-or- the reading that keeps me up at night
Kelli Wise has been giving away books all week and it got me thinking: What books do I use the most? Which have helped me grow as a practitioner and a businesswoman? So you’re getting a sneak peak into my bookcase. FYI-these are affiliate links. If that bugs you, go buy ‘em on your own and that’s just fine. ***Except I’m having trouble with the links so they may or may not work. I care more about getting you the info than about making 27 cents*** Either way, if you read any of these books, simply because I recommended it, send me a message telling me so, and if they were useful to you. (I like love more than $ anyhow.)
Learning to read
Love is the Killer App, Tim Sanders
This book covers everything from networking to compassionate leadership to the value of building happy relationships in the workplace. For me the greatest lesson was how to read, process, digest a book and then be able to quickly retrieve and use information when you need it. We’re not talking about historical dates or chemical formulas here. We’re talking Big Ideas, Do Great Things kind of ideas. Sanders teaches a method of note taking in the margins as well as the front and back covers of a book that makes citing and referring back easy. Sound boring? It’s not. I’ve got a lousy memory, but since I started using his methods, I remember bigger ideas from the books I read, I put theories together and see patterns.
Learning to listen
My Stroke of Insight, Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.
I happened upon this book a few weeks after taking on a stroke patient in a nursing home. I felt totally out of my league, uneducated and scared. This story is phenomenal. As a brain scientist, Dr. Bolte Taylor is able to describe how it felt to have a stroke and clearly define what she needed, (and how she wanted to be treated) in rehab. But this book is not just for stroke patients or their caregivers. She also describes the nirvana she experienced when she was able to quiet the left (logical, sequential) side of her brain and embrace the right (intuitive and kinesthetic) side of her brain, and how she is able to access that now, after recovery.
Learning to be me
StrengthsFinder 2.0, Tom Rath
Three things happened when I started using this book. Got friendly with my calculator and stopped feeling bad about being slow at math. I put a name to the constant buzz, enthusiasm, carousel of ideas in my head. And I saw myself (a bit) more objectively and figured out who and what I needed to compliment my skills and my weaknesses*. When you get this book it comes with an access code to take a ‘test’ online. It is a detailed assessment program to help you find your natural talents. The assessment will unearth your ‘Top 5 Talents,’ then the real fun begins. The book has in-depth (but easily readable) descriptions of 34 themes/talents/strengths. It tells main characteristics, examples of such personality traits, ideas for how to channel those talents constructively. Example: one of my top themes is Activator. I get excited about new projects, want to start right away and learn by moving forward, plowing through. This requires I keep myself in situations where I can be autonomous and have the power to make my own decisions quickly. (aka, having a supervisor slows me down.) This is great, but sometimes my tenacity is intimidating to others and I am misunderstood as volatile. Reading that changed me. It explained people’s reactions, and taught me how to temper that energy when needed. AND each theme gives tips on working with people who have that talent (perhaps one that I do not possess). Example: Harmony- people who look for peace and agreement as a way to move forward and be productive. I do not have this. I am annoyed by people who shut down exciting conversation and debate for the sake of diplomacy. But I’ve also taken the tips from this section about working with these talents, and it’s helped me a great deal when I’m trying to get a committee of 16 massage therapists to approve a budget or agree on a logo. Baby steps. We’re all in progress, here.
Learning to handle money
Self-Employed Tax Solutions, June Walker
I recommend this book to everyone in massage school and everyone else, too. I never loan my copy out for fear of losing it and the notes I’ve made but I’ve bought and given away at least 5 copies. I used it daily when I started my business and at least monthly now. It is THE resource for sole proprietors, independent contractors, freelancers and any other kind of self-employed indie rock star. And if you don’t know what you are, buy the book. She’ll help you. She explains the rules of what you can deduct and what you cannot, she wades through the gray areas and, if you need it, shares her simple record keeping system, no computer required. Go to her website right now and sign up for her newsletter and read her archive content. Thank me later. (Oh, the 2nd edition has a different cover, be warned if you’re hunting in a store.)
Get moving, you’ve got lots to do!
*We all know by now that I need my Greg to do these things. But I’ll just repeating it anyhow to remind you that everyone needs a mentor, and you need to be a mentor. Hop on that.
(Consumed while writing this post: Kung Pao Chicken and a spring roll. For breakfast.)
Possibly Related Posts:
- A very special guest post
- Blogging for your Massage Business. I do, will you?
- Funny Massage Story: mystery guests
- Funny Massage Story: Shoes
- Funny Massage Story: toots
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
First, thanks for the book recommendations. I didn’t know there were 4 books I haven’t read yet, but these all look really good. I’m going to start with the tax book. I’ll let you know if my bookkeeper likes me better after I read it.
Second, check your links. All but the Strengths Finder point to Love is the killer app. We can’t have you losing good affiliate money, now can we?
Kung Pao Chicken for breakfast? You’ve got a cast iron stomach, my friend. Did you heat it up first or eat it cold?
Links are my nemeses, thanks for the heads up. I originally intended to be bothered with the affiliate link, anyhow. But the Kung Pao made me cocky. I heated it. Yum.
Links are my nemeses, thanks for the heads up. I originally intended to be bothered with the affiliate link, anyhow. But the Kung Po made me cocky. I heated it. Yum.
I just checked out June Walker’s site & found some great things…
I thought I could deduct Gift Cert’s that I donated for charitable events because if they raffle it off, they get money. One of the articles I just read blows that all up saying:
“Both income and the deduction must be tangible “money earned, money donated, shoes donated.” If your time is worth $100 an hour and you receive no money for your time, then you have nothing tangible from which to deduct the value of your time. If your fees are $100 per hour and you worked for 40 hours for the non-profit you would have to claim the value of your time as income before you could deduct the $4,000 worth of services donated to the organization. But that doesn’t amount to a deduction because it’s $4,000 in and then $4,000 out — a wash.
Some non-profit organizations encourage people to donate services, assuring them that it is a tax-deductible donation. But services – another word for your time — are not deductible.”
Great site, thanks Alissa!
Thanks Alissa! — I’m glad you like Love Is the Killer App – Thanks for sharing the love!
Tim Sanders
I’ll admit that I struggled with it at first. It was all too foofy and snuggly to be comfortable to me. But I got over that quick, drop the defenses and am much, much better off for that. The 1st book I read and notated with your method was Tribes, then Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Then I started seeing the patterns. Kinda blew my mind.
Thank YOU, Tim.
Hey I also LOVED the book “My Stroke of Insight” and have recommended it to several clients who are caregivers for stroke patients. It gives a lot of insight into the plasticity of the brain and how it can adapt, and also the different abilities of the left and right brain areas, as well as what having a stroke is like from the inside. I also liked how she could choose what of her past programming to put back “online” and easily leave behind old prejudices, hurts and fears. We all have more choice about what we choose to think. Your writing is always fascinating and thanks for sharing.
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