“The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.” - Mark Twain
Greetings Blog Family,
You must read. Reading can build your culture, refinement, and understanding. These things are essential to being a great person, blogger, or business owner. Yes, if you don’t read, then you may as well not be able to. This is a true statement.
We are not talking about reading street signs, applications, or the alphanumerics of ESPN or WE network. We are talking about the reading of a research project, case study, a novel. We are talking about the reading that stretches you. That makes you want to reach for more. The reading that makes you want to reach for more. The reading that makes you a better person. Reading that provides fulfillment and makes you a better person.
Doesn’t that sound exciting?
Everyone has their own reasons, but the point is if you are not reading in this matter, you may as well not be able to. It is like having a treadmill in your home and not using it. Having a Ballys membership and not going…just paying the monthly fee for nothing. (I will admit it. I am guilty of this at times.)
Reading Fills, Feeds, and Frees
1) Fills Your Gaps - Your understanding is based on your experiences and people you have in your life. This ranges from parents, friends, superiors at work to teachers and all the experiences between. Reading plugs those gaps and gives you the opportunity to further mold yourself. You even have a choice in what you read providing input into your growth and development.
If your desire is to be a full time blogger and don’t understand community building or traffic generation, you don’t have to remain ignorant. You can pick up a book or even an ebook and learn some basics. But the bottom line is reading. Read to learn something that will make you better
2) Feeds Your Urge - Inside of every human is an innate desire to learn, grow, and progress. When you get to your quiet space and are honest with yourself, you will admit that you have this urge. Everyone does. It is great in my opinion. It has lead to all of the worlds great innovations. That urge to do, be, and know more. It is inside of all of us.
Reading feeds this urge because it makes you a better person. I am not a big fiction reader myself, but I can appreciate what it does to your imagination, sense of wonderment, and the feelings that it can evoke. It can be really outstanding. My wife is a fiction reader and she enjoys it very much.
My preference is nonfiction. I love to set a goal and acquire the necessary knowledge I will need to be successful in that endeavor. This can be a course, lesson, biography, a reference manual, magazine, website, case study, anything. I want to read for learning and growth. Reading feeds my urge.
3) Frees Your Potential - We all have an incredible potential to be successful in our chosen fields. But the truth is the one that knows and implements the best, will be the most successful. This is just the truth. Reading within your field will make you better and more likely to advance and succeed. That is undeniable . Free your potential!
Are you ready to accept a challenge?
I challenge you to change your life and ready 1 book a month for the next six months. Any book you like. It will make you a better person, a better blogger, and more informed. Are you up for it?
Reading = FeedingTheCrave ! ! book a month for 6 months… i’ll take you up on that challenge man… watch out for the posts.
eric tans last blog post..If I Win LinkersBlog’s Case Study Contest You Win Too
Looks like a challenge from Eric!
Good post mate. I really enjoy reading now, but I hate it for so long before I eventually found out that what I really like reading was non-fiction books. Books about business, politics or whatever brings me some knowledge.
Now I have to get that book you suggested me the other day!
Ben Tremblays last blog post..frogstr show: Comment outside your niche!
Freddie,
I accept your challenge and raise you a book a month.
I currently read a book a month mostly fiction and fantasy novels but all worth reading. Let me know what you are reading and maybe we can have a hood book club. I would love to use mybookdb as a review site. hint hint.
Adam
Adam – Creadivs last blog post..How To Make Money By Creating WordPress Themes: Part 1
Yeaaaah boyeeeeee, good job TaylorMade! I’m with you on that, you know what I’ve been on man. I didn’t used to like reading so much…not books anyway. I read trade mags and stuff…but recently been getting into books, mostly non fiction…and it’s life changing.
My goal is one “skill” book and one “self help” book a month….of course I plan to increase that…and a book can also mean a course, seminar, etc.
Thanks man…
I’ll try to do at minimum 1 book a month…but my urge is for more!
Normal Joes last blog post..Transform Your Thinking-If You Had THIS You’d Be Successful
I’m a bookworm, so the challenge for me would be to ready ONLY 1 book a month.
Reading definitely puts new ideas into your mind, and gives you a new perspective on things if you can really get into the characters of a good book.
~ Kristi
Kikolani | Poetry, Photography, Blogging Tipss last blog post..Haiku Poems: How to Guide, Examples, and a Contest
@ Eric – Reading definitely feeds the crave! Sweet, way to take the challenge and I look forward to the post!
@ Ben – Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, reading is a joy for me when I am learning something as well. The book was the “E-Myth” by Michael Gerber. Awesome Book! One day I will be smart when I mention stuff to have my affiliate link ready.
@ Adam – Raise another book! No way! I will be doing good to get my one in. LOL! I like the idea of the review site. I have it in my mind to do the same or something similar.
@ Normal Joe – You got to FEED THE URGE, son! So if it wants more, give it more, but I will be following up on you that are taking the challenge. I know you been on it and you are right, it is life changing. Good stuff, keep sharing it with us!
@ WordVixen – With a name like WordVixen, could you be anything else?
@ Kikolani – Reading take take you places radio and tv cannot, inside your own imagination. It is awesome and I am glad you enjoyed it. Are you ever going to write a book? Just seem to strike me as the creative type that might be interested.
@ Adam: Hood book club, you say? Sounds like a plan!
@ Joe: LOL @ Taylormade. I like that!
@ Freddie: I am game for the challenge, but I tend to read about 3 books a month as it is. Does this mean I must read 4??? It does sound like a lot of reading, but I spend a couple of hours a day on trains commuting to and from work – this is perfect reading time!
What do I read? Well I try and mix it up. I don’t like to read to much fiction and I do read at least one book a month that pertains to my online work. Fiction wise, I am cracking through the entire Harry Bosch Collection, by Michael Connelly. Awesome, easy reading
Last month:
Startup – By Jerry Kaplan
Anyone Can Do It – The Coffee Republic Story
Angels Flight – Michael Connelly
This Month:
Lost Light – Michael Connelly (currently reading)
The Overlook – Michael Connelly
Search Engine Optimization: An Hour A Day
Great Post and once again, Balboa style motivation!
First in the mind, then in reality
Nota Bene Consultings last blog post..Make $400k In Four Months
i love this quote of Mark Twain, really very wise words.
I enjoy reading, but the problem is that reading a book takes up so many hours, and in that time there are so many things which can be done. But i make it must to read atleast one good book each month.
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I want to publish my poetry one day, as I have a lot that I haven’t posted anywhere online. I’m not sure about a full novel, but I have also wanted to write short stories. So maybe.
~ Kristi
Kikolani | Poetry, Photography, Blogging Tipss last blog post..Rays of Sunlight
I love reading as much as I love buying books! There are few stores that I am excited to go to and I think the book store is the highest. Except I never night a non-fiction book. Intact all of the books I have bought in the last 3 months were all on spirituality, world philosophy and religion. I picked the most notable book for most cultures. My favorite is the I Ching
WynterJoness last blog post..Look before you Flip! 5 rules for buying websites.
@ Nota – Neal, you are a monster reader. 3 to 4 books a month? Wow! No wonder you are having the type of success you are. You are way ahead of the average person that don’t ready 1 to 2 books a year. I got to step my game up!
@ Salwa – You sound like you may be a slow reader like myself. It is an handicap that I have had to live with. But we must press through that and continue reading. At the very least, start listening to books on audio. You can get the same information in less time. I do this as well.
@ Kikolani – Go for it! I figured that you were into some type of writing. A book of poetry is definitely possible. And the online world makes publishing easy. Let me know if you pursue this option, I would love to read it!
@ Wynter – Wow! I haven’t read the I Ching yet, but have learned a little bit about it and it seems very interesting. You seem like you are making every effort to be a well rounded person and understand various religions and people’s cultures. That is an excellent goal. Keep pushing and you will gain more understanding.