What are some of your career or personal goals? Become an expert in your field? Or even an expert with your finances? Cooking?
How do you become an expert in your field or area of focus? Read. As quoted by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.”
Self-development expert Brian Tracy tells us that, “If you read just one book per month, that will put you into the top 1 percent of income earners in our society.” Now, imagine what would happen if you read one book a week!
If you read 30-60 minutes a day in your chosen field, that translates into 1 book a week, resulting in over 50 books per year. In three years, that is 150 books in your field or area of focus – quickly allowing you to become an expert in your field.
I know, I know, you don’t have the time to read. I hear that excuse all the time. Try this … listen to audio books.
It works for me. My iPhone is a mobile library. I listen while I drive around town, cook in the kitchen or even while exercising. I was able to read five books over Christmas break this way. There are many online resources for downloading audio books, even your local library might offer them. If you prefer to read physical books, be sure to set time versus saying you will make time. Schedule your reading – this makes it a routine and it will quickly become a habit.
Twelve books that have shaped my leadership philosophy:
- Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
- The Speed of Trust by Steven M.R Covey
- Great by Choice by Jim Collins
- Decisive by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
- 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
- The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr
- The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell
- Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey
- Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry
- Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey
- How Full Is Your Bucket by Tom Rath
- 8 Dimensions of Leadership by Jeffery Sugarman
Three books that have helped me grow as a person:
- Jesus Calling by Sara Young
- Daring Greatly by Berne Brown
- 20,000 Days and Counting by Robert Smith
….and a personal author from my childhood is the beloved Dr. Seuss as he was always very wise – “the more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go”. Happy reading!
What are your favorite books?