the people you meet and the books you read.” (Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones)
Books… oh books… precious books represent the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of the ages, available from as low as 50 cents (2ndhand book shops) to Ringgits Malaysia. Books preserve the greatest thoughts, the greatest ideas, and the greatest insights of the human experience. Roy L. Smith said, “A good book contains more wealth than a good bank.” Reading a good book puts one in touch with an author the reader may never have a change to meet in person, either because of distance or time. Reading a book, in my imagination, is like you’re setting a special time to have a date with the author and said to him or her; ‘talk to me, I’m listening’, so you read, listen and think. “If other people’s experience is the best teacher” writes Chris Brady, “books are the best transmitter of that experience.”
Jim Rohm, one of my favorite motivational speakers, observes, “If you read a book a week, in a year you’ll have read 52 books. In ten years 520 books. You’ll be in the top 1% of your field. You’ll be more motivated, better educated; you’ll become the leader in your field.” Well, I’m not sure about the 1% thing (could be more I guess), but one thing for sure is that I agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson when he wrote, “Many times the reading of a book had made the future of a man.”
Now, never assume that what I mean by reading good books is all for entertainment. No doubt there is an entertainment value to reading. But when I write of reading good books, I’m not referring to novels and ‘read in one sitting’ type of books (F.Y.I. I read novel once per 2-3 months for leisure purposes. There is nothing wrong with it). But mostly, especially I’m referring to books that have the effect to stimulate our mind to think. These kinds of books I called ‘good books’. A.W. Tozer, an evangelist and writer, said, “The best book is the one that sets us off on a train of thought that carries us far away from far beyond the book itself.” Our reading should not just be for entertainment, but should catalyze us to growth in our minds and persons. Orrin Woodward summaries it well, “Reading should lead to better thoughts, which in turn lead to better actions, which then lead to better habits, which then produce better results, which then produce better future.”
Reading book, in my opinion, is the primary ways for our personal growth and in leadership. That’s why I offer at least 3 books for free every month (in this blog) because I want others to get all the benefits (as I mention earlier on) from reading good books. I desire others to make reading their habit for life. Trust me, it will benefits you personal and bless others as well when you share your lessons from books that you read. Mark Twain boldly writes this truthful, smack-to-the-face fact: “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”
May you’ll be encouraged to pick up good books today…
and makes reading a habit for life.
May you’ll be encouraged to pick up good books today…
and makes reading a habit for life.
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References:
Most of quotes I quoted are from Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes: Wit and Wisdom for all Occasions. Copyright © 1997 by the Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.
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