Leadership Education: Read to Succeed and live a life of significance

Best-selling author Chris Brady just released a talk on the importance of reading to succeed in life.  I am glad to share the content of his talk with you which is available through our Life Leadership program, a community of self-directed students on leadership, community building, and foundational issues of life such as: faith, family, finances, following, fitness, freedom, and fun.

Reading is the basic foundation to bring success, significance, and legacy. It’s the shortcut to excellence in knowledge economy. Books can be as nearly as important as oxygen, Brady said.

J W. Marriott, Chairman of Marriott International, said he started living when he found books. He manages by asking people, ‘ What do you think?…, a lesson he learned from President Eisenhower for whom, the four most important words in the English language are, ‘What do you think?

Marriott has a reading development program for its employees to help them teach themselves and be ready to think on their own two feet.

Abraham Lincoln, born in a one roomed cabin and his formal schooling added up to a year, was a voracious reader. He read and reread Aesop’s fable many times. He gave himself a first-rate college degree by reading. He understood that reading was the best tool of advancing in the world.

Harry Truman never attended college but said,” Not every reader is a leader, but every leader must be a reader.

Napoleon Bonaparte called people ¨fools” if they slept more than 3 hours at night because they could have been reading.

Teddy Roosevelt read at every type of condition.

Thomas Jefferson said if he has any money he buys book and if there is any left he will buy food.

Oprah Winfrey was only allowed one hour of TV per day by her grandmother.

How to read

Make reading a habit. Read many genres as once. Highlight, underline as you read. Make notations. Write in the margins. Argue with the author.

Outline, and Summarize the book. Read all the underlines and highlights. Keep your books organized for future references. Discuss them with others.

Where to read 

EVERYWHERE. If we’re prepared, you can always redeem the time. Have your books everywhere to redeem the time. Always, carry a book with you.

When to read a book

ALWAYS. Every now and then set some time apart and read.Develop a habitual time to read. The habits in your life determines what your life is.

What to read

ONLY READ THE BEST THINGS. You don’t have to read a bad book.Only put good books in front of your eyes.

Choose wisely of what to read. Read wide, strong, and deep.The choice of books like that of friends is a serious duty. We are as responsible of what we read as what we do.

Andrew Carnegie said,” A man’s reading program should be as carefully planned as his daily diet.”

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As you read, so will you lead your life. Make it a good foundation so you can make it a great life.

Brady and his wife Terri have a Great Conversation on how to develop kids who love to read. This is a must listened audio available on RASCAL Radio. You can listen to this content and more now by having a Life Leadership Library subscription. Just leave me a comment below  and I’ll help you get tuned and live the life you’ve always wanted.

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