The desire to grow and learn can be manifested in various ways. One way I’m doing this is through the books I read. I find that it doesn’t really matter what genre of book I’m reading because there’s always something new to learn and to think about.
I kickstarted July with Simon Sinek’s global bestseller, Start With Why: how great leaders inspire everyone to take action.
As I read the book, it became very clear that with a fuzzy sense of why you are doing something, you are unable to make it sustainable. Without clarity of why and a strong focus on what and how, one quickly loses momentum, especially when the lows hit because they can quickly fizzle out the excitement you had when you were starting out.
Knowing and understanding your why is critical to ensure you live a life of purpose. Knowing your why enables you to remain consistent and disciplined in your actions. When you have clarity of your why, your actions will be consistent with why you started in your quest.
Your why is tied to longterm prospects that will certainly outlive you whilst making a bigger difference in the world.
The second book I read was Screw it, Let’s do it again - lessons in life and business by Richard Brandson.
Written in the first person, the book is quite conversational. It felt like I was having a hearty, wholesome talk with Richard - a personal mentoring session if you will. It’s so good, I finished it in two days! I’ve always admired Richard and have been inspired by his journey. His journey towards building Virgin, is a testament to what Simon writes about in Start With Why. Richard’s strong sense of why (purpose) is perfectly articulated in the stories and experiences he shares in the book.
True to his life motto of “screw it, just do it”, one thing that stands out is his remarkable ability to live on the edge in his personal life and as a business man. He doesn’t let anything hold him back. Not even his dyslexia could do that back when he was in school (he eventually dropped out and started his first business at 16). The nuggets from the first chapter truly sum up the greatest lessons I needed to be reminded of:
Believe it can be done
Have goals
Live life to the full
Never give up
Prepare well
Have faith in yourself
Try and try again
Help each other
Something I marveled at with great interest is that the greatest contribution and influence to Richard’s success was his parents and family members. They literally nurtured him to success through their actions, something Malcolm Gladwell writes extensively about in his book, The Outliers (my June read).
Have you read these books before?
0%Yesss!
0%Only Start With Why by Simon Sinek
0%Only Screw it, Let's do it again by Richard Brandson
0%Nope...
If you've read either of the books, what was your take on them?
In the quest to clarify my why so I’m able to “screw it and just do it”, I am currently working through Find Your Why, a practical guide for discovering my purpose and a companion to Start With Why.
If you are struggling to read by yourself, join my bookclub, HeartWork Inc. We break bread together every first Saturday of the month whilst talking all things books AND LIFE. There’s no pressure to buy “a book of the month” because each of us read our preferred books - just imagine the wealth of knowledge we share at our gatherings. Also, through our book swap, a circular economy initiative, we are contributing to sustainable reading. Ours is a supportive community of women who have come together to learn from one another, for empowerment, networking and growth.
Here’s what I’ll be reading in August - a perfect choice to celebrate
Woman’s Month in South Africa.
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