Maybe this title is a bit misleading. I do read. But I don’t read the types of books you’d think I would. I’m reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Uglies, The Forbidden Game…basically a bunch of young adult fiction. Nope, I don’t ready Michael Hyatt’s Platform or any of the Seth Godin books. If it’s a newly popular book, I stay away from it.
Maybe it’s because I’m a rebellious fella’. But I think there’s a deeper truth in this.
Here it is. Most of those books are acknowledging a revolutionary new concept that the author learned works for them. Unfortunately, as soon as you tell everyone the secret to success, everyone does it. “The best marketing technique is email marketing!” So everyone starts emailing the heck out of their customers. If everyone’s doing it…
When you flood the market with a certain concept it ceases to be revolutionary and effective.
So hit me up with your suggestion to read Michael Hyatt’s book in ten years. I’ll probably read it then. Because there are timeless truths. For instance, How to Win Friends and Influence People is a timeless book. It’s filled with timeless truths. If everyone starts treating each other well and listening well, the world will be a better place – it won’t diminish my competitive edge.
So here’s the truth you can take away from this post. Don’t get caught up doing what everyone else is doing. Try new things. Fail for yourself. Get out of the comfort of the pack and try something new.
Who knows, you might even get your own following. You might be able to teach them truths that are obsolete as soon as they read them. Imagine the possibilities!
i’m right there with ya, buddy. Every day, someone says “have you read (insert book title)” and they flip out when i haven’t and say that i MUST go read it right away.
If i took everyone’s suggestions, I would have a library full of suggestions and none of them would get read. Plus, i don’t like all the hype. (of course I totally contribute to the hype if it’s a book I’ve read and not many others have).
what’s worse is that everyone and their grandma is writing a book these days (myself included) and i can’t even make it through all of my own friend’s books.
I feel overwhelmed and then think that I should just go read a classic, something timeless. So then i do… and i make it 20 pages in, and then i get distracted.
don’t feel bad. you are not alone. =)
haha. I’m glad. 🙂
i’m right there with ya, buddy. Every day, someone says “have you read (insert book title)” and they flip out when i haven’t and say that i MUST go read it right away.
If i took everyone’s suggestions, I would have a library full of suggestions and none of them would get read. Plus, i don’t like all the hype. (of course I totally contribute to the hype if it’s a book I’ve read and not many others have).
what’s worse is that everyone and their grandma is writing a book these days (myself included) and i can’t even make it through all of my own friend’s books.
I feel overwhelmed and then think that I should just go read a classic, something timeless. So then i do… and i make it 20 pages in, and then i get distracted.
don’t feel bad. you are not alone. =)
haha. I’m glad. 🙂
Well said. We had a guest speaker awhile back, Paul Scanlon, who said that he never recommends books to read because everyone can get something different out of the same book depending on the time in there life in which they read it.
Well said. We had a guest speaker awhile back, Paul Scanlon, who said that he never recommends books to read because everyone can get something different out of the same book depending on the time in there life in which they read it.
I recently read a book on this exact topic. It’s called “Why I don’t read (or 100 great books not to recommend to your friends”. It is an amazing read and you’ve got to check it out ASAP. It truly changed my life!
I recently read a book on this exact topic. It’s called “Why I don’t read (or 100 great books not to recommend to your friends”. It is an amazing read and you’ve got to check it out ASAP. It truly changed my life!
I love it. This exact reason is why I’ve actually stop reading altogether. Too many ideas & movements in ministry & it’s art. I took it upon myself to stick to God’s Word for 6 months before picking up another read.
I love it. This exact reason is why I’ve actually stop reading altogether. Too many ideas & movements in ministry & it’s art. I took it upon myself to stick to God’s Word for 6 months before picking up another read.