Monday Morning Match is a simple post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book”
J.K. Rowling
As many people are finishing their Christmas shopping and some are just beginning, one of the most underrated yet highly appreciated gifts for business-minded people are books. There are all kinds of genres that people enjoy reading from business to leadership, marketing & sales to psychology, physical fitness to fiscal fitness, and tons of fiction options.
I’ve been reading a lot more this year, mixing up my reading selections between genres, but there are usually a few books on the table next to my recliner. I’ve admitted that I’m a great book starter but not as good of a book finisher. Especially when it comes to non-fiction books, the first 2-3 chapters are critical to keep my interest and make me want to continue reading.
Educate, Escape, Entertain
My reading routines vary but I try to carve out a few specific times to read each day including in the morning before I start my day and in the evening, before bed. I was given a copy of The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday late last year as a gift from a fellow agent. This book’s subtitle is 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living and each day there is a passage once written by the Stoic philosophers (Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, and others) and then the author shares a modern idea, metaphor, or suggestion that might help the reader be mentally ready to tackle the day. Each morning, I aim to read the daily passage and ruminate on the concept or thought for a while before putting on my shoes and heading to the gym.
I find that the nights that I put down the i-phone, stop scrolling aimlessly through Twitter or Instagram and instead, lose myself in a fiction novel, I tend to sleep better and wake up refreshed to start the day. Escaping inside a novel is a great way to turn off the mind and quiet the constant buzz of real estate.
So what books would I suggest you subtly drop on your “Christmas List” or simply treat yourself to this year? See if any of these might be interesting to add to your coffee table, nightstand, or put into your beach bag for that end of season get-away.
One of these days I’m hoping that I’ll write a book I can add to my list. Like many people, I know I have a book inside me but until it’s on paper, it’ll stay on the “things to do” list. I’d love to know what you’re reading now or a book that you’ve really enjoyed this year. Drop me a comment or shoot me a direct message on one of the social channels.
Until we connect again, keep (reading books about) building relationships, solving problems and having fun.
Photo courtesy of Jessica Ruscello