Three books worth reading

I read a lot of books.

Some books are incredible, with countless gems in their pages but even in the worst of books I can usually find something that made them worth reading, even if it's just one thought-provoking passage.

In this post I'd like to mention three books I've read recently that I recommend you read. You'll have to find them yourselves as I won't be including links so you don't think I'm trying to sneak in some affiliate action.

I'd like to thank Mark for his book recommendation in his recent post that got me thinking about the books that have inspired me this year.

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1. Expert Secrets

Russell Brunson

You will probably have seen this book advertised on Facebook or other places across the Internet as the company that sells the book uses extremely aggressive marketing and has a strong affiliate program.

I have to be honest, I find the marketing and pushy up-sells distasteful and I do not like the 'Free book, just pay shipping and handling' vehicle that many entrepreneurs are using these days. The book is not free if the shipping and handling is more expensive than it should be.

Having said that, I think the book is awesome.

Everybody trying to make money online should read this book as it is full of thought-provoking ideas about how to sell any kind of product on the Internet.

Russell Brunson has been making money online for a number of years and he's become very good at it. He's created one of the most successful software service companies on the Internet and his marketing is certainly very effective.

I don't agree with many of the things he says in his book but there have been a huge number of moments when I've been reading that I've wished I had a pen handy.

That's why I'll be reading this book again when I've finished but with a paper and pen to hand.

How it will help you as a Wealthy Affiliate member

There are so many tips and explanations in this book that could become topics of discussion for your bootcamp websites. Obviously you can't just list content from the book but you can write about some of the ideas you have while reading the book.

People will be reading your bootcamp website because they want to make money online and writing posts about how to do that effectively will always be popular.

The book is not free, not matter how the sales pages try to package it but I do think it's worth the cost of the shipping and handling to get hold of it. Just remember to say no to all the up-sells if you order it. ;-)

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2. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen R. Covey

I've owned this book for years and I've read and re-read it many times, it really is that good and I am still a long, long way from mastering the methods and tools that are taught in its pages.

This book revolutionized my thinking when I re-read it six months ago, led me to make an action plan and got me back into WA and truly focused. Before then, I'd been coasting as a WA member and had been considering canceling my membership to save some money.

It's not a light read by any means but if read with an open mind (i.e. you're willing to admit that you suck and need to change as I did) then it can transform your life.

There are abridged versions of the book available if you don't want to read the full version but to be honest, I think you'd be missing out on some great contextual example stories and self-improvement tools that are only available in the complete book.

How it will help you as a Wealthy Affiliate member

If you're struggling to maintain your momentum with your Wealthy Affiliate sites, this book can help you.

If you're not sure where you're headed with your online business, this book can probably help you.

If you're a disorganized klutz like me, with serious procrastination issues and a lack of focus this book can definitely help you, assuming you remain focused enough to finish it. ;-)

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3. One-Minute Mindfulness

Simon Parke

This is a much 'lighter' book to read than the first two in this post.

If you've heard of mindfulness and you'd like to give it a try, the short chapters and thoughts in this book encourage you to return to the present moment and stay there.

Whatever you might think of mindfulness, this book is a lighthearted escape that, with its short passages, can be read for a momentary pick-me-up whenever time permits.

As an example, here's one of the passages from the book:

"Only a fool would be surprised when the shape of a sausage appears from a sausage machine. [...] In like manner our present comes shaped by our past. And what shape can the past create other than itself? So although our moments pretend to be fresh, they come to us stale - musty with the smell of old perceptions, feelings and intentions."

How it will help you as a Wealthy Affiliate member

Often our success is hampered by our previously-established views of how things work. It's hard to let go of the paradigm that we exchange time directly for money that the nine-to-five working environment is based upon.

This book encourages you to let go of views you've had in the past and see what is happening to you right now as an experience in and of itself that should not be shaped by what has gone before.

This is especially true of our efforts here at Wealthy Affiliate. You are building a business that will begin to pay you months beyond your efforts now - this is a strange concept for many and you have to live in the moment, enjoy writing the content and have faith it will bear fruit.

I love the short passages in this book, the gentle writing style and the positive encouragement in each page that serves to remind me that what I'm doing now is what matters.

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Summary

One piece of advice somebody once gave me was that to succeed as an entrepreneur I should never stop reading. Every book has something to offer, even if it's as an example of how not to do things.

These aren't the only books I've read in the last year but they've certainly had the most impact in my life.

What about you, are there any books you'd recommend for WA members? Please leave a comment below if there are.