Read Books to Stay Encouraged and Keep Focused

I've read some great books the past couple of years that really resonated with me and encouraged and inspired me to narrow my focus on my big someday goal to have financial freedom. (Tip: Audio versions of great books make the 30 minute commute to and from work much more productive and knock out an hour of reading each day!) Some of the golden nuggets of wisdom are in these books others have turned into info-graphics on Pinterest to help reinforce the ideas and give a visual cue to keep you on your path. 

Books I've Been Re-Reading 

One of my favorite books that made me get really focused on my goal and the action steps to get me there is called "The One Thing" by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan. Love this book! The authors talk about success and fulfillment in life by not doing busy work but by dedicating at least 4 hours doing the most important thing that will get you to your goal. A tactic that is discussed and based on research for more productivity is to time-block around your 'One Thing' each day. The authors also debunk the concept of multi-tasking and remind us that giving just one thing our full attention is much more valuable and will lead to a successful outcome. I have an affection for efficient uses of resources, especially time. Because my someday big goal is financial independence, it is also my intention to  retire early from my retail management job by expediting wealth-building. 

Another great book with some basic wisdom about wealth is "The Richest Man in Babylon" by George S. Clason. This book captivated me because of the style of story-telling that the author presented and the simplistic concepts of wisdom around money.  There are seven "cures for a lean purse" that breakdown the basics of financial security:

1. 1. Save 10% of all your earnings

1. 2. Control your expenses

1. 3. Make your money multiply

1. 4. Guard your money from loss

1. 5. Make your home a profitable investment

1. 6. Ensure a future income

1. 7. Increase your ability to earn

The author also gives 5 laws of gold that reiterate the first, third, and fourth spending much time deriving from the fourth that you must invest with someone wise in the handling of money, that you will lose money investing where someone is not skilled with it, and you will lose money falling for alluring tricks and schemers. 

Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Always a great re-read, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki gave me the initial motivation to pursue real estate investing as a strategy for wealth-building by using it as a business for the tax advantages. One of the concepts in this book that captured my attention are 'Pay yourself first', similar to the 10% rule. Breaking down financial terms like assets and liabilities and financial instruments like Income Statement (also called Profit and Loss Statement) and Balance Sheets made me feel more empowered with my finances by understanding their functions in relation to cash-flow in and out. This book taught me about accredited investors and how people who invest with large sums of money can lose it if they are inexperienced with investing. Rich Dad, Poor Dad reminds me to continue to educate myself to make sure my money rests in wise and experienced hands. 

Next on my list of re-reads that I've been thinking about recently are some of my other favorites: "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, "Rocket Fuel" by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters, and "Find your Why" by Simon Sinek. 

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