To my regular readers (small-medium size local business owners and managers) this post is a little off-topic from inbound and social media marketing. Or is it?
What pleasure this?
I’m into listening to others thinking. It helps shape my outlook and sharpens my focus – similar to how musical artists will tell you that so-and-so influenced their music.
Reading to think is different from pleasure reading, or study reading to gain knowledge. Like most, I read for a variety of reasons. Like last night after watching a particularly disturbing outcome of a football game (Bears 36 Vikings 30), I turned to reading True Compass by Edward M. Kennedy before going to bed. Some suggest reading non-business books a half-hour or so before sleep helps you to unwind and relaxes your mind. Well, maybe not after last night.
Thinking-Reading
But the kind of reading I like the best is the kind that doesn’t lull me to sleep – it’s the kind that stimulates my thinking. I call it “thinking-reading.” Early mornings turns out to work best for me. With a cup of coffee around 5:00 AM I sit down to read – and think. My diet the past year or so has been Robin Sharma’s Greatness Guides. I’m on book 2, chapter 82. Each book has 101 insights to help you lead your best personal and professional life. I take my time with these. Each chapter is 1-2 pages long, but full of concepts, insights and examples that really make you stop and think. I keep a journal of the key thoughts and actions I pick up from these morning sessions. This kind of holy hour leads to planning and goal setting. It often leads to idea generation and new things to experiment with. And, it helps me focus on what’s important.
Embracing Big Ideas
One of the big ideas from my thinking-reading and Sharma that has shaped me directionally this past year is this: better awareness leads to better choices which in turn leads to better results. I’ve got a long way to go on this journey, but by just being more aware I’m learning how to make the best decisions. But now, with less than 20 chapters to go, I’m nearly done with The Greatness Guide Book 2 and have been looking for something new to take on for my thinking-reading time. It looks like just the thing has shown up in my inbox.
What Matters Now…
is the title of a free eBook I received from Seth Godin. Not that Seth heard my plight, singled me out and shot me an email with a free eBook download. More like he posted it on his blog and through my email subscription I downloaded it. Godin, the idea spreader wants the big ideas by big thinkers (over 70 of them) in What Matters Now to be freely shared and spread from person to person – thinker to thinker. Why? Well as the eBook says on page 1: “Big thoughts and small actions make a difference.”
I hope you too will download What Matters Now and that you’ll give it a read. That you’ll take some time with it. May I suggest you take it one page, one central word, one thought at a time. Perusing the pages I see topics on well-known words like Generosity, Dignity, Vision and Tough-Mindedness. But there’s also big thoughts on lesser-known or unexpected words like Neoteny, Poker, 1% and Dumb. I dare you to read-think this eBook. Maybe not as early as 5:00 AM, but find some quiet time, give it a shot. Make a plan to take it on. See what it does to your awareness about the choices and the actions you’ll take in the year ahead to make a difference.
Go to Seth Godin’s blog article to download the What Matters Now free eBook.
Or, click here to immediately download your copy of the What Matters Now free eBook.
Your Business Persona
Who you are as a person and in business is undoubtedly linked to the thoughts that shape and guide you forward. What are some of your big thoughts for the road ahead?
