I write because I love sharing my thoughts with others. I’ve always loved helping people enjoy life that little bit more. Whether it’s sharing a joke with them or just introducing them to a good restaurant, I want people to know I really do care about them.
One thing I have always known is that we can only share with others what we know. That’s why I focus on constantly improving myself, so that I can offer better advice.
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My mentor, Jim Rohn, used to say this – “If you care at all, you will get some results. If you can enough you can get incredible results.” One thing I have always known is that we can only share with others what we know. That’s why I focus on constantly improving myself, so that I can offer better advice. Here on The Good Men Project, I’m focused on how we men can be better fathers, husbands, and friends.
That doesn’t mean I’m perfect. Far from it. I’ve made my fair share of mistakes with relationships, in business and with money. However, if you’ve ever met me you’ll know I’m always studying something because I want to get better. I studied magic for a year and half, two hours a day. I studied finance for an hour a day for over five years. I spent well over 10,000 hours studying personal development and time management which led me to writing my first book, iSucceed, and create the simplest time management program on the market, the One-Bite Time Management System endorsed by Brian Tracy, Sohail Khan and many others. And ever since I became a father, I’ve worked on being a better father.
I have so much to share, but today I wanted to share with you 11 books that have had some of the biggest impact on my life and how they changed me in hopes that you might pick up one or two yourself.
1| Atlas Shrugged
Just looking at this book is intimidating. At 1192 pages, it sat on my desk for over a year before I had the courage to start reading it. The first hundred pages will have you wondering why you’re even bothering and then things start to get interesting. It’s so much more than a novel. If you’re wondering how much this book affected me, I keep a copy of it in my safety deposit box. That’s how valuable I feel this book is. 10/10
2| The Lessons Of History
In my humble opinion, page for page, this is the best book on history ever written. At only a 100 or so pages, this book will make you see history in a whole new light. While only an overview of history, you can’t help but come away from it with a newfound respect for history and the importance of studying it. 10/10
3|Rich Dad, Poor Dad
For anyone who has ever hated their job, or just wonders if there is another way. Robert Kiyosaki has written the book for you. So many entrepreneurs I know start with this book. It’s also one of the books Will Smith had his son, Jaden, read at the age of ten. An easy read that will definitely make you look at business differently. 10/10
4| Awaken The Giant Within
Definitely not a book you want to start with, but Tony Robbins put so much into this book making its price tag of $11.98 a real steal. A single chapter in this book is worth that alone. Personally, I think he should have broken this book down into three smaller books, but I’m not complaining. 9.5/10
5| The Ultimate Gift
A fictional story about a man who inherits a gift from his grandfather. He is sent on a journey of discovery, having to answer the ultimate question: “What is the relationship between wealth and happiness.” A nice light read that any fast reader can be done in a few hours.9.5/10
6| Animal Farm
A classic and rightfully so. In my opinion it should be mandatory reading for all high school students. It was the first book that had me enthralled. Short enough that it can be read in a few hours or a week if you take it slow. This book will explain life so succinctly. 10/10
7| The Compound Effect
A great read for anyone looking to achieve more in life. Darren Hardy takes a simple concept and expands upon it, making it clear that we can do so much more if we just apply it. 9.5/10
8| Rich Woman
Very similar to Rich Dad, Poor Dad and not surprisingly as it was written by Kim Kiyosaki, the wife of Robert Kiyosaki. While this book was written for women, there are some great insights in it and men will get a lot out of it as well. 9.5/10
9| #AskGaryVee
I could have just as well chosen Gary Vaynerchuk’s first book Crush It, or his most recent book, Crushing It, but I found this book full of great information to help anyone looking to build a business or how to take advantage of the tools we have at our disposal today. 9.5/10
10| The 4-Hour Work Week
One of the most influential business books of the last decade. It has given people ideas on how to approach business in the digital age. Full of tips and resources, this book is a must-read for the millennial generation and anyone looking to get more done with their life. 9.5/10
11| How To Win Friends And Influence People
“An oldie, but a goodie” as my father would say. It’s a book that has had such a great effect on so many people over the years. The advice is sound and applied properly can transform any business or marriage. Definitely a book you’ll want to have in your library. 9.5/10
Photo by Andrea Donato Alemanno