My mentor, Jim Rohn, once said, “Formal education makes you a living. Self-education makes you a fortune.”
He was right.
Studying, as you’ve heard me say time and time again on this blog, is the key to our better future.
Unfortunately, when most people hear the word “study” they lose interest.
The thing is that we’re all studying, whether we realize it or not.
Each morning whether I choose to read gossip columns, watch TV shows, exercise, or read a book, I am filling myself with a form of information.
Listen to your friends, what do they talk about? You’ll notice what they have decided to make a study.
Personally, I like to lead a balanced life. While I do spend 3 hours studying the fields of self-development, finance and marketing (depending on my fancy), I do try and read novels, watch the news and catch up on some movies or TV shows.
That way I can keep my finger on the pulse of the world.
However, I consider myself a rare case. Most people seem to gravitate towards one or the other.
We all know people who haven’t got the foggiest clue as to what’s going on in the world right now. We also know people who just won’t shut up about them.
There’s a time and place for everything.
In a bar, hanging out with your friends, business might not be the best topic of discussion. Most people just want to relax and blow off some steam. On the other hand, in a seminar, discussing what happened last night on Desperate Housewives doesn’t seem to make much sense.
That’s why I used to encourage students of mine to read a book as well as watch TV.
One was for grammar and vocabulary, the other for listening and communication techniques.
As such, today I thought I should pass along a list of books that I feel are well worth reading.
Some are purely for entertainment, others life-changing.
But before I get to my list I would like to state emphatically that I do not like reading.
I would much prefer to watch TV or a movie. I read to educate myself and to give myself the best chance at a brighter future.
So with no more delay, here is my list of books that deserve a place on your bookshelf:
- Atlas Shrugged
- Unlimited Power
- Jurassic Park
- He Who Thinks He Can
- Lessons of History
- Animal Farm
- The Magic Of Thinking Big
- Master Of The Game
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad
- Harry Potter (the entire series)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- The Ultimate Gift
- The Last Lecture
- How To Win Friends And Influence People
- Watchmen (comic)
- Conversations With Millionaires
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
- See You At The Top
- Life’s Golden Ticket
- Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
- iSucceed (oops, how did this get here? – lol)
These books cover a wide range of topics from business, history, relationships, life, and mystery and are a great place to start. Don’t let the length of a few of these books turn you off, I assure you they are all well worth reading.
And considering that these books are under $25 you’re getting the deal of the century.
As for my blatant advertising, my apologies but I do believe that it’s a great book for anyone looking to make some changes in their life to start with. I designed it for people who don’t like reading, but at the same time filled it with information from some of the best books out there along with a few of my own stories.
I always hated reading books at school, I just couldn’t see how they were relevant to my life.
Romeo And Juliet, Kiss Of The Spiderwoman, The Outsider and Waiting For Godot may be classics, but they bored me and I believe the reason that many students learn to dislike reading and learning.
Reading can be a joy, all you need is the right book.
And trust me, there is a book out there that can, and will, change your life…if you read it.
Why not start your search today?
Adrian Shepherd