The Reading Habit

What do you do when you get hungry? Unless

circumstances prevent it, the answer is relatively simple—you
seek food. We are so faithful to that habit that we go through the
process over a thousand times each year of our life. When the
body is in need of food, it’s important to eat. The process is
essential for continued growth of body cells.
What is the point you ask? If you feed your body over
one thousand times each year, how many times per year do you
feed your mind? We often forget that our mind also needs its
own kind of nourishment. Providing nourishment for our brain
helps make the acquisition of food easier. In other words,
properly feeding the brain better enables us to earn money to pay
for food.
One of the best sources of food for the brain can be found
in books. How many books have you read in the last year?
Some people never read. Then they wonder why their position in
life is static. Other individuals read a book every few days.
What specifically should we read? My choice would be books
that provide life-changing information. Some call them self-help
or inspirational books.
Why read this particular type of book? Allow me to
share two stories to illustrate my point.
First, I will use myself as an example. I can tell you
exactly when my life began to change because of books.
The date s June 25, 1978; the book is Napoleon Hill’s classic,
Think and Grow Rich. I had just completed a three-day
“Successful Life” course conducted by Ed Forman, CPAE. It
was a high energy, fast moving program. As part of the closing
exercise, Ed gave each participant a copy of Hill’s book. He also
gave each of us a list of eleven other books. He strongly
encouraged everyone to read the book he had just given us. Then
he told us to pick a book from his list, purchase it, and continue
doing this until all twelve were read.
By reading the twelve books Ed suggested, my life
changed dramatically. These books provided a motivating
message and hooked me on the reading habit. Their powerful
messages became the keys that opened the doors to a new
direction for my life. I changed my outlook on life.
At the peak of my reading habit, I read two books a week.
I read at this pace for eighteen months. That was the most
incredible growth period of my life. While I’ve not kept that
pace, my current readings are about twenty-five books per year.
Without a doubt, I can attest to the influence books have
had on my life. I would go so far as to say that they are the
major factor for virtually every success I’ve experienced since
that day in June. This book would never have become a reality
had it not been for my reading habit. I don’t need convincing on
the power of written words!
If you still doubt, let me give you another example. One
of America’s most famous entertainers attributes the beginning
of her career to one particular book. She was a homemaker with
five kids and a $50 per week part-time job as a copywriter. She
didn’t know any people in show business or anything about show
business. She lacked the ability to see how she could ever fulfill
her dream of being an entertainer.
Her husband recognized that she had talent but she
resisted his encouragement for two years before she finally made
an attempt at show business. Not until she read Claude Bristol’s,
The Magic of Thinking Big, did she have the courage to try show
business. She read and she believed! She maintains that this
book showed her how to believe in herself and how to set goals
to get what you want from life. It showed her how to apply
persistence and never take no for an answer. The words from
this powerful book helped her develop a new way of thinking
and doing. It focused on believing in yourself!
Because of her new belief system and dedication to her
goal, she rose to become world famous although she didn’t go on
stage until she was thirty-seven years old. Who is this lady?
None other than Phyllis Diller, the high priestess of the
ridiculous.
There are countless others whose life was changed by the
written word. What about you? Have you experienced the
difference? If books have not yet made a difference for you, why
not begin by purchasing one from the list of books.