March 2023 Topic: What is your favorite (business) book? And why?
By Jamie Allen Bishop with Jamie Allen Bishop Coaching
How do I choose one favorite business book?
It seems unfair to choose just one. As someone who often has more than one favorite, this question is like asking me to choose my favorite animal or kid or food. When I think about my favorite… anything, I am unreasonably indecisive and prefer to think my love for each has different reasons, all those reasons being equally important.
Let’s start with an important definition.
fa vor ite
/’fāv(ә)rәt/
adjective
preferred before all others of the same kind
With this definition in mind, I am fully aware that my business exists in large part because of the personal and professional development insights, all of which I’ve learned from hundreds of different authors. I enjoy the lessons learned from books, and the volume at which I consume books is massive.
Before I share my favorite, here is a list of ten books that have had a profound impact on me:
- Florence Scovel Shinn’s (1926) The Game of Life and How to Play It;
- Dale Carnegie’s (1936) How to Win Friends and Influence People;
- Napoleon Hill’s (1937) Think and Grow Rich;
- M. Scott Peck’s (1978) The Road Less Traveled;
- Stephen R. Covey’s (1989) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People;
- Robert T. Kiyosaki’s (1997) Rich Dad Poor Dad;
- Spencer Johnson’s (1998) Who Moved My Cheese?;
- Stephen M.R. Covey’s (2008) The Speed of Trust;
- Brian Tracy’s (2010) No Excuses!; and,
- Matthew McConaughey’s (2020) Greenlights.
…and there are hundreds more in my collection that are worthy of mentioning. If you are looking for recommendations, this list is a lovely place to start a personal/professional development journey.
What makes a book special to me, however, is when I read the book and feel like I know the author. I walk away from that experience with an emotional attachment and personal connection to the book itself, making it much easier to recall and reference. That’s how my favorite business book felt to me: personal.
This book had great advice, logical and legitimate insights, as well as heart-centered storytelling that made me know I could be this author’s friend. The way this book was written was vulnerable and relatable. It was a fabulous book with brilliant awareness to share, and I recommend all entrepreneurs read it as soon as possible.
In fact, if it’s on your list of books to read, I invite you to join us for Book Club in July 2023 to read Jen Sincero’s (2017) You Are A Badass At Making Money.
When I meet Jen, I fully expect to become friendly enough to invite her to join me on my yacht.
