Growing up in a home without radio or TV drove me to books as a way to expand my little world. And that little world has expanded from doing simple farm chores like baling hay and milking cows to writing, speaking and coaching today.
Reading allowed to see more and expect more and ultimately to doing, having and being more. The UPS driver roars up my lane 2 or 3 times a week with new and exciting books to allow me to continue to expand my experiences and opportunities. 
Recently my reading list has included The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau, Say Goodbye to Survival Mode by Crystal Paine, The Legacy Journey by Dave Ramsey, Permission to Procrastinate by Rory Vaden, Drucker & Me by Bob Bufford, The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst, The Entrepreneur Roller Coaster by Darren Hardy, Business Secrets in the Bible by Rabbi Daniel Lapin, The Art of Work by Jeff Goins, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, Blood Moons on Wall Street by Jay Peroni, Small Business Big Pressure by Darryl Lyons, Powerful Words by Clark Gaither, You Have What it Takes by Jevonnah Ellison, and Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch.
And yes, I still prefer to read physical books. I scan a lot of books on my Kindle but if I really want to read it, I immediately order the “real” book. But the steady influx of books in my office creates a new challenge. So twice a year I purge books from my office, keeping my standing library at about 1000 books. With Monday being a holiday, I spent the day pulling about 200 books that I’ve read but that did not make the cut for my remaining 1000.
If you’re coming to an event at the Sanctuary you’ll see the large bookcase on the back wall with these books – free for the taking for event participants. Help yourself, and I hope they will inspire you as they have me.
I’m with you, Dan. I keep a library of the classics. The real things. Reading books online is like a drummer drumming on a drum machine, I imagine, there seems to be something soulless in it for me though I do very much respect those who do have Kindle’s, etc.. It’s just not for me. I keep bringing these home much to my wife’s chagrin and they occupy more and more space. She’s a reader and understands but she uses the library and encourages me to do the same. I was playfully frustrated once with her because I thought she didn’t quite grasp my fascination and I exclaimed (about the books), “These are me friends! They are all my friends!! I do not BORROW friends!!”, thinking I made a wonderful point.. So she replied, “So you BUY them instead?” LOL Turns out she understood more than I imagined. I enjoy all these writers and they have plenty of perspective on the timelessness of the human condition.
Ah that’s great. I certainly consider my books my friends as well. Many of them I go back to again and again.
I love reading a great book! I recently put a new copy of 48 days into a little free library. Might not find the right person but i don’t mind the small risk.great books are great friends and they never have a bad day!
What a wonderful idea to have a wall of books at your event for the taking! I have guests staying at my home this weekend and have already set aside a stack for them to read and take if they choose. I’m also a big fan of paper books over electronic, so I have to do the same clean-out that you mention above periodically (though I don’t think I”m quite up to 1000 yet!). When we are open to ideas from others like those that we find in books. our perspective expands and we can better assess which ideas resonate with us most deeply. Thanks for sharing about your love of reading!
Anna – yes, I love seeing those books go to like-minded people rather than just giving them to a charity where they may end up being recycled.
Dan, I nearly jumped out of my seat when I saw my book on your reading list. 🙂 And to be listed among the rest of those great authors mentioned was truly humbling. Thank you!