The term “success” can mean different things to different people, but many agree that being recognized as a leader or mentor signifies a high level of achievement. To understand the habits of successful individuals, the author interviewed prominent leaders and mentors. The surprising discovery? Many of these accomplished people attribute their success to a seemingly simple habit: reading.

While you might not think of reading as a top habit for success, the author found that many leaders find inspiration in books. Take British journalist Matt Ridley, for example. His books on science and economics, translated into over 30 languages, have been widely successful. Ridley credits Richard Dawkins’s The Selfish Gene with not only answering the fundamental question, “What is life?” but also revolutionizing the way people approach science and evolutionary biology.

Books cherished by mentors often provide spiritual or personal guidance. Talk-show host Jimmy Fallon and former NFL star Terry Crews both value Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. Fallon credits the book with making him a better person, while Crews finds it keeps him focused on life’s true priorities.

Social science researcher Dr. Brené Brown was transformed by Harriet Lerner’s Why Won’t You Apologize?, which revolutionized her approach to apologizing. Wired magazine cofounder Kevin Kelly dropped out of school after reading Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, learning the importance of self-reliance.

Even children’s books offer life-changing insights. TED Talk curator Chris Anderson was profoundly influenced by C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, igniting his imagination. For Jimmy Fallon, The Monster at the End of the Book by Jon Stone remains a touchstone on the important subject of bravery.