For the Love of Books

photo credit: Serge Kutuzov

Over the last sixteen(16) years I have developed and sustained my love affair with collecting and reading books. I must admit, most of the time was spent purchasing and collecting books rather than reading them. Interestingly or not so interestingly, most of my books were around 3 particular genres, spiritual growth, personal development and business(big picture, strategy productivity, leadership, marketing and presentations) development.

The books that I have read in the past, have had a tremendous impact on my life, and for 2018, I will challenge  myself to actually track the number of books I will actually read. I will also expand my genre of books to include graphic novels, biography, health and young adults. The right book at the right moment can give all of us a critical advantage.

I will be attempting a 24 book challenge this year, selecting my books from the expanded list presented below.

Spiritual

  • She’s Still There by Chrystal Evans Hurst
  • The Resolution for Women by Pricilla Shirer
  • S.H.A.P.E. by Erik Rees
  • Only You Can Be You by Erik Rees
  • Blessing or Curse, You Can Chose by Derek Prince
  • Uninvited by Lysa Terkerst

Graphic Novel

  • Over Easy by Mimi Pond

Photo Credit: Daria Nepriakhina

Personal Development

  • Successful Women Speak Differently by Valorie Burton
  • Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown
  • Best Year Ever by Micheal Hyatt
  • Do Over by Jon Acuff
  • Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson

Big Picture

Books to shift how I think about approaching my start up business.

  • Good to Great by Jim Collins
  • The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
  • StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath

Strategy

When we are developing a business, it’s easy to forget about working on the business.

  • The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber
  • Focus by Al Ries
  • Insanely Simple by Ken Segall
  • Poke the Box by Seth Godin

Productivity

Personal and professional achievement are high values for me. That’s why I read a lot on the topic of productivity.

  • Essentialism by Greg McKeown
  • The One Thing by Gary Keller
  • The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr
  • Finish by Jon Acuff

Leadership

As a life coach and the leader of a start up business, leadership is more than a concept; it has to become my everyday experience.

  • Christian Coaching:Helping Others Turn Potential into Reality by Gary Collins
  • Lean In: Women, work and the will to lead by Neil Scoveil & Sherly Sandberg
  • Grit by Angela Duckworth
  • Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
  • 5 Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell
  • Start with Why by Simon Sinek
  • Visioneering by Andy Stanley
  • High Performance Habits by Brendan Burchard

Marketing

Developing a deep understanding of marketing concepts and keeping ahead of trends is critical to the success of any business in today’s environment.

  • Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout
  • Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
  • Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
  • Building A Story Brand Donald Miller
  • Tribes by Seth Godin

Presentations

Developing my presentation and public speaking skills are critical to the success of any business.

  • Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo

Relationships/Love & Marriage

  • The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

Autobiography

  • Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg

Biography

  • Martin Luther King Jr by Richard Reddie
  • Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
  • Biography of Maya Angelou by Tejvan Pettinger

Young Adult 

  • The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Health

  • Wake Up and Live by Kamila McDonald

 

Question(s):

Have you ever done a book challenge and do you believe reading is critical to you becoming significant person?

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