It’s safe to say that many of us are familiar with the line, “If you build it, he will come”, from the 1989 film Field of Dreams. Although we're not talking about baseball diamonds and shoeless Joe Jackson, the same principle can be applied to setting goals. Except the line would read more like this, “If you write them, they will happen”. That has been my experience and it seems that I’m not alone.
It's never too late to start writing your goals down
This is my second year of tracking the books I read and now I am hooked. Keeping a list actually encourages me to read more. And it adds a feeling of accomplishment to something I was doing anyway. Keep in mind that quantity is not nearly as important as setting a goal and following through. One book per year in a category you don’t usually read is a great place to start. But then again, so is one book per year. Here is a list of good books
Business and Non-Fiction
- The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander by: Pete Blaber. A great read and very informative with salient points that can apply to business, too. Manly yes, but I liked it.
- Outliers: The Story of Success by: Malcolm Gladwell. Fantastic and must read. I listened to this one in my car. He is brilliant and the information is very useful.
- Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story by: Peter Guber. This guy makes an art out of name dropping but it is actually a good higher-level sales book. Key points: Know your audience and tell a great story.
- Poke the Box by: Seth Godin. Easy, quick read about taking initiative and risks.
Inspiration and Self-Help
- Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life by: Byron Katie. I picked this up for my coaching practice and ended up really getting into it. Includes a priceless psychological strategy to use every day.
- A Course In Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever by: Marianne Williamson. Wow. Forget the title and do the exercises in this book if you want a shift in your life.
- What You Must Know About Women’s Hormones: Your Guide to Natural Hormone Treatments for PMS, Menopause, Osteoporosis, PCOS, and More by: Pamela Wartian Smith, M.D. Hey, it’s my age group! But there was so much conflicting information I wanted to read from the expert with the latest research. Excellent resource.
- Getting Into The Vortex: Guided Meditations CD and User Guide by: Esther Hicks, Jerry Hicks. I simply cannot meditate on my own so in accepting this fact I tried a variety and I like this one the best. It is a bit new-age focused and it works like a charm for me.
Fiction
- The Help by: Kathryn Stockett. One of the best books I have read. Excellent.
- Bel Ami by: Guy de Maupassant. Tale of a social scoundrel in the 1800s. Saucy good read.