“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn
This week I wanted to share something a little different with you. If you like it, please let me know and I will make it a regular part of my posting. I am a pretty voracious reader and my times of highest productivity and accomplishment are highly correlated with the amount of time I set aside for reading and educating myself. Allow me to share what has caught my attention recently.
I was literally going to write a blog about the part luck plays in life because of my previous blog.
I had just finished reading Erik Larson’s book Dead Wake and was going to use the example of the Lusitania and how it left late because of a totally random occurrence of the Captain’s niece being unexpectedly stranded on the boat after the crew pulled up the gangplank and them needing to redock the ship. This chance occurrence had so many long-lasting ramifications besides the obvious tragic loss of life when it sank.
Then I went to read some recent posts by Morgan Housel. One of my favorite writers today who wrote a much better version than I can hope to write. So just go read his article!
James Clear’s 3-2-1 newsletter
As the blurb says “The most wisdom per word of any newsletter on the web.” I find it hard to disagree. His book Atomic Habits is also amazing.
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
If you don’t like reading rough language do not read this book. David Goggins is the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside Magazine to name him “The Fittest (Real) Man in America.”
He also swears in the book more than what is probably necessary. That does not keep this from being a book that is a testament to what a human being can achieve when they are focused and motivated. And you can tune out the voice in your head that feeds your fears and anxieties.
I have noticed that I have been more focused. I will push harder, particularly in workouts , after having read and thought about the book.
The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill
This is generally accepted as the most comprehensive biography of Winston Churchill. The 3 book set comes in at about 3000 pages, so I expect to be reading this over the course of months. But even part way through the first tome this storytelling is riveting to me as a history buff. I find Churchill and all the peaks and valleys of his life to be wildly fascinating. He is not a person without his flaws but he is one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.
If ever there was a person to teach the value of perseverance in the face of adversity, something I hold in high esteem, it is Mr. Churchill.
