When you’re in business for yourself, it can be difficult to fit in some reading time for personal development. Especially with all of those other things that can grab your attention day-to-day. However, National Book Lover’s Day reminds us to value the power of reading books.
By reading books, we can learn more about how to be better in our lives, and how to be better in our businesses. We shouldn’t be dismissing reading as a waste of our time, when it should be seen as an investment in ourselves instead.
Any reading that helps with our understanding of people, processes, growth, collaboration, productivity and time management is of significant value to business owners like us.
For Book Lovers Day, on the 9th August, Team Tubb selected their favourite book around the theme of self-development.
In this article, we’ve collated our choices for you to refer to when you’re looking for a good book to read in future.
Book Lover’s Day: An Introduction
National Book Lover’s Day is a day that celebrates the joy of reading and the power of books, and it occurs on the 9th August.
Readers are encouraged to share their favourite books on social media, or try a new genre of book and get reading. Reading at home, on public transport or in libraries, coffee shops and bookstores is encouraged to celebrate this popular pastime.
It’s not just physical books either. Audiobooks and digital reader apps are a brilliant way to digest books and other written content, if that’s what you prefer.
However or wherever you consume the written word, the value you get from a good tome is worth the effort if you choose a good book. So with that in mind, here at Team Tubb, we’ve each selected one of our favourites to help inspire you.
Team Tubb’s Choices for Book Lover’s Day
Read on for our recommendations of inspiring books for Book Lover’s Day!
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg John David Mann
The Go-Giver is described as a business parable that demonstrates that you get more back when you give more to others. The story follows an ambitious young man called Joe who receives advice from an enigmatic stranger called Pindar who introduced Joe to the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success.
Over the course of the story, Joe comes to realise the value in these lessons he’s being taught. Meeting people each day whose lives have been transformed into success by embracing these laws.
It’s a great read and it will reveal the power behind creating powerful relationships when you add value, over and above, with other people.
Richard Tubb chose this as his favourite book for Book Lover’s Day, saying: “Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment”
Take Your Shot by Robin Waite
Another one that fits the category of business parable is Take Your Shot by Robin Waite. In this book, we follow the story of golf professional turned golfing coach, Russ Hibbert. At the beginning of the story we see Russ working hard but seemingly getting nowhere, that is until he meets a professional business coach called David.
David teaches Russ how to package his services as a product, with a guaranteed outcome. In doing this, Russ is able to market his services to the right kind of customer, at a higher price and become less of a busy fool in his business.
The book is a short and easy read, but it contains a lot of useful marketing tips for businesses owners.
MSP Community Manager, Stephen McCormick chose this as his favourite book for Book Lover’s Day. He said: “A parable that teaches you to be less busy in your business, by framing what you do into products and services, with clear and confident outcomes. One for any small business owner struggling with striking the right balance between what they should charge for what they do and not working too hard.”
You can get your copy of Take Your Shot on Amazon!
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This is a story about an Andalusian shepherd who follows the visions in his dream in search of treasure. Along the way, he encounters many people who teach him the power of manifest destiny. That if you really want something to happen, the universe will conspire to make your biggest wishes come true.
The story sees the boy encounter and overcome many challenges, many of which require some form of self-transformation to accomplish. There’s a lesson for everyone in there about not giving up, staying the course and sometimes thinking ‘outside the box’ to achieve our goals.
The story was originally written in Portuguese and published in 1988, before an English translation was published in 1993.
Studio Manager Lara Johnson chose this book as her favourite. She says: “This book teaches you to believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”
The Alchemist is available on Amazon now.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
If you long to be creative or want to work in a creative industry, but you’re concerned by a lack of inspiration or creative block, then this book is for you.
Elizabeth Gilbert shares her wisdom in looking at the creative process in a different way. It’s not a series of roadblocks to get over.
Through witty anecdotes, lessons and advice, this book dares us into a nebulous world of wonder and creativity. Fears around getting started, meeting failure, burnout and even finding success are all a part of a oddly comforting journey.
Elizabeth writes warm, funny and friendly prose, and yet still manages to be insightful, reflective and full of practical wisdom.
Big Magic was the choice for our Executive Assistant, Kareena Barat. She said: “You can measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not by your successes or failures.”
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear is available on Amazon.
The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman
The Well-Fed Writer is a guide on how to become a financially successful freelance commercial writer. Freelance commercial writers, also known as copywriters, are in high demand by businesses marketing themselves online.
Now in its third edition, author Peter Bowerman believes that it’s still a great time to become a freelancing writer. It’s possible to draw on your past experience in virtually any field to become a sort-after copy writing and earn an modest living.
Our Podcast and Content Manager, Gudrun Lauret said of the Well-Fed Writer: “Amidst career doubts, I dreamt of copywriting. Bowerman’s wisdom on ‘financial self-sufficiency’ was my guiding light!”
Get The Well-Fed Writer on Amazon today!
How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime by Roger Corman and Jim Jerome
Roger Corman is a Hollywood movie director and producer famous for making films, mainly in the western and horror genres.
His prolific career allowed him to work with many interesting characters, and future directorial stars. While his movies, often made with challenging movie budgets, received cult status all over the world.
Filled with interesting and funny anecdotes, this book shows us a in-depth look at one of Hollywood’s favourite raconteurs. From these stories, we can see Roger’s creative process, how he managed with tight budgets, and the rules he had to break getting his films made.
This book was the choice of our Content Marketing Strategist, Pascal Fintoni, who said: “It’s an inspiring true tale of Hollywood: breaking rules and achieving big goals on any budget!”
Get Roger Corman’s autobiography on Amazon now.
Book Lover’s Day Team Tubb Choices Conclusion
At Team Tubb, we believe it’s important to read for our self-development. National Book Lover’s Day reminds us to take the time to read more and celebrate those books that have inspired us.
Reading is a relaxing hobby when we turn all other distractions off. However, it can also be an opportunity to learn and improve ourselves too.
We hope that by sharing the things that we’re reading, we can hopefully inspire others to read too.
If you need further reading inspiration, check out our Recommended Books for MSPs.
What is your favourite inspirational book, and how has it helped you? Please let us know your bookshelf favourites in the comments. We’re always looking out for something new to pick up and read.
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I'm a small business owner, technical writer and blogger, with 15 years experience in corporate IT. I frequently attend MSP peer groups and create content relevant to IT service providers and business owners.
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