Some books I’ve read, I wish to share.
I thought it would make a change to write a blog about writing and recommend nine books that I found fascinating and have led to a change in behaviour.
Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked
I was introduced to the book by a friend and what a read. It sits at the top of the list of books for a reason, and it’s front cover leads this blog entry. You are reading this on a computer or mobile phone, more likely on a phone, and this will be part of technically led consumption that also happened before and after. Maybe you looked at social media, maybe the bank account, maybe the news. It does not matter. What matters is the lack of awareness we now have of our usage and consumption of content via technology and the technology itself; of how it affects our dopamine reward centre, of how this content and underlying technology is constructed to harness our reward centre in a not too salubrious or moral way. It helped me understand fully (and bear in mind I come from the advertising industry) my technical, online, and web addiction and how this occurred. With this addiction time was haemorrhaging from me in a horrendous way, and I became aware of this and could take action.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living: Time-Tested Methods for Conquering Worry
Not sure where to start with this one, written by a legendary figure, and a must for anyone who consistently works with people in their life. Written coming up to a 100 years ago the parallels it has with a contemporary book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is surprising, but also not. Awareness of people and specifically yourself are long term themes of humanity. It focuses on the concept of keeping it in the moment, and of days as bite size chunks. It is a really important read but one that is forgotten about.
This brings me to the next book which has achieved a somewhat contemporary cult status as being the singular must read for living in the moment mindfulness. I’d say both yes and no to this belief and would heartily recommend that you need to read both books together. Tolle’s approach I would argue is more on the metaphysical, whereas Carnegie strikes a more practical and realistic approach. Both together helped me understand life as a series of moments and of how to harness these moments to achieve dreams, goals, results, whatever you want to call them. I’d certainly read both as a guide to mindfulness in real time.
The next book helps with your dreams/goals, and the implementation of plans to achieve these. An interesting read backed up with evidence.
Atomic Habits: the life-changing million-copy #1 bestseller Paperback – 18 Oct. 2018
It is a cracking read on how we humans tick. It helped me understand that my life and me are a series of habitual routines, and sub routines to power the leading routines. Analogous to how a computer or algorithm works. It is from the knowledge I gained from this book that helped assist me in planning techniques, of creating habits upon habits to achieve results.
Soft Sell: The New Art of Selling (Soft Sell: Use the New Art of Selling to Create Opportunities & Close More Sales)
A big image for a big book in my opinion and one that every business person ought to read in order to learn how to sell correctly in a bilateral way that aids both parties. I always found with selling that it was like an iceberg with a lot of the hard work beneath the waterline and the actual sale the smaller part. Soft Sell really helps with understanding how to identify your customer base, how to create the sales pipeline, of how you then create the sale; which is the finish to a long thought-out process. It has a bias to the AIDA process by which I was trained. A must read for sole traders or small businesses that don’t necessarily have room for a trained sale person.
The Magic of Thinking Big
Another big book, hence the big image. It is a book about working with people in a way that is true to yourself and others. It was written a number of years ago and still holds its power now in guiding you to live in a moralistic and ethical way as you strive for your dreams. It helped teach me that the way to another is via kindness, humility, and help. And that others give back as you give them. Worth a read if you believe in getting along in your career in a “nice” way.
The Shallows: How the Internet Is Changing the Way We Think, Read and Remember
I’ve put this book in the list and before you say it is the same as the earlier Irresistible let me have a word in your ear. This book focuses exclusively on the Internet/Web, an important medium for us all, and especially via social media is now a double edged sword. It has opened up our world, facilitated communication, disseminated knowledge, enabled and facilitated many tasks that we take for granted, e.g. not getting lost! But like any medium it can be abused and used to achieve the aims of others, and in this case media owners/technology companies. Carr in his book names them, including Facebook, and you need to be aware of their impact in creating an addiction toward the Internet/Web, and in being aware one can break this.
The Chimp Paradox: The Acclaimed Mind Management Programme to Help You Achieve Success, Confidence and Happiness
The phrase Chimp Paradox is a bit of a cliché but this book is worth a read so you can get a grip on that pesky mind of yours and how it works. It simplifies the way in which the brain works for the layperson. It provides tips for managing the mind to achieve goals, but more importantly on being happy.
Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams
And last but not least sleep and a book that explains in detail what it is, why we need it, how to obtain it. Your average worker in advertising works, works some more, and then some more. And as a result is generally sleep deprived and does not comprehend the impact on themselves, or performance, or mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. All sounds fancy and convoluted but it is not. People are not aware of performance degradation when their sleep hygiene is deficient, and time expands to fulfil tasks instead of the converse. We would all like a 9-6pm job in advertising, with the odd long one; well read the book.
