The Power of Ten

For years I have recommended everyone read at least 10 pages a day in something inspiring, motivating, or educational. Reading 10 pages a day will probably not change your life tomorrow or the next day. In fact you may not notice anything for quite some time. But just think, a mere 10 pages a day equals 3,650 pages, or approximately 10-12 good books, a year. Can you imagine the impact reading 10 to 12 positive, life changing, books a year could have on your life? From experience, I can tell you it will change your attitude, your health, your relationships and your checkbook if you let it. I recently read the average American only starts one book after finishing high school and only half go on to finish reading the book. I find this staggering and hard to comprehend. Knowing how to read and not doing it is worse than never learning to read. In contrast, the average fortune 500 CEO reads four books a month. Coincidence? I think not! The average fortune 500 CEO makes over 30 times what the average employee makes. If this doesn’t motivate you to start reading, I’m not sure what will. Some say they don’t like to read, but I think they just haven’t read the right kinds of things. There are millions of books, on thousands of subjects, written in millions of writing styles. With all those books, there is bound to be something interesting and intriguing for everybody. Develop Habits Early John Maxwell, a leadership expert and author, said growing up his father would not pay him an allowance because he did not believe children should be paid for being part of a family and doing family chores. He did, however, pay his children to read good books. My wife and I have started doing this with our children. Just think how starting children reading good books at a young age can change their lives. To encourage our children to read, we have tried to make sure our home library is full of good books so that if our children want to find something to read, they simply walk into our home library. We have noticed the affect the positive books they read have had on them, and our children are now all avid readers. What to Read Many people have asked me what things they should read. I don’t think there is one specific answer for everyone, but I do have some general suggestions. 1) Read biographies and autobiographies. These books are a great way to learn about other people and other times. They provide an opportunity to see what others have been through and afford you the opportunity to try and emulate the leadership of others. 2) Read self-help books These books can include topics about making you a better person, a better parent, or even on improving your finances. 3) Read books on geography and travel These books can open your eyes to new worlds, new customs, cultures and traditions. 4) Read books on theology and religion These books can help you gain a better understanding of other people and their beliefs. They can also help you affirm your own beliefs. It is always good to have an understanding of why other people believe the things they do. 5) Find a booklists There are so many subjects to choose from, and many people never start reading because they don’t know which book to start with. There are many booklists available on the internet. You can also check out my Suggested Reading List. Final Thoughts I recently learned that Zig Ziglar spends three hours a day reading and has done so for over 20 years. No wonder he is considered the world’s expert in what he does. Just reading 10 pages a day for five years would put you at well over 1,600 pages, or 60 books. If you knew the top 60 books in any field, you would be one of the world’s experts in that subject. So why would you not read 10 pages a day? Not having time is not an excuse. We all have the same 24 hours, what we do with those hours is up to us. Just writing this article has made me re-commit to reading more and studying harder. I want people to be able to say, “He was a serious student.” I love to read and I love to learn. I hope you will try the same; I promise it is a journey you will not regret. [Ed. Note: Share your suggested books for others to read below. Looking for a good book to read? Check out my book, Health Plan for Life. ]