What Are You Reading?

I’m sure you’ve heard the commercial: “What’s in your wallet?” My question to you, today, is what’s on your bookshelf? I love to read and I have many, many books. In fact, my promise to myself this year was to actually read each of the books I do have before buying any new ones.

“Reading strengthens our sense of what it means to be human.” – Oprah

I am often asked what books I am currently reading and/or what would I recommend. Let me share some of my favorite books with you (and these are all paperback, too). While, typically, I can be found reading auto-biographies – because they really are my favorites – I have set the goal this year to broaden my horizons.

Recommendation #1: “The Power of Focus” – Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Les Hewitt

I have had this book in my possession since the year 2000 and it is one of my absolute favorites when it comes to goal-setting and staying focused. It covers 10 focusing strategies which, I believe, we could all use these days. The topics range from habits (“Successful people have successful habits.”) to the Confidence Factor (eliminating fear and worry) through to Living on Purpose (making your life simple again) – who wouldn’t want that? My favorite poem is on page 159. This book also contains, in each section, Action Steps – so you can actually write a plan for implementing the great content.

Recommendation #2: “Miracles Happen”- Mary Kay Ash

I have great admiration and respect for this woman. This little 193-page book is full of great tips and insights for women in business. She not only writes about her own story but also addresses key concepts such as: Put on a Happy Face – God First, Family Second, Career Third – The Career Woman and Her Family – The $35,000 List (you’ll love this!)- How To Succeed in a Man’s World By Really Trying – Leaving a Legacy, and oh, so much more. She makes the statement that, in her belief, ‘the only difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is extraordinary determination’! Are you determined? This book is a keeper.

Recommendaton #3: “The Purpose Driven Life”- Rick Warren

This book speaks to the question: “What on earth am I here for?” This is more than a book; it is a guide to a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable you to discover the answer to life’s most important question: What on Earth Am I Here For? By the end of this journey you will know God’s purpose for your life and will understand the big picture – how all the pieces of your life fit together. And I happen to know, from my many readers and clients, that these questions are prevalent in this day and age. For each of the 40 days of this journey, in the book, is included a point to ponder, a verse to remember and a question to consider. I love it.
“We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become.”

- Ursula LeGuin, American Science Fiction Writer

Recommendaton #4: “Boundaries”- Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

I often recommend this book to my clients. It is all about “When to Say YES, When to say NO, and How to Take Control of Your Life”. These authors have created a whole series of books on the topic of boundaries. In this particular book, they cover boundaries when it comes to family, friends, spouse, work, your self and so on. They write about the definition of boundaries, boundary problems and the ten laws of boundaries (the first law is about ‘sow and reap’……hmmmmm……got you thinking?). If you regularly ponder the following questions, this book is definitely for you: Does your life tend toward a frenetic or a steady pace? Does life feel in a hurry or out of control, or do you feel as if you are making steady progress toward a goal? How do your boundaries, or lack of them, contribute to the state of you r life? You may want to read this book first – and then set some boundaries – so that, in fact, you will have the time and space to read the other 4!!!! Great idea, don’t you think?

Recommendaton #5: “The New Psycho-Cybernetics”- Maxwell Maltz (edited and updated by Dan Kennedy and the Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation)

Ok, so this probably isn’t the most light-hearted book on my recommended list. However, for those of you who want to succeed in business – this is a MUST READ, in my opinion. This book covers the original science of self-improvement and success that has changed the lives of 30 million people. Wow! That IS a lot of people. This book was recommended to everyone in my master mind group as a reading assignment this year. In my field of work, I took every gold nugget I could find in this book and applied them – and there are many. This book can turn your life around. Some of the content is about self-image, imagination, how to relax and let your automatic success mechanism work for you, how to remove emotional scars and give yourself an emotional face-lift, how to turn a crisis into a creative opportunity, and so on. I’m telling you – it is a must read!

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

1. Make a decision to read more over the next few months.
2. Start with a magazine if, in fact, you haven’t picked up a book in a very long time. There are many interesting articles in the monthly magazines.

Put some of my practices in place and I guarantee you will get more exposure for your business and/or your life. When you develop new skills, you are developing the confidence and courage to move forward and invent the life, and the business, you truly want. You will be much more comfortable and successful in the overall scheme of things.