You can tell a lot about a person by the books he or she reads, and that certainly applies to billionaire Mark Cuban.

For the serial entrepreneur, investor and Dallas Mavericks owner, reading is about self-improvement. That's no surprise, considering that a researcher who studied the wealthy individuals found that highly successful people tend to read for self-development.

Some of Cuban's favorite books have a common thread: How to build your own business or get ahead in your career.

Here are 7 books that shaped Cuban's career:

1. "Rework" by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

This best-seller encourages readers to get going on their big idea. According to the co-authors, you don't need a refined plan or a lot of resources to start a successful company. It's all about trial and error.

In a review for the book, Cuban writes, "If given a choice between investing in someone who has read 'Rework' or has an MBA, I'm investing in 'Rework' every time."