Over the last few years I’ve read a lot and explored a lot (this blog is a testament to that). I’ve come across a lot of ideas and gotten excited about a lot of things that have come and gone. Some have stuck. These are the ones that have stuck.
Passive income is the only real way to make money. If you’re working and making X dollars for X hours of work then it’s not passive and it’s not ever going to get you rich. Principal proponent of this idea: Robert Kiyosak in Rich Dad, Poor Dad.
For business there is nothing like a good system. If your business depends entirely on you or if it can’t be duplicated and run without you then it’s not a business, it’s a JOB. Principal proponent of this idea: Michael Gerber in The E-Myth Revisited.
There is no reason to get rich unless you have a reason to get rich. Having a reason to get rich is a lot harder than it seems. Principal Proponent of this idea: Stephen R. Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Time is the most valuable thing you have and you can’t allow anyone to steal it from you. Ever. Pareto’s Principal and Parkinson’s law are two of the most important time management concepts ever. Principal proponent of this idea: Timothy Ferris in The 4-Hour Work Week.
The 4-Hour Work Week is also a great book for reaffirming that you can do just about anything. Why not? Why put it off? I’ve lived in Montevideo, Uruguay for the last 7 months, why? Because one day we decided to move here for an adventure. Here we are, loving every minute of it.
Minor lifestyle changes cause major financial changes. You will never be rich if you change your way of life every time you begin to earn more. Principal proponent of this idea: Thomas J. Stanley in The Millionaire Next Door.
If you don’t get “it” out of your head and on paper your mind will never let you stop thinking about “it” and you’ll never get anything done. Principal proponent of this idea: David Allen in Getting Things Done.
For me these books are essentials. They’re books I am thankful to have been introduced to and recommend to anyone who wants more from life than climbing the corporate ladder.
5 replies on “Defining Books”
I read Robert Kiyosak’s book in one sitting this summer and returned it the following day, in part because I felt some inconsistency in his ventures and rich dad story…however, he does stress some important principles I need to apply in my life which I walked away from with some gratefulness.
mmm- he looks creepy next to Donald Trump in his other books.
Art – good to hear from you… It’s funny how much I’d change this list after just a couple months. That having been said – I still think each of these books has a lot of value. I think Kiyosaki would readily admit some inconsistency with his own ventures and his philosophy, but I still think the principles are right on. I agree with you on the Trump comment though–I think Kiyosaki should have avoided him altogether.
Marcus, how about Bit Literacy, a much simpler book about productivity (and clearing the e-mail inbox)?
I’m biased, I guess, because I wrote it… 🙂
Mark,
Good to hear from you. At first I thought it must be a huge coincidence that you contacted me on the same day I found your website… then I realized I delicioused it and it shows up on my sidebar which then must have shown up in your referring traffic etc. etc. Anyway. Good to hear from you.
Even though I only wrote this list a few months ago, if I wrote it again today it’d be almost 100% different. GTD would probably still make the cut though, which makes me interested in your book. If you feel you’ve got something better/simpler, I’ll read it. Any chance of buying it in audio or pdf? Living a somewhat nomadic lifestyle lately makes me want to keep things digital as much as possible.
The E-Myth Revisited is an important read for inspiring entrepreneurs if for no other reason than to keep you on track with doing what’s important for your business. Specifically making sure that you are always working on your business.
The overall message of this book is for small business owners to have systems and processes in place for their business. The main model that Michael Gerber uses is the franchise model that ensures that companies like McDonald’s can operate anywhere in the country and still provide the same level of service to their respective communities.