I’m not big on Valentine’s Day, but I do love that today is also International Book Giving Day. Continuing to learn, to look for new perspectives, to imagine new possibilities; isn’t this potentially what’s inside any book?
Unlike trying to fit in a training course or workshop, you can always fit in reading with other things. If you run a small business, then juggling goes with the territory. You might also broaden the definition here and extend it to audio books. I find these brilliant for in the car, and the inevitable traffic jams. Not all of us learn in the same way either, so listening might be better than reading for you.
So, however you choose to acquire the story, these are five books I’d give to myself or a small business owner, or just someone looking for some new ideas.
This is Marketing: You Can’t Be Seen Until You Learn to See by Seth Godin
I am a huge Seth Godin fan, for his insight, his examples and his way with words. As always, this is jam-packed with ideas, but in a small number of pages. I like his focus on finding your smallest viable audience, which sounds more achievable than aiming for your first million subscribers. I’m definitely making time to read this one.
The 5am Club by Robin Sharma
I am a morning person, and often quite an early morning person. I’ve not read this book yet, but I like the premise of it. I do my best work early in the morning. I often work before the day really starts for the rest of the household. Good to know that I might be in good company and it might pay dividends. If you are a nightowl, then all isn’t lost. There are some helpful hints and tips in here if you can’t face the 5am call.
An Edited Life: Simple Steps to Streamlining Your Life, at Work, and at Home by Anna Newton
I think this has universal appeal (otherwise how else would you account for the success of Marie Kondo?) and it’s fascinating to see the streamlining being applied to work as well as home. I think if you’re a small business owner then there are never enough hours in the day, the to-do list is never completed. Finding ways to streamline different bits of what we do every day, even by a little bit, has to be a good thing.
Everybody Writes by Ann Handley
When I wrote last week about the things that you have to think about before you start writing, believing you can write is important. The title of Ann’s book sums it up: everybody writes and everyone can write (although not everyone has to decide that they should). If you enjoy the writing, if it gets good results and you wouldn’t get better results from spending your time doing something else, then keep doing it. Do yourself a favour, though, and read Ann’s book. I guarantee you will find something to inspire you in it.
The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
This one is on my wishlist for when it’s released on 7 March. I love the premise of this, because moments make stories, and legends. They have the power to be the thing that drives your business from being average to stand out. Of course you need to have substance to your business, but this is about taking those elements and making magic out of them. Not to mention customers becoming your biggest advocates and fans.
So, while I’m not giving you the books, I give you the gift of some great choices. What choices would you gift to me on International Book Giving Day? I always love to know what’s been on other people’s reading lists recently.
