Words of wisdom for this week
“Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.”
~ Seneca
It’s been my experience that average managers and leaders read very little and exceptional executives and managers read a great deal. We are fortunate today to have so much available literature on every aspect of management, leadership, supervision and just overall general personal development. Yes, some of it is redundant and some of it is way out in left field but I believe (and I read over 100 books a year) that you can learn something significant even from the worst book that has ever been written.
What if someone spent a lifetime learning about what works and what doesn’t work in building a successful career, financial wealth, a profitable business or positive and successful relationships and then wrote a book about what they learned –about what works and what doesn’t, what to do and what to avoid and the book only costs $20.00. Imagine being able to save years or thousands of dollars by learning what the author shared. Wouldn’t it make sense to rush to the bookstore and buy the book and devour the contents as quickly as possible? Makes sense to me. Problem is too few people read enough.
We are fortunate that there are bookstores filled with ideas on every conceivable topic. Libraries are filled with volumes by authors bridging centuries. I recently read a survey where the average citizen reads less than one book a year. Many of these same people spend a great deal of time and energy complaining about the quality of their life or career.
The answers to most of life’s issues and challenges can be found on a shelf somewhere. However, you do have to look for the book, buy it or check it out of the library (this is the easy part) and then read it. I am a committed reader. I believe that we would be better off as a society if we spent more time reading than sitting in front of the tube or texting.
Read for entertainment, to learn, to unlearn, to challenge your perceptions and opinions, to grow and to discover ideas and worlds that you may never get to visit. Reading is one of the most profitable activities you can do to accelerate your career and or life. It is an investment in your future.
I suggest you devote a certain amount of money to buying books and a certain amount of time reading the books you have purchased. There is an old saying, Readers are leaders. Readers have more to say, can contribute more to conversations and can help others along the path of life.
Do you read enough? Do you read at all? There are no legitimate excuses for not reading more. Yes, it takes time to read, but imagine the time you could save with one solid idea gained from an author who was willing to share their insight and experience with you.
If you would like a my recommended reading list please check my website where I have over 500 books listed that can have a positive impact on every area of your life. Each year this list gets updated with my latest recommendations.