Confession time…
I’m really a nerd trapped in a strongman’s body.
I read voraciously, and when I do, I use a pen to underline important passages (no pocket protector for that pen…YET). I read many things twice, even three times. And once in a blue sunrise, I come across something that inspires me to read it over and over again.
These 4 books are like that. I’ve read each of them at least five times.
This year, I shalt devour them once more.
To make a short story long, here they are:
1. Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. First published in 1937, it’s the best-selling personal development book of all time AND tops the reading list for most of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs.
But don’t be mistaken, this is not simply a book about how to get rich. Andrew Carnegie hired Napoleon Hill to interview and stalk crazy successful humans like Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Theodore Roosevelt, to discover their methods and deliver the ultimate success philosophy.
What’d I tell ya? That’s all kinds of cool.
(P.S. Lately I’ve developed a preference for his later work, Grow Rich With Peace of Mind. It’s more concise and is straight-up stacked with wisdom.)
2. The Magic of Believing by Claude M. Bristol. Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others, has credited this book with changing his life. And behold, the little Austrian boy has done okay for himself.
It’s sort of vomited onto the page with little direction in terms of chapter subheadings, but it’s filled from cover to cover with amazing stories that illustrate its core principles.
Truly an eye-opening read.
3. Psycho Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz. Dr. Maltz was a plastic surgeon. He found that for most people, if you give them a facelift, a nose job, or remove a prominent scar, it would transform their entire personality. But in some cases, even when the surgery had been successful, the patient would fail to notice ANY improvement in their appearance.
This led him to posit the existence of a self-image as separate from what we see in the mirror…and that the key to change lies in altering this self-image.
Deep stuff.
4. The Complete Works of Florence Scovel Shinn. A contemporary of Napoleon Hill’s, she’s remarkable for being a woman in a field that – especially in the first half the 20th century – would have been uniquely male.
This one’s got a definite Christian bent (a lot of interpretation of the Bible), which might not be your cup of tea, but I still think it’s worth a mention. I’ve given it to non-Christians who loved it so much it became their Bible.
She writes with a joyful tone and makes you feel playful about life. It’s hard not to be charmed by her. Also, her affirmations are great in dealing with fears and anxieties, and have guided me through some tough, valley-of-the-shadow-of-death type places.
By the way, you’ll notice not one of these was published any later than 1960.
There’s a method to my madness.
I like principles that have stood the test of time.
Anywhoo, put these on the reading list for 2019, or don’t.
Whatever minces your mackerel.
Just know that each of the above has helped me big time.
For further inspiration – and for email creation – follow the yellow brick road here to get your no-fuss Free Brainstorm Call:
http://calendly.com/conorkel/emailincome
But don’t delay.
I’m already booking projects several weeks out and my calendar is filling up.
Happy Reading,
Conor Kelly