Start Building Your Library
I am not into things. I rarely buy clothes. I probably do a major purchase once a year for a marriage or an interview. I don't own a ton of gadgets. I have what I need to use. It's just that material things do not pull at me. I need them and I do enjoy them but when I think of investing my largess buying sixty pairs of Air Jordan's doesn't appeal to me. I spend money on information, knowledge, and wisdom. I found that the more I invest in these three things, the more opportunities, people and money come my way. I have an underlying desire to be strong in these areas because of an assumed connection between learning and life success. The best way I have optimized and preserved my ability to learn is by building a library. I have a collection of well over a 100 books: some I have read, other I will read or may never read. Many of the books have contributed to my spiritual, personal and professional development. These books have helped to shape and build quasars of creativity within my soul and are immeasurable in their benefit in my life. They have been with me for good part of my life and hopefully will remain. My advice is to start now and start small. Start by focusing on the books that have personal value and move on to books that impact your worldview and help to cultivate a philosophy about life. Here are a few of mine: The Bible: The single most important book in my life. I am follower of Jesus and this book lays a roadmap to becoming like Him. I have different versions in print and in my phone. Always a go to book in times of wonder and awe and in times of confusion and anger. Crucial Confrontations: I have quoted and applied the principles of this book throughout my life. I have it accessible so I can reference or memorize a strategy or a technique to resolve conflict. I have been impressed with how we as human beings, with the right outlook and approach, can diffuse hostile situations at home, at work and in our lives. The Way Of The Superior Man: A great book for men to understand how to live a mission centered life. As men, living out of your mission provides the openness to experience life the way God intended. Tongue: A Creative Force: A small book by an Arkansas minister named Charles Capps changed my words, which changed my life. Learn to speak words of life and you will have life. Sacred Marriage: I was told that to read James Joyce's book Finnegan's Wake.you should rent a flat in Venice and spend your days eating pasta. After eating, read the book, take a nap and dream your way instead of reading your way through the book. Sacred Marriage is similar to Finnegan's Wake because your do not read it, you journey with it. You do not sit down and ingest the book in one setting. You read the book as you grow through life. Five pages here. Two chapters there. Letting every reading springboard you further down the road of life to a healthy a Christ centered marriage. I could name more. Maybe I will some other time. Enjoy building.
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