Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers.

Continuing the topic of support, by far the most important friend on my journey of building self-discipline, developing mental resilience, and working on my long-term goals were non-fiction books that were written by people who have achieved my dreams.

Book were, are, and will always be one of the most valuable things a person wishing to change themselves can learn from to make their dreams come true.

Instead of idle talk about books being incredible — I think I’ve already made my case clear — today I want to share with you three books I believe you should read for education and inspiration. Here they are:

The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco

The Millionaire Fastlane was the book that changed it all for me when it comes not only to business, but also my attitude about work and life in general. In addition to countless lessons about how to start and run a successful business, you’ll learn how to become a person tuned in to the needs of others, a skill that will aid you in all kinds of endeavors .

Granted, not everyone equates success with financial success, so if you don’t care about achieving financial independence, you can probably skip this book.

The One Thing by Gary Keller

Richard Koch is the original author of books about the 80/20 principle (stating that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort). I strongly recommend his books, but when it comes to the most accessible introduction to the topic, Gary Keller’s book is the winner.

The premise behind The One Thing is answering the following question: “What’s the one thing you can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” The book delves deep into the details on why and how single focus is so powerful and important for success.

I’ve made this rule one of the most important guiding principles in my life and I strongly suggest implementing it in your life, too.

A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine

Roman Stoicism adapted to the modern world by William B. Irvine is one of the most helpful life philosophies you can embrace to live a happier life.

Stoics were also big on self-control, mental resilience and preparedness, so Irvine’s book is an all-encompassing guide on how to banish negative emotions, gain more happiness, and become a more valuable member of society .

The most important takeaway for me is practicing your resilience by visualizing bad events. I regularly use this strategy for reducing worry and increasing my peace of mind.

We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don’t let yourself be lulled into inaction.

Bill Gates’ quote refers to the evolution of personal computing, but the world of self-discipline isn’t any different.

A staggering number of people give up on their goals just weeks or months into them, discouraged that they still haven’t reached their goals or that their results are lackluster.

Sorry to have to break it to you, but the world doesn’t work that way. With few exceptions, nobody can build a successful business in six months, achieve a perfect physique in three months, learn a new language in four weeks, or become a self-disciplined person overnight.

However, the sky is the limit for those who are in it for the long haul. Ten years of dedicated practice can turn anyone into a world-class expert. When you gain momentum, you’ll get exponential results. The trick is to stick to your goals long enough for the velocity to accrue.

For example, in the first year you might only get your business off the ground, but in its third or fourth year it can explode virtually overnight. What actually happens is not an overnight success, but a process that took place over several years, during which it built upon itself in an exponential way.

When you look at my catalog of books, you might be tempted to say that I succeeded right away. “Martin’s first book became a bestseller, so it’s possible to become a bestselling author in a few months.”

That would be a great example of overestimating what you can achieve in a short period of time. My first book wasn’t actually my first book. I’d been writing — articles, blog posts, books, etc. — for a long time before I started writing about self-discipline. It was a process of well over ten years that resulted in my becoming a bestselling author.

Whenever setting a new goal, take the long-term approach. Unlike the person who assumes that their world can change overnight, be in it for the long haul, and the short-term fluctuations won’t make you give up.