7.26.16

There have been several books that have inspired me over the years to dig deeper into myself and self-reflect. I’ll be the first to admit my attention wanders and it’s a fight to start and finish books in a reasonable amount of time. Hell, it’s hard for me to sit down and stay still in general. That’s why I have a few books that work well for me in the sense that I can pick them up in spurts and digest the content over and over again in short doses. Think elixir shots instead of downing the entire bottle at once and getting sick from the proverbial overdose of info. They’ve become manuals for me and I think they are classics for those seeking a world of more imagination, organization and determination. They’ve brought me comfort at times and given me some guidelines when I was lost. You could say they are my friends and I want to share them with you. Who knows…maybe you’ll find some of the same things and add them to your collection.

 

 

As A Man Thinketh

By James Allen

 

This book was originally published in 1903 and possesses more quotes to pull from than any other book I’ve read. It’s short, sweet and to the point. My copy is pocket-sized, something I like to tuck away and pull out when I need a little extra motivation. Here are two of my favorite passages:

 

“Cherish your visions. Cherish your ideals. Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment, of these, if you but remain true to them your world will at last be built.”

 

“Circumstance does not make the man, it reveals him to himself.”

 

 

Catching The Big Fish

By David Lynch

 

When most people think of David Lynch, they think of artful and often dark films. He is a cult legend amongst those familiar with his work like The Elephant Man, Eraserhead and Twin Peaks. This book, however, is flowing with positive notes of focus and goal setting through meditation; it’s fantastic. As the title suggests, it’s all about catching the ‘big’ one, or in other words, the big dream. Here’s the quote that caught me:

 

“Little fish swim on the surface, but the big ones swim down below. If you can expand the container you’re fishing in—your consciousness—you can catch bigger fish.”

 

 

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

By Steven R. Covey

 

The word ‘Covey’ provokes an immediate thought of organizing things. He was one of the minds behind the Day Timer planner back in the day but if you are any younger than me, you probably don’t remember this. It’s sufficient to say that Covey’s classic Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is one of the best books about how to keep it all together.

 

Here is a quick recap of the seven habits, but you’ll need to dig into this one because the success of the habits is in the details.

 

Habit 1: Be Proactive

 

Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind

 

Habit 3: Put First Things First

 

Habit 4: Think Win/Win

 

Habit 5: Seek First To Understand, Then To Be Understood

 

Habit 6: Synergize

 

Habit 7: Sharpen The Saw