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At the start of this year, one of the goals I set for myself was a book reading challenge.
It goes like this: Read at least two books per month
April Goal Revision: My revised 'elastic goal' is still 24 books but within 8 months now and so 36 books in 2015. As of July, I reached my original reading goal and so I am pressing on with my revised 'elastic goal' of 36 books before the year is out.
As at August I have now read 28 books this year to date.
'Read' includes audio and includes the following sources:
- Traditional paper-based books - as available in bookshops or via Amazon for example
- Digital reader books - such as Kindle books and eBooks
- Audiobooks - such as those available via Audible and audiobooks.com
- Video streamed books - some classic self-improvement books are surprisingly available through YouTube
I will update this post each month with my progress, to share the material and also to hold myself to account 😉
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Why not share your reading challenges or recommendations in the comments section and then we can keep each other motivated...
My own book...The Property Investor Toolkit: A 7-Part Toolkit For Property Investment Success is now available in book format!
The book is also available NOW on Amazon
Current Read or Listen:
The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea - Bob Burg and John David Mann
The Values Factor: The Secret to Creating an Inspired and Fulfilling Life - Dr. John Demartini
August 2015 Update
Brick Buy Brick: Business Planning for the Property Professional - Tigrent UK
Format: Kindle
Key Idea:
This is a business plan overview aimed specifically at property investors.
Richard's Insight:
It get's better as you go along, however the start nearly had me give up on it to be honest. The early part of the book is way too generic and nondescript for my liking I have to say. That said, I am an experienced businessman and so I did understand many of the fundamentals obviously...my impatient nature nearly made me quit the book.
However, it gets more specific and relevant in the middle and end of the book and so I was pleased to have read it. Whilst it hasn't really changed my world and in my view the level of detail recommended that a property investor should have in their business plan at the outset is way too much, there were lots of good, practical takeaways in there I think.
My advice then would be to read it...get to the meat of the book...and then after digesting it, think more in terms of executive summaries and one-page versions of a business plan at least to get started. However...remember that our businesses are always changing, growing and evolving and so revisit the plan, along with the content of books such as this, each year to add more depth and colour to it over time. Start small and evolve gradually I would say...no real need for a detailed competitor analysis and marketing tactics plan for a single buy-to-let is there? In time though, a multi-unit portfolio spanning several different strategies and markets will call for more in-depth thought, so keep that in mind.
Your Simple Path: Find happiness in every step - Ian Tucker
Format: Kindle
Key Idea:
This is another 'spiritual' book. The aim is to simplify our approach to life by adopting some key principles that will allow us to find greater peace and happiness. It is from the ancient east stable of thinking, which has many fantastic principles still applicable today.
Richard's Insight:
The authour, Ian Tucker, is someone that I know from childhood and I became aware that he had written a book a while back, but had not managed to get a copy to read. So, I finally pulled my finger out and added a few pennies to his royalty coffers buying it via Kindle 🙂
My business partner would definitely describe this book as hailing from the 'fluffy stuff' as he likes to call it. However, whilst it may appear fluffy if you like, it is in fact a foundation of thinking capable of truly liberating us from the shackles of modern, western cultural traps such as materialism, debt, living to work, false expectation and a lack of gratitude and forgiveness, which are modern day plagues.
It is simple and as a result of it's simplicity is also powerful too. If you have the slightest interest in eastern philosophies, or just want to understand how the rat-race can suck us in at times, then I would recommend that you read this little book. I make this recommendation not because I happen to have know the authour thirty years ago, but because he has some things worth listening to within it.
The Chimp Paradox: The Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness] - Prof Steve Peters
Format: Audio
Key Idea:
To simplify and abridge slightly: we all have three sides to us...a rational human, a pre-programmed computer and one heck of a reckless and at times out of control chimp as well! If you ever wondered why sometimes you do the exact opposite to what you know you should, or have regrets for something you did or said later, then this book will help to explain this psychological phenomenon in a completely understandable way.
Richard's Insight:
A game-changer of a book for me! This has to be one on my all-time favourite and most useful books EVER! Perhaps for the first time I now get it...why I can do things like consume and entire bar of chocolate without thinking...when on a health drive, or drink too much such that I black-out despite the fact that this is clearly dangerous territory to be...or even why the 'hackles' on the back of my neck start to rise when someone starts to say they may not fully agree with my well-considred, rational and obviously correct perspective!
It is a modern-day psychology classic and I only wish it had been written (and of course read by me) when I was nineteen years old doing some of the things I described earlier. The language and style is straightforward but full of relatable analogies, like the planets and the solar system and the audio version that I got was read by the author himself, which was nice. I would say, that at times all the different, systems and analogies used did confuse me just a little, as I found I was having to remember another abstract set of descriptions to understand an abstract topic in the first place. But, that is not a big deal I have to say.
Without any shadow of a doubt, this has to be a must-read book for anyone with the slightest interest in people, human behaviour and self-understanding. A real classic.
Planning and HMOs - C.J. Halliburton
Format: Ebook
Key Idea:
This is a very niche book that considers the relationship between local planning departments. application of central planning laws and the practical operation of HMOs.
Richard's Insight:
There is no doubt at all that Jim Halliburton is colourful and at times a controversial character. This book has his DNA all over it and you may love or hate that. However, what the 'HMO Daddy' also has, is bags of experience in the real world of dealing with planning officials, navigating the law and applying it to his very large portfolio of HMOs. Therefore, he has something very worthwhile listening to here.
Whilst, I do not agree with Jim on al things, he does know his stuff and how to operate in this space and so I am glad that I bought this book directly from his website. I have a planning dispute going on as I write and so the tips and advice have been very useful I have to say.