Has a book ever changed the direction of your life? As a self-confessed bibliophile, reading books has brought me to where I am today as a confident entrepreneur. It’s amazing how books can help in so many areas of your life. I contribute much of my success to the books and learning materials I have studied over the years.
The best book I have ever purchased hands down is the Dictionary. I have used the dictionary to expand my vocabulary. Expanding one’s vocabulary builds confidence and deepens conversations. Having a greater vocabulary also enriches my writing by allowing me to be more creative with words.
I used books to reach my goal of becoming an entrepreneur. I was in the employee mindset and learned this mindset as a little girl. You go to school, find a good job and retire happily ever after but deep down I knew I was meant to be an entrepreneur. I hated sitting in the cubical staring at the minute hand on the clock as if it were an inch worm inching a long until five o’clock. I used many self-help books to help pull myself out of this mindset to get me to the place I am today.
One of the first things I learned as an entrepreneur is that to remain successful you must continue to grow and educate yourself. It has been said that those who become voracious readers and continuous learners become and remain successful. Therefore, I always have at least three books a week going ranging from business, self-help and inspirational. Instead of the twenty plus hours of mindless TV I used to watch, I now read and expand my mind.
Books can inspire you to try something new that could evolve into a full-time career. I realized not long ago that I also enjoyed writing and wanted to start doing some freelance writing, so I started reading books on writing. One the most helpful has been The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The book taught me how to open up the creative right side of my brain, while overcoming limiting fears that caused blocks in the creative process.
Books are also a powerful source at helping you see what’s important in life, then setting a plan to meet those personal goals. One of the best books that I found useful in this journey was Success is a Given – Reading the Signs While Re-Inventing Your Life by Marlene Chism. It also re-confirmed that in order to reach my goals that I would have to move out of my comfort zone, which can be, truly scary.
You can also change the way you think by reading books. A couple of the best books out there on this topic are The Secret by Rhonda Byrne and The Answer by John Assaraf and Murray Smith. Your beliefs change your habits, which change your, actions.
Books can also teach you how keeping a positive attitude when something negative happens or the outcome you wanted to happen did not; how to find the positive spin on it. Some times because of the outcome, which you did not plan on, amazingly, something extraordinary happens that would have never happened if the negative incident had not occurred. A delightful book I have read on this issue is If You Don’t Have Big Breast, Put Ribbons on Your Pigtails by Barbara Corcoran.
You can also read your way to fortune. I read not long ago a quote by Darren Hardy, the publisher and editor of the inspirational magazine SUCCESS. He wrote: “More men and woman have been motivated to achieve success because of reading Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill than by any other book written by a living author. The book teaches techniques that if applied, you will have mastered the secret of true and lasting success. The techniques helped me think differently about success and wealth.
Another great book that has been used by many successful people is The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason. I once attended a seminar where the speaker, a millionaire himself, said as a young man he interviewed fifty millionaires. During the interview he asked what one book they would recommend that he read and they all said The Richest Man in Babylon. The book offers an understanding of and solutions to your personal financial problems that if applied will guide you through a lifetime. He said he had to read the book three times before the light bulb went off.
Books can also give you an insight on the changes that are taking place in the current market place helping you stay ahead of the competition. Author Seth Godin has written many books on how to advertise and market your business in today’s climate. He writes that today consumers are bombarded by marketing messages almost everywhere they go. If you want to grab someone’s attention, you first need to get his or her permission with some kind of bait–a free sample, a big discount, a contest, an 800 number, or even just an opinion survey.
Books can also provide tangible insights into what makes great companies, helping entrepreneurs avoid the dreaded pitfalls during their years in business. Books can provide tried-and-true tactics that show you how to navigate through difficult times in both business and life.
I am now a more organized, streamlined person thanks to books. Reading Getting Things Done by David Allen has had a huge impact on what I do, when and how I do it. It fundamentally affected how I prioritize and how I file information. I now keep everything I can on my Blackberry, and keep computer and printed files with names that coordinate across all platforms.
Stop dreaming of your success and start reading to your success. Visit your library or book store. Peruse the different sections for ideas that spark your passion for change and start your journey today.
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Julie Barnes is a Freelance Writer focusing on her passion of entrepreneurship. Julie published “So You Want to Start a Business…Now What?” in December 2009. Julie lives and works in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, KS with her husband Ron and lovable dog Hank. You can visit her site at http://www.onewhowrites.com.
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March 6th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Books are fantastic inspiration. I recently won a copy of Gary Vee’s ‘Crush It’ and from what I have heard, it is going be a great ‘kick up the bum’ book – so I can’t wait for it to arrive.
.-= Tom | Build That List´s last blog ..The 4 Reasons People Unsubscribe Mailing Lists =-.
March 7th, 2010 at 7:07 am
Gary Vee is so inspirational man. That should be a good read. Definitely let me know how it is and I’ll get my hands on a copy.
March 7th, 2010 at 7:44 am
Hi Julie,
I’m an avid reader, too and have read many of the books you listed, including The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, The Richest Man in Babylon, Getting Things Done, and Think and Grow Rich. I have not heard of some of the other books you listed, so thanks for introducing me to them.
I also agree that the Dictionary is a great resource to have on your bookshelf. Very useful!
Karen
.-= Karen´s last blog ..Book Review: Switch – How To Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath =-.
March 7th, 2010 at 10:56 am
Hi Tom,
I have heard great reviews on ‘Crush It’. It’s my reading list. Would love to hear your thoughts on the book.
Julie
March 7th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Man,
I don’t read books, I breath them. They are my life blood; the oxygen for my brain.
Thanks to the almighty Amazon I’m able to get hard-to-find books from all over the world – I’ll soon be able to open my own library.
You can never read enough,
read, read, read, and then read a little more !
.-= Mars Dorian´s last blog ..Whatever you think, think the opposite =-.
March 8th, 2010 at 8:04 am
Books help you “grow”–it’s that simple. No matter the type of books you’re into, they help you expand your knowledge base.
I’m in the midst of Stones Into Schools and hope to finish it next weekend. It’s necessary to always push yourself…
.-= Moon Hussain´s last blog ..My Three Pronged Approach To Creating My First Niche Website =-.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:01 am
I’d love to take a walk in your library. I don’t do nearly as much reading as I should. My head is usually stuck in the school textbooks, which never are really that exciting.
March 8th, 2010 at 9:08 am
Moon,
That’s what being an entrepreneur is all about, pushing yourself. Whether its in books, business, anything. Thanks for the comment Moon.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:21 am
You’re welcome Karen.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:28 am
Hi Mars,
I agree with you. Books are also the life blood and oxygen for my brain. Amazon rocks! Good luck with your
library.
Read on!!
Julie
March 8th, 2010 at 11:32 am
Hi Moon,
Books help you “grow”! So true. I can look back and see how my life has changed due to the books I have read. Stones
Into Schools sounds like a very interesting read. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks for posting.
Julie
March 8th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I really enjoyed this post, mostly because I believe it to be true so much. One of my earliest blog posts was about this exact thing. I have never heard of some of the books you mentioned, I will have to check them out.
.-= Patrick Toerner´s last blog ..Directory Sites – Why the Brokers and Agents Are Disappearing =-.
March 8th, 2010 at 7:12 pm
I love books and love to lend them out from my library – although more often than not I just as that folks pass them on …When I took The Zappos Tour -they allowed me to take as many books as I wanted (they even shipped them to me for free!) as you can read in Steven Romej blog http://www.romej.com/archives/646/the-zappos-tour -
What book are you looking to read right now? – perhaps I can pass it on to you
.-= Cate.TV´s last blog ..Miss Destructo crosses our path again! =-.
March 9th, 2010 at 10:32 am
Thank you Patrick!
March 9th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Hi Cate,
I also lend my books out. I love passing along a great book! I enjoyed reading about tour of Zappos. Very cool.
Julie
March 9th, 2010 at 12:34 pm
I personally love books. There is nothing better. I read so many books each month. I just read one book in about an hour yesterday. You want to know why? Because I learned about speed reading through another book
I think books are a great way for self-improvement. All the books I have read have taught me so much. I can’t truly believe I have gotten this far just because of books
March 9th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Hi Julius,
That is awesome. I would love to be able to read a book in an hour. I would to learn more about the speed reading book.
Julie
March 10th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
“The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history.” – Carl T. Rowan
Great post, Julie! It’s so very true that leaders are readers. I would like to share a few of my favorites:
Maximum Achievement, Bryan Tracy
The Go-Giver, Bob Burg & John David Mann
The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino
Thinking for a Change, John C. Maxwell
How to Win Friends & Influence People, Dale Carnegie
I would also add to the power of reading the power to listening to educational, inspirational, and motivational materials while driving. People spend hours in traffic, and these very hours can be spent learning and growing.
.-= Pres´s last blog ..The 3 Globbleristic Spheres of Life =-.
March 11th, 2010 at 8:15 am
Great stuff here Julie. I’m also an avid reader of many different books. Actually I just picked up the GTD by Allen and it’s definitely going to change the way I structure my day.
To be honest, I’ve always been kinda saddened by the fact that many people don’t read. They’ll waste hours watching senseless videos on YouTube, but won’t make the effort to expand their minds.
This actually gave me the idea to start a “Recommended Books” on my site. There are many that have helped me, so maybe they can help my readers as a well.
.-= Steve Scott Site´s last blog ..Embark on Your Hero’s Journey =-.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:02 am
If you want to know more about it is called Break-Through Rapid Reading by Peter Kump and if you follow the exercises than you will be reading a lot faster in no time
I can highly recommend it.
.-= Julius Kuhn-Regnier´s last blog ..The 3 Unwritten Rules of Blogging =-.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:13 am
Thank you for posting Julius! I just ordered a copy from Amazon.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:22 am
You’re welcome Pres! I love the quote you posted by Carl T. Rowan. This is so true. Thank you posting your list. I have read “How to Win Friends & Influence People” but not the others. I’ll be adding those to my never ending reading list.
I also carry motivational cd’s when taking a long trip. It’s amazing what you learn in a 3 hour trip.
March 12th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Thank you Steve! I agree with you. So many people waste mindless hours watching TV or You Tube videos. I didn’t realize how many hours I was wasting watching TV until I actually shut it off and chose to pick up a book instead.
Your “Recommended Books” idea is a fabulous idea. Maybe we can start a grass roots reading movement.
April 2nd, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Great post books are inspirational and each book you read adds another dimension.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a bad book, because each book helps you think about things differently.
.-= Matthew Needham´s last blog ..Pay your self first and other money lessons =-.
April 7th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Great post, I see no-one has mentioned one of my favourites, and this is not my site but you can get the ebook free and it’s worth getting.
http://asamanthinketh.net is the site, the book is of the same name, a really good classic that’s timeless.
Hope someone gets use out of that and enjoys it.
.-= rob sellen´s last blog ..My first real month on WordPress =-.
April 10th, 2010 at 1:37 am
very inspiring post Julie
i need to read more books these days
thank u
.-= farouk´s last undefined ..Response cached until Sun 11 @ 9:25 GMT (Refreshes in 23.83 Hours) =-.
April 13th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Hi Matthew,
Thanks for posting. I agree with you. I learn something from each book that I read.
Julie
April 13th, 2010 at 3:15 pm
Hi Rob,
Thank you! Thanks for posting the book title. I had not heard of As A Man Thinketh. I will add it to my reading list.
Julie
April 13th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Thank you Farouk!
April 18th, 2010 at 11:20 am
I also love books. This is a great roundup. I’ve read all the financial ones and I agree they are great. The big breasts and pigtails one sounds like it comes from a creative mind.
.-= JadeDragon@innovativepassiveincome´s last blog ..What is Your Lifestyle Design Goal? =-.
April 21st, 2010 at 10:09 am
Thank you!
June 7th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Books are a great way to learn about success, business, entrepreneurship, and the like. Some people may argue that ebooks and digital readers (Kindle, iPad) are taking over, but Borders is still in business somehow! Besides, sometimes I just enjoy getting away from a monitor for a little while. One of my favorite books is The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss and I'm always looking for new reading material.
June 22nd, 2010 at 10:41 am
Very true Steve. It’s such an inexpensive way to expand our minds. I agree. I love to unwind while browsing through the bookstore. The
digital readers will never replace the atmosphere of the book store. I love The 4-Hour Workweek, although I do need to get the updated version.
Thanks for posting your thoughts.
June 29th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I love this post–books can definitely help us think outside the box and find new, creative solutions we wouldn't have thought of otherwise (and all the other things you mention in your post). They can also introduce us to new mentors who can become live mentors (not just paper mentors) if we connect with the authors.
On the flip-side of this post, once people have as much expertise and wisdom as you do, Julie, they can write their own books. I'd love to hear what that's done for you…Sounds like another blog post!
July 1st, 2010 at 3:45 am
Great reading suggestions here. Think & Grow Rich, The Secret, and the Richest Man in Babylon have been some of my favorites. Check out the Dream Giver by Wilkinson and most books by Wayne Dyer.
July 28th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Great post! Just found your blog and tagged it for following. Great info for lil ole businesses like mine. Thanks! I'm a bookaholic, too – bookcases surround my studio.
August 9th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Thank you for all of the great comments and book suggestions!!