Originally posted 1/13/23

Are you a book reader? I am, I wasn’t always, but due to an amazing college professor in my late thirties, I now love to read. I read all different genres and topics. As an entrepreneur and as a human being, I strongly believe that we should never stop learning and growing. Reading a variety of books is a part of that. I love to read physical books, and I enjoy audiobooks. I cleared 32 books read or listened to in 2022. What I know about my ability to retain information from reading or listening to audiobooks is I don’t do it well. This year I am starting a new process of what I call Intentional Reading. This is where I highlight, underline, and use post-it notes while I read. Also, this means the only type of books I will listen to via Audible are fiction pieces. I don’t tend to need to remember helpful or self-development tips from fiction work. Well, at least most of the time.

I will post this blog post every quarter with reading suggestions for you. So, let's get started with the three books I think you should read this quarter.

The Art Of Exceptional Living- Jim RoThis book is one that I listened to on Audible. I knew, pretty quickly into the book, that I would need to re-read it to get all the information I could. This book is packed full of life-changing advice and information. The official title of this book is “The Art of Exceptional Living: Your Guide To Gaining Wealth, Enjoying Happiness, and Achieving Unstoppable Daily Progress.” I mean. Seriously? What a claim. This book is a culmination of 30 years worth of self-development seminars put together into a book. The audible version of this is clips of those seminars. These seminars took place in the ’80s and ’90s, so some of his references seem a little outdated, but overall, I believe you could absolutely change your life by implementing his tips. I would encourage anyone and everyone to read this book. Take notes and watch your world change!

Year of Yes- Shondra Rhimes

Ok. I am going to say this first. This book is highly geared toward women. However, it should be read by everyone. That being said, this is a great book. This should be required reading for all versions of introverts across the globe. Yes, you read that right. Shondra Rhimes is an introvert. The writer owned Thursday nights on ABC with such amazing hit television shows like Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder, just to mention a few. Yes, that Shondra Rhimes is a self-confessed introvert. Her book is a beautiful look at her experience in committing to saying yes to everything she's afraid of for an entire year. I found it funny, inspiring, and full of little gems I took and put in my notes. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with this one. Give it a try.

This next book, I haven’t read yet. It's in my bookcase and part of my first quarter reading list, but I have heard so much about it that I wanted to share it with you, in case you haven’t already heard about it.

Building A Second Brain: A Proven Way to Organize Your Digitial Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential- Tiago Forte

As I said, I haven’t yet read this book. However, I have done a ton of research into the author, Tiago Forte, and his note-taking and thought-capture method. I found him when I was deep diving into how to retain more of what I read. You can find a good amount of information and content on his youtube channel, which I will link here. In addition, there are what seems like an endless number of creators providing content on how to implement Forte’s processes and ideas. So, since I haven’t officially read it, let me briefly explain what it's about from my understanding. The Second Brain, or the idea of a second brain, intends to capture thoughts and ideas and store them separately from the mind, giving the mind more room for more thoughts and ideas. The second brain also allows you to revisit, revise, and reuse that stored information. I may be grossly underexplaining this, but I know this book is not a brand new book and that it is a favorite among creatives, content creators, professionals, and more. The whole idea is to capture knowledge in a way that is never lost to you. I hope this inspires you to look into Forte or get the book.

Reading is such an important part of being a business owner, but it's also an important part of being a human being. I hope this series will inspire you to give it a go. Three books a quarter is really only one book to read a month. Of course, I hope you'll read more!

Until Next Time-

Jennifer K. Cooper

JKC Mobile Notary