these audiobooks were so good, I've found myself listening to them , again and again, , just because they delivered such a rich, enjoyable experience.

Curious to know what they are? I'll list them out for you below…

1. Crucial Conversations

Crucial Conversations is a book that several people have recommended to me over the past decade.

When I finally listened, I was blown away by how much value was crammed into 6 short hours. It was incredible!

There isn't anything fancy about how this audiobook was recorded or produced… it's pretty basic, actually.

What makes it so good? The narrator and co-author, Joseph Grenny, does a superb job of reading clearly, using good vocal tonality in his voice (an important part of explaining how to have a crucial conversation) and he's just an overall easy person to listen to.

Aside from the delivery, this is one of the most intensely useful audiobooks I've ever listened to – I'm really not kidding. I actually found it cumbersome to listen while driving or working out, because I had to hit “pause” every 2 – 3 minutes so I could take notes.

At one point, I actually pulled my car to the side of the road so I could take notes. It was that good.

The advice in this book works and it's not just theory. There was plenty of real-life application that made it directly useful in many aspects of my life. If you haven't given this one a listen, I urge you to get it on your shortlist of audiobooks to hear!

2. Profit First

I've never met anyone who read Profit First and wasn't impressed by it.

Aside from the simple-but-ingenious business budgeting concepts explained in this book (it's sort of like Dave Ramsey's envelope system, but for business owners), I thoroughly enjoyed how the narrator and author, Mike Michalowicz got through the content.

He doesn't just read the original manuscript word-for-word, he goes “off script” many times throughout the book to add further clarification, give real-life examples and help flesh out the material in ways that are much more interesting and informative for the listener.

This is something 95% of audiobooks don't do, which baffles me. I appreciated how this author took special care to package the content so it was more palatable to those who were listening rather than reading.

And I'll mention again, the content of this book is amazing. Whether you're an accounting professional or someone who rarely looks at the numbers, you will walk away with some great new insights from what this book has to share.

3. Buy Back Your Time

Dan Martell's Buy Back Your Time is a game-changer for anyone overwhelmed by the constant demands of work and life.

The book isn't just about time management; it's about reclaiming your focus and energy by learning to delegate tasks that don't align with your unique skills and goals. Martell challenges the conventional hustle mindset by showing how investing in others to handle lower-value tasks can actually create more opportunities for growth, freedom, and fulfillment.

What sets this book apart is its actionable framework. Dan Martell doesn't just give theoretical advice; he provides clear, practical steps for identifying what tasks to offload and how to build systems that let you focus on what truly matters. His stories from personal experience make the principles relatable, and the examples from other entrepreneurs drive home the impact of these strategies.

This is one of those books that isn't just inspiring to read—it's transformative when you put it into practice. Buy Back Your Time is a must-listen if you're looking for a way to break free from the grind and build a life on your own terms.

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4. $100M Offers

$100M Offers by Alex Hormozi is a no-nonsense guide to crafting offers so good that customers feel almost foolish saying no.

This book isn’t just about pricing—it’s about creating value. Hormozi breaks down the exact formula he used to scale his businesses, offering practical strategies for packaging products and services in a way that makes them irresistible. From understanding your customer’s deepest desires to eliminating risk, Hormozi delivers a step-by-step process to design offers that practically sell themselves.

What sets this book apart is its clarity and real-world application. Hormozi doesn’t sugarcoat or overwhelm with theory; he gets straight to the point, providing actionable advice backed by his own experiences. The book is packed with insights you can implement immediately, whether just starting or scaling to the next level.

$100M Offers isn’t just a book you read—it’s a playbook you’ll keep returning to as you refine your approach. If you want to transform your business and dramatically increase sales, this is the must-read (or must-listen) guide you’ve been looking for.

5. Atomic Habits

This audiobook is truly a gem. In Atomic Habits, narrated by the author, James Clear, a lot of things were demystified for me. It helped me understand a lot of the underlying reasons why I do things I don't want to do and fail to accomplish the things that actually matter to me.

Much of life boils down to practicing good habits and avoiding the wrong ones. I got more insight from this book than anything else I've ever seen, read, or heard on the topic of habits.

I think this book can provide a significant paradigm shift and a healthier understanding of how to get where you want to go by understanding how habits are made and broken, and how to make it work in your own life. I took pages and pages of notes from this book and had several “Aha!” moments as I listened to this one. James Clear is also a great narrator and easy to listen to. This is definitely one to listen to!

6. Pitch Anything

This is some of the best information I’ve ever read on human psychology, motivation, and negotiation all wrapped into one audiobook.

Pitch Anything, written and narrated by Oren Klaff lays out a formula that is highly effective when selling, which is something we all have to do, whether we like it or not.

But the lessons in this book apply to more than just the topic of “selling stuff” – it’s a book on human psychology and how to be persuasive.

This book has helped me to be FAR more effective in my interactions with other people, and it can help you too.

I thought the audiobook was executed very well, and Oren does a good job of keeping the message entertaining and easy to listen to.

7. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

The title of this book is intended to grab your attention, and whether you're a fan of the approach, I think there's a lot of wisdom to be gleaned from this one.

Mark Manson did a masterful job of using many different stories and examples to explain his underlying points.

One of my big takeaways moments from this book was the fact that not everyone shares the same values.

While this should be obvious, it's not something I ever paid much attention to. Likewise, I don't think most people recognize the fact that other people have different views and ideas about matters in life.

When I let this sink in, it changed a lot about how I view the world and other people, particularly those who don't care about the same things I do. It helped me make a lot more sense of people I never would've understood otherwise.

Considering how hilariously profane this book is (be ready for it), it gets pretty deep, and it does so without getting overly philosophical to the point that the average person won't grasp the concepts.

I also thought the narrator, Roger Wayne, did a great job of delivering the text in a way that was fun and easy to listen. Again, I also appreciated the relatively short listening time, just over 5 hours.

8. 10X Is Easier Than 2X

Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan’s 10x Is Easier Than 2x flips conventional thinking and delivers a powerful message: aiming for exponential growth is easier—and more rewarding—than incremental improvement.

The book challenges the idea that working harder and doing more leads to success. Instead, it pushes readers to focus only on what they do best and eliminate everything else. The shift from 2x thinking to 10x thinking is about narrowing your focus to high-impact activities that align with your unique abilities and long-term vision.

What makes this book stand out is the combination of psychology and strategy. Hardy and Sullivan break down the mindset shifts required to think bigger and back it up with real-world examples and actionable insights. It's not just about inspiration; it's about reprogramming how you approach goals and decisions in life and business.

This is one of those books that will change how you think about growth forever. If you’re tired of feeling stuck in the grind, 10x Is Easier Than 2x is a must-read (or, better yet, a must-listen) for transforming your potential and achieving massive results.

10. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is one of those books that can alter your perspective on many things (at least, it did for me).

Stephen Covey wrote (and narrated) this masterpiece over a quarter-century ago, and it still leaves a lasting impression on just about everyone who reads it.

The subject matter of this book isn’t so much related to “real estate investing” as it is a solid guidebook for living.

If you ever have the chance, I strongly encourage you to pick this one up and absorb what it says. You’ll be glad you did!