Riding on the success of the phrase “the audacity…” Plouffe bestowed the title “The Audacity to Win” to his business book. This book has been receiving a lot of attention both online and offline. I haven’t had the chance to read it yet, but I found Robert Pagliarini’s post about it very intriguing. He shares the top 5 business lessons according to Plouffe:

1. The first is to have a very clear theory about how you’re going to be successful so that you can make all of your decisions around that.
2. Secondly, to have great interaction in person so that everybody is important to you, your employees, your customers, and your shareholders, if that’s appropriate.
3. Three, if you’re trying to reach people, and most people in business are, you’ve got to be in every avenue possible.
4. Another thing would be to have clear metrics so that your evaluation, both of your overall performance and the performance of your employees is not subjective.
5. And then I think to basically be unafraid to chart your own course.

These are simple ideas but the implications are astounding. Why not take a closer look at the concepts in Pagliarini’s post? Even better, buy the book and read it for yourself. It might give you that extra something to help you start 2010 with a bang!

If you wish to be successful one of the questions you should ask yourself is where you should live. The place where you live is usually not a factor considered by most people when thinking about their strategy for success.

Sure, you must think about your business location and putting a lot of consideration before deciding where to actually open shop (This is true for online business too since you think hard about the hosting, domain name, etc.). When it comes to your home though you usually give it much consideration for the comfort it will give, the distance from your spouse and your work place, the distance from the kids’ schools, the monthly payments, the design, and everything else except for how it can make you successful.

The funny thing is that the truth is that according to Richard Florida the place where you live can largely affect your level of success and contentment in life. In fact he says that it can be as huge a factor as your choice of spouse and career.

If you wish to explore the questions posed by Florida and find even more questions (even after he’s answered some of the questions he’s already posed) you should read his book. Now, if you are considering moving to a new place in the near future the books is even more apt for you. And even those who do not feel like moving but are puzzled about the level of success reading this book might enlighten you on some aspects in your life that could help you reach your goal. Be prepared though to ask yourself lots of questions because this book wouldn’t give you a square answer on where you should live to be successful. You’ll need to find out for yourself though thankfully this could guide you to making a better choice.

Need help choosing a new city to live in? You can use Who’s Your City’s Place Finder to help you out.

One of the best books that is out on the market right now is Marketing Sherpa’s 2008 Online Advertising Handbook + Benchmarks. The handbook is really informative and suitable for those who want to start an online advertising campaign or want to improve their existing one. The book contains everything from online marketing concepts, practical information that will help you with planning your online advertising campaign, as well as special reports on media design tactics, eyetracking, and more.

It is available in PDF format and also in print although print copies won’t be shipped till Thursday (April 11). If you have an online business or want to advertise your land-based business online this is the one resource you should read.

#1 – Trump Never Give Up

There’s no doubt that Donald Trump thinks big. Trump Never Give Up is about some of his biggest successes and most disastrous mistakes. It’s a book about his intriguing career, with inspirational advice and wisdom from the man himself. Here’s a man who had it all, lost it all, and earned everything back again. Learn how he did it.

#2 – Innovator’s Dilemma

The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen is about how established industries can be replaced by newer ones with the advent of new technology. With elaborate examples from cars, processors, and excavators, it provides a detailed look about the dangers of a stagnant industry, and how tried and true practices might not be enough to survive. Encouraging innovation and thinking outside the box, it’s a good read to be reminded of the importance of ingenuity, and listening to your customers.

#3 – Richest Man in Babylon

This book gives business advice creatively presented with parables set in ancient Bablyon. In it, George Samuel Clason encourages readers to save money, invest, spend wisely, avoid taking risks, and save for the future. Richest Man in Babylon is filled with simple life lessons whose relevance has not faded with time.

#4 – Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Robert Kiyosaki, a successful real-estate broker, writes a best-seller mostly based on the story of his upbringing in Hawaii, where he had a highly educated but economically challenged “poor dad”, and a grade school dropout multimillionaire “rich dad”. Highlighting the differences between them, he elaborates on financial lessons that aren’t taught in schools. Written with consultation from CPA Sharon L. Lechter, he encourages the reader to make money work for him, instead of spending his whole life working for money. Many personal finance gurus dispute some of Kiyosaki’s advice, making this book ideal for inspiration only.

#5 – It’s Not the Big That Eat the Small… It’s the Fast That Eat the Slow

It’s Not the Big That Eat the Small… It’s the Fast That Eat the Slow by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton, international consultants since 1976, provides an interesting view on how to keep your businesses one step ahead of the competition. “Being faster doesn’t mean being out of breath. It means being smarter.” With familiar tips on business improvement, theirs is an outline of best practices and ways to “future-proof” your business.