If you do social media at all you have seen someone ask you “what are the last 3 books you’ve read” or something to that affect. On Facebook it’s actually a part of your profile. When I go into someone’s office I’m always interested in the books that are on their desk that they are currently reading or in their bookcases that they have already read. More appropriate in our day and time is when I can see the books they’ve downloaded onto their Kindle. (By the way, my book Life Palette will be released on Kindle in the next few weeks!!! Yeah!) Why is it important to know what someone is reading or has read? Simple, because to a much greater degree than we realize we are what we read. How do I know that? The Bible tells us “we are what we think.” Knowing affects you thinking more than what you read.
Many people spend more time reading emails and texts now-a-day than they do books that will shape their lives as the masterpiece they were created to be. Books, like “The Bible”, or one of my favorites that I just recently re-read: Good to Great or one I re-read a few times a year because I spend my life as a communicator: How to Communicate for Life Change. Your list will be different according to your interest and your station in life. I also love to read books from other artist that will help me to grow as an artist. And of course I highly recommend my new book Life Palette to get you on the path of living life as the masterpiece God created you to be.
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Prioritize Your Reading
We all suffer from a lack of time. Yet reading a good personal growth book will change your life. I don’t run into many people who tell me they simply have so much time they don’t know what to do with it all. So how can you assure yourself that you are spending the little bit of time you have to read? Prioritize.
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Make it a priority to read things that will add the most value to your life first.
You may need to take an inventory: do you read the paper every morning and yet never feel you have time for the Bible? Do you check email before you give time to read a chapter in a book you have chosen for your personal growth plan? (You do have a personal growth plan right? After all you are a masterpiece and one of the things on your Life Palette to live fully and completely as the masterpiece God created you to be is a growth plan. My staff calls it an Individual Growth Plan – IGP) As you do this you may find that by eliminating things that you do not need to read you will have time to read a lot more of the things that will take your life to a new level of living.
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Ask others what they have read.
Not just anyone. Focus on people who you look up to or are further down the road in an area of life you want to grow in, any area: business, spiritual growth, communication, marriage, etc… You may not even know the person, email them and ask you will be surprised how much people who are more successful than you want to share and help you succeed.
Charlie “Tremendous” Jones said it best: “You’re the same today as you’ll be in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read.” I would say it this way, your life as a masterpiece will be the same in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read – so read!
Next Steps:
- Evaluated your reading habits – you may need to take a few days and journal when you read emails etc. and how much time?
- Choose a book to read that will help you develop yourself as God’s masterpiece.
