5 Top Business Books That Changed My Life

5 Top Business Books That Changed My Life
For many years I avoided learning. Like most people, I learned by accident through a very popular learning method known as; trial and error. Most people have used the trial and error method but, while this may be effective in rare cases, trial and error takes way too long. And most of the time, the errors and mistakes you make create a whole lot of learning experiences that don't feel that good. For example; when things go horribly wrong, how does that make you feel?

You know, mistakes hurt only when you repeat them over and over. So, learning something new, from someone who has what you want, gets way better results.

At some point you also have to ask yourself, "is it possible to get better results by learning on purpose instead of by accident?" Yes. "Is it possible that there are things you don't know yet?" And, the answer is yes. "Is it possible that there's some things that you know that aren't necessarily so?" The answer is also... yes.


Based on many years of struggling and trying it my way, I decided to learn a little bit about how other people achieved success. And that's when I started becoming a learn-it-all instead of a know-it-all.

Only when you choose to learn on purpose can you attract the best kind of learning experiences, the ones that actually get great results. Here are the 5 top business books that I used to get real world results. Many people may not think of these books as being business books, but I applied the lessons to business and achieved business results, that's all that really matters, isn't it?

Counting down the top five...

5. "The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho" - This was the first "real learning" book I had ever read since University. It is a simple story about a Shepherd boy who, one day, takes it upon himself to explore the world in seek of fame and fortune. And while the boy meets with many challenges, they are all learning experiences which eventually led him to the very treasure he set out to find.

When I read this book, I was already a few years into my journey with Tinnitus: a loud ringing in the ears. I was struggling and depressed. This book was simple enough for me to grasp the main concept which is; if you never take a risk in life, things will never get better. But if you are willing to take the risk and learn something, then the journey will unfold the way it's supposed to; perfectly and in its own good time.

4. "The Attractor Factor by Joe Vitale" - In this book Joe outlines five steps to attracting anything you want in life. He does it in such a way as to make it simple enough for even the most poorly programmed and skeptical person to grasp. And believe me, I was more than skeptical. However, because there was only 5 steps, I figured it couldn't be that difficult to learn. And, as it turns out, these five steps helped me create incredible results in just about every area of my life, including financial. The final step, "The Law of Detachment," taught me a lot about how to truly manifest big results. If you don't know this law, then Google an article that I wrote called, "How to Practice the Law of Detachment."

3. "Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind" - by T. Harv Eker - Yes, I agree that some people don't like the way that Harv talks about wealth. I also agree that his methods could be perceived as radical and unconventional. I also agree that some people believe he's arrogant and overconfident. However, do results matter? Yes, in my opinion, that's all that matters. I've followed his methods now for several years. I've taken some of his training courses. In fact, one training course that I took, even though it was at the time extremely out of reach financially, I did it anyway, and earned my money back in one night.

When I read this book I really felt as if Harv was talking just to me. Sure, he's not that nice about it. He basically jumps out of the pages, grabs you by the neck shakes you a little bit and starts to get you to see wealth from a different perspective. Some people don't like that. But not liking something, doesn't always mean it's not good for you. Believe me, I have literally made millions off of one Harv Eker Seminar and if it weren't for the book I would've never decided to take that course.

2. "The Pilgrimage" by Paulo Coelho - Yes, this is the same person that wrote the Alchemist my number five pick. After reading this book, I felt compelled from a deeper level to pick myself up out of my miserable situation and walk across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. The book and the journey made me realize the number one trick to getting what you want in life; stop trying to figure out how you will get there. In fact, every time I tried to speed up on the Camino, the universe just pushed back.

So if you're trying to get to where you want fast, you may actually miss the part that matters; living and discovering. And when I gave up my strict schedule, the universe opened up and delivered me better results faster. Funny how that works, isn't it? The more you slow down the faster you will achieve. To most people this would not make sense. That's why you need to read the book and maybe even walk the Camino de Santiago. Sure, it's 850 km. And your excuse might be, "you don't have time." And that is the number one reason why you will never get there. Because, if time is your excuse, then ask yourself, "do I honestly have time for the things in life that really matter? Like RESULTS?

1. And my number 1 best business book that changed my life is;

"Ask and It Is Given" by Jerry and Esther Hicks - While some may call this book spiritual mumbo-jumbo, I would call it "the secret." I have read this book so many times and have incorporated so many of their beliefs and exercises into my life that I literally created a new me. And, I like the new me way better than the old me. While the old be would say, "I've got better things to do." The new me would say, "better things require me to do something." While the old me would say, "I hate rich and successful people, " the new me would say, "I admire rich and successful people." While the old me would say, "money is hard to come by," the new me would say, "money comes to me easily and effortlessly." I think you get the idea.

This is a book about reprogramming your beliefs. Are you always right? If so, and your results don't prove it, then you need some new beliefs. Being right and getting what you want in life are two different things. Only when you open yourself up to knowledge and experiences can you actually learn anything. You can be right or you can have what you want, but you can't have both. In business, making yourself right, makes someone else wrong. And that is why you may never win. Only when you learn that results are co-created for the benefit of everyone, will you truly understand a thriving business. Help someone else get what they want first, and you will have what they have in abundance.

I just want to say a quick thank you to each of these authors for their life-changing words and information. I am pretty certain that without reading these books, I would not be in the position that I am today. Like Brian Klemmer says In his book, "If How-To's Were Enough, We'd All Be Skinny Rich and Happy." It takes more than just "how-to's" to get what you want.

You have to learn to be deeply committed to your strongest intentions. Otherwise, there will be many intentions competing for your attention. Most people live a life of activities and distractions. Only deep commitment to learning and experiencing new things will lead you to what you truly want. I trust that these five books when read, understood and implemented, will reveal many secrets to creating the results you seek.


Author by: Paul Tobey
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Tobey

Tips for Writing a Business Book

Tips for Writing a Business Book
Business books serve a specific purpose that must be clarified before the writing begins. A business book can be a helpful aid in marketing a business by illustrating the expertise and potential benefits to customers. Some business books are written as "How to" guides designed to help other business leaders to implement best-in-class processes or systems. Many of the more famous business books tend to be based on a unique perspective about some aspect of business or leadership. Yet another group of books is the business memoir, the story of a business or business leader as he/she rose climbed the ladder to success.


If you are running a business and believe that a book can help to promote your business, plan the work carefully and be prepared to dedicate time and effort to the project. If time is a serious constraint, consider hiring a ghostwriter to reduce the burden on you. If you have a service-oriented business, you may find that much of the content already exists in presentations, proposals, blog articles, workshop outlines, procedure manuals and other materials commonly used in the business.

Don't be tempted to simply throw together ready-to-use content like a batch of blog articles and publish that as a book. As a series of blog articles, each one is potentially useful and interesting to a group of readers. A book serves a bigger purpose and it is crucial to make sure that the content delivers on that purpose. Using existing content in a book requires that you transform and even rewrite the content along with additional information not previously provided. A published compendium of blog articles will make a poorly received business book.

Research other books in your category to make sure you are not about to invest a lot of time and effort only to duplicate what already exists. Finding other books in your category doesn't mean that you should not proceed with your book. What it means is that you must ensure that your book has a unique perspective or different method for accomplishing something, other than the norm as described in other books or as experienced in business practice. You may have unique intellectual property that you are sharing with others, or an improved method based on your experience.

Essentially, your must find a compelling reason for someone to buy the book. Clarify for them how their business will improve, grow, or become more profitable after learning what you have to share. Before you begin writing, develop a simple summary to help clarify your book's value proposition. Start with the subject of the book - what is the book about? Clarify the purpose and outcomes that a reader should expect from reading it. These benefits will be the primary reason for someone to buy the book. Finally, identify your target market - who is the specific audience for the book?

Armed with this information, your writing efforts will be focused correctly and you can easily determine the appropriate content and the optimal approach and writing style for communicating it. The book will help you to share a lot more of your true value to potential customers. Make sure that it represents your business with the highest quality and integrity to protect and promote your brand. You already know your business value, now make a plan for your book and write on!


Author by: Patrick Smyth
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8793698

7 Business Books Worth Reading

business-books-worth-reading
As a photographer, I am often looking to continue my education, and one of the ways I choose to do that is through reading. There are a slew of great business and photography books out there so today I thought I'd share several books that have been incredibly beneficial to me and my business.

Purple Cow
Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow, is considered by many to be THE business guru. This book was one of my first business book purchases. It was great starting point when I first opened my business because it got me to begin thinking about different ways to run my business and set myself apart from my peers. I would highly recommend this book to any new business owner, though I'm not sure it would be as beneficial to a long-standing business owner.


The Complete Artist's Way
A few years ago I was feeling stifled... uninspired. I was looking for something to help me reconnect with my inner creative, which led me to purchasing this book. It gets you thinking about yourself, who you are, and who you want to be. There are journal writings and all kinds of things to encourage and stimulate your creative process.

Fast Track Photographer
This book was my first photography book purchase. Dane Sanders is a wonderful teacher, photographer, and man. I have a great deal of respect for him and I found his book to be very helpful. This book really got me thinking about the bigger picture. Not just my business but my whole life. I realized that as a woman who wants to be a mother I want to know that I run my business and that my business doesn't run me. This book helped me to evaluate exactly what I want to do with my photography and how I want to run my business. I have found it to be an incredibly helpful resource.

Luminous Portrait
I adore this book! Elizabeth Messina is easily one my photography idols. I adore her style, spirit, and shooting methods. Elizabeth is also a natural light and lifestyle photographer who believes in capturing the light within her subjects, which is my method of shooting as well. I loved reading about her philosophies, method, and technique for shooting and creating beautiful and emotive imagery.

Word of Mouth Marketing
As a small business owner, one of your biggest forms of business is through word of mouth. Andy Sernovitz talks about companies like Apple and TiVo, companies that are incredibly well known and get most of their business due to buzz and the praise from their consumer base. The author discusses reasons people talk about you as well as ways to get the kind of word of mouth marketing you need for your business to thrive.

The Art of Children's Portrait Photography
Tamara Lackey is not only one of my favorite photographers, she is also one of my favorite people. I had the insane pleasure of meeting Tamara in person and she is truly a wonderful individual and incredibly skilled at family and children portraiture. When Tamara has books or courses for sale, I tend to purchase them because I always find something beneficial to learn from her. The Art of Children's Portrait Photography was incredibly insightful for me as I was learning how to interact with children to get the types of portraits I wanted to create. This book really helped me to understand the different types of personalities in kids and how to work with them in my job.

Worth Every Penny
I was a member of The Joy of Marketing for several years, and as a member I was lucky enough to get a first look at this book by Sarah Petty and Erin Verbeck. Worth Every Penny is brilliant for any boutique business owner. It gives great insights into how to build a strong brand and marketing campaign, as well as pricing structures that would best benefit a boutique business model. There is a variety of information in this book that has helped me build my business into what it is today.

I hope that you have found some books here that you might want to add to your reading list. Education is key to staying on your A game and to keep your business moving forward. Each of these books has played a huge role in developing my business into what it is today, and I highly recommend each of them to any entrepreneur.


Author by: Stephanie Gagnon
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8358197