What are You Reading

Today, I’m going to share 8 lessons I learned from books I’ve read over the years.

Books can take you from wherever you are and allow you to see the world from the perspective of the author. You can learn things that took an author a lifetime to learn in hours just by reading their books.

These books helped me learn faster, master my talents, and ultimately make better decisions.

Finish

I’ve started a lot of things that I haven’t finished like options trading or learning advanced google analytics.

We have a 92% chance of failing to reach our goals. The number one reason why we don’t isn’t that we aren’t motivated or aren’t trying hard enough. It’s because we don’t make reaching our goals fun.

This book gives actionable advice on what to do the day after you stopped following your diet, how scary goals can keep you from achieving them, (despite what the people on YouTube say) and why perfectionism is killing your goals.

Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done

The Four-Hour Books

School is supposed to be about learning but for some reason, it never got around to teaching students how to learn so we could pick up new skills faster.

The four hour work week is about using your time intentionally. Instead of waiting until you’re physically at your worst to retire and enjoy life, there’s no reason not to save money to enjoy mini-retirements before you turn 65.

The Four Hour Body is a lazy person’s guide to make you bigger, stronger, leaner, and faster. There’s no super complicated formulas about counting calories or meat-only diets just weight loss (or gain) doing as little as possible that gets the biggest results.

The four-hour Chef might be the best and most actionable four-hour book. The first chapters break down learning new skills fast along with quickly teaching the principles of cooking in a way that makes it harder to fail.

The 4-Hour Workweek

The 4 Hour Body

The 4-Hour Chef

Rich Dad Poor Dad

What have your parents taught you about money? Most American parents never really pass any valuable lessons about money on to their kids. Most people never take it upon themselves to educate themselves about personal finance. This book discusses what the rich teach their kids about making money work for them instead of working for the next paycheck.

Rich Dad Poor Dad

Strengths Finder 2.0

If you aren’t great at something maybe we should work hard to get good at it.

Maybe not.

This book (& test) should take you about an hour to fully understand what you’re good at so you can best choose your life & career based on what you’re good at.

StrengthsFinder 2.0

ABC’s of Making Money for Teens

I originally was gifted this book while mowing lawns for my parent’s coworkers on the weekends. This book is made for kids but some of the lessons including attitudes & behaviors saving and making money.

Money is something adults use every day of their lives but according to the book, they aren’t taught much about money besides getting a good job so they can earn a large paycheck.

I learned that money is a tool that we can use to have fun if we’re responsible with it. I learned the time-value of money which is knowing the sooner you save & invest, over time is going to compound.

The ABCs of Making Money For Teens: 3 Easy Steps To Freedom

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Before you can lead others you must be able to lead yourself. I learned how to communicate with others to get more done in my personal, professional, & family life.

These habits should move us from independence to interdependence, which is cooperating with others to reach a goal that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The first half of this book talks about your personal responsibility to make sure you end up where you want in life by making sure you spend time doing things daily that will help you achieve your long-term goals.

The second half of the book is all about communication and working with others to achieve a common goal. In times of conflict be the first to try to understand all sides of the situation instead of trying to just be heard.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Will it Fly

Even though this book is about validating business ideas so you don’t waste time and money on something that won’t work, the early chapters are about understanding your reason behind why you need to succeed. Along with that, it helps you find your “unfair advantage” that makes you unique.

Will It Fly? How to Test Your Next Business Idea So You Don’t Waste Your Time and Money

Essentialism

Most time management books talk about cramming more things into your hours. Essentialism is about doing the right things and only those things. I learned the importance of making the wisest possible investment with my time in order to operate at my highest point of contribution.