On his podcast, Tim Ferriss often asks his high-performing guests to name the most important thing they have bought for less than $100. My answer to this question is a no brainer. Books. Any and all books. Non-fiction, fiction, biography, philosophy — anything I can learn from or enjoy. I spend at least $100 on books every month. My library is the single greatest source of education and reflection I have in my life.

Perhaps it seems a little archaic or expensive to maintain a library. But let’s think about it. The average book costs between $15-$25. And yet, every single book I’ve ever read has been worth vastly more than what I spent on it. Choc full of information, advice, entertainment, and practices, books pay us back in dividends for our entire lives. They are an absolute steal. I’ve bought books for less than $10 that have paid me back magnitudes of order more because of their advice and what that meant for my career. Maintaining a library, reading, and re-reading is a lifelong learning opportunity. It connects you to a community, sparks new ideas, and, if it’s really good, will keep you coming back to it for the rest of your life.

Also, let’s be honest, it’s fun. I know we all like to joke about how we don’t like reading or laugh about how we are “illiterate” (I hear this one a lot in students,), but I promise you, when you find the right book, it will be more entertainment and fun than any iPhone game or Netflix show could ever give you.

So go pick up a book, any book. Start small. Maybe instead of watching youtube before bed, you take 30 minutes to read. I promise that small investment will soon become a mountain of progress for you, no matter what your goals are. The best thing money can buy is a good book.

P.S. If you are looking for book recommendations to get you started, keep an eye out for Friday’s article. Also consider signing up for my newsletter, in addition to post updates and exclusive emails, I send out a monthly reading roundup showcasing all the books I recommend that month.