Shelf-Help Books
I have a weakness. I'm a compulsive book buyer but a slow book reader.
I made a New Years Resolution at the beginning of this year: I'm not going to buy anymore developmental (don't really care for the term "self-help") books until I've read the ones I have. Problem is I have way too many to read in a year. Right now, I'm reading QBQ by John G. Miller, and yes, putting it to work as well. After all, there's not much point in reading a developmental book if you're not going to develop. Here is a somewhat exhaustive list of what I have. Perhaps those who are familiar with these books may suggest where to go after I finish QBQ.
I Want to Change...So Help Me God
7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Thou Shall Prosper
Power Reading
The Memory Book
EQ
Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People
Negotiating Salary
Never Eat Alone
Failing Forward
Thinking For a Change
Running With Giants
Go for Gold
The Winning Attitude
25 Ways to Win with People
The Art of Public Speaking
The Leader within You
Be a People Person
21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
Leadership Gold
Winning With People
The 360 [Degree] Leader
And this is not even an exhaustive list. For the record, I do own and have twice read 48 Days to the Work You Love. :-) This list does not include books pertaining to the career field I'm in nor books pertaining to the career field I'm wanting to go into.
I call these books Shelf-Help books because they are already on my shelf. I think I'm probably not alone here. There are probably a great many of us who head to the local bookseller in hopes of getting the revolutionary new title which will inspire us when all it's likely to do is join the ranks of many others we already own and have not read. I've decided not to go looking for help at the bookstore anymore until I've taken advantage of the help I already have on my shelf.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Reid Wilson on -
I think everyone should read "7 Habits" and "Thou Shall Prosper".
Here's part of a blog post I wrote a couple years ago on "Thou Shall Prosper" that gives the main idea of the book:
... “Thou Shall Prosper”. It’s by a Jewish Rabbi who discusses why, based on their world view, the Jewish people have historically done well financially.
A main idea in the book is that money made is a natural result of service to others given, in the idea of “I’ll give you my money if you do something for me that makes me better off.” Consequently, someone who isn’t making much money typically isn’t serving others well, in the sense of “value added”.
A metaphor the author uses is, “A dollar in your pocket is a certificate of appreciation that someone has given you for what you have done for them.”
Of course, there are major exceptions, such as missionaries in other parts of the world who are serving God through trying to serve the people there, and there are non-profits here that try to serve poor local populations, and kids’ allowances are given for other reasons, and governmental assistance, but 90% of the time in a free market economy, people make their money through serving others, either directly (e.g. Quintify and other small businesses) or indirectly (e..g. serving your boss while working for a large company that in turn serves a whole lot of people).
So in a sense, saying “I don’t want to make a lot of money” can mean “I don’t want to work harder or smarter and in so doing serve a lot more people.”
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Permalink Reply by Lee Smith, ND on -
I'm reading the 21 Irref. by Maxwell right now, and probably need to finish it because it's been a current read for too long.
Probvably the Seven Habits is a good place to start because it will set you up for success, if you divide reading into a way of sharpening the saw.
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