If you’re reading this you probably already have lots of stuff on your plate.

I know well how hard it can be to find a balance between your daily tasks and personal development.

Yet, critical thinking is a crucial skill that has to be refined.

Think about how Warren Buffett or Ray Dalio can consistently beat the market.

You need to be able to make up your mind by yourself to win, especially in widely competitive markets.

Reading is the easiest and most accessible way for you to develop your critical thinking skills.

I’ve compiled a list of the best critical thinking books that are true game-changers.

Read on to discover why!

Table of Contents

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Nicholas Taleb is one of the most influential philosophical voices of our time, and this book will literally change the way that you look at everything in your life. It’s all about how ‘disorder’ is actually good for us. This book is chock-full of life lessons about letting things go and learning how to go with the flow.

Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder helped me learn to see the beauty in the chaos. As a Type-A personality, I’m often in a position where I stress out about things that I can’t control. When I learned how to embrace uncertainty, my whole worldview changed. This book will change the way that you do business, but it will also touch every other aspect of your life. You’ll start to change the way that you think, let go of that control, and begin to feel happier amid chaos.

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James E. Ryan’s book on asking probing questions is a must-read for 2019. Often there are plenty of life lessons right at our fingertips, but we’re not asking the right questions. This book will teach you to peel back the surface layer and really start to ask those questions that matter the most.

Thinking outside of the box is one of the number one skills that any entrepreneur must master to really understand their true potential. Too often our questions box us into areas that we don’t need to be confined in. That’s why this book is so empowering. While everyone else is looking for the answers, you need to be asking the right questions. Critical thinking is all about shifting the picture, and this book totally does that!

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How many times have you turned on the news and been totally appalled by what you see in the headlines? Let’s get real, gore and sensationalism sell, but Steven Pinker knows that the real news is that the world is getting better. His book Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress is a celebration of optimism.

There has never been a time in the history of the world where we have had more financial security, health or overall peace. It might not seem like that’s the case, but Steven Pinker lays down some indisputable facts. If you need a fresh perspective on what’s going on in the world, check out this game-changing book.

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Just like Wait, What?: And Life’s Other Essential Questions, this book by Warren Berger focuses on asking the right questions, instead of searching for all of the answers. In my experience, people like those who ask probing questions and really show a sense of empathy. It shows that you care about them, are invested in what they have to say, and will take their words to heart.

Also, when you ask questions with an open mind, you run the risk of cracking your mind open even more! Let me explain. If you ask someone a question about their beliefs and truly listen to their answer, you might change your mind on something. If you make one business resolution this year, try to ask the right questions and work on really being a superstar listener!

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Did you know that there’s a science to crafting a compelling argument? Stella Cottrell knows! This book gives you the nuts and bolts that you’ll need to craft your very own arguments and sharpen up those critical thinking skills to levels that you didn’t even know were possible.

While other books focus on more ambiguous aspects of critical thinking, Stella Cottrell leans heavily on the way that effective critical thinking is measured and how you can reflect on your own process to fine-tune your skill sets. This is an excellent book for people who really want to become better listeners, thinkers, and stretch their cognitive muscles to the maximum!

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Okay, I don’t know about you, but I love numbered lists. It helps me understand exactly what I’m getting out of a book or article. Edward B. Burger’s The Five Elements of Effective Thinking delivers on its promises completely. You know exactly what you’re getting from this book, and it does not disappoint.

You’ll get step-by-step directions on how to become a better critical thinker, a more successful entrepreneur, and how to change your thought patterns. There is not enough emphasis put on changing thought patterns. Most of our greatest demons and challenges are in our own minds, and it’s important to remember that only by changing up our thought patterns, we can effectively become the engineers of our own lives. Really, it’s that powerful of a technique!

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This oldie but goodie by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan first came out in 1997, but you should read it in 2019. Why? Even if you read it back in 1997, it’s time for a refresher course. If you’ve never read it, it’s high time to read this classic book by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan.

This book takes direct aim at pseudoscience, citing the advances in technology as a reason why more and more people are turning to debunked theories. It’s a bit of a radical book, and will no doubt upset some people. I found it even more fascinating in the second read because social media has taken over our lives to such a significant degree. That means that many people are sitting in their information bubbles and only getting the information that they want to absorb.

This book is even more timely now!

Pseudoscience can be fun, but it can also take away from the tasks at hand. Relying on pseudoscience or gimmicks instead of putting in the hard work can be the difference between a successful entrepreneur and an unsuccessful one. This book is an excellent warning to stay on the ball.