Books, and more: How do you choose what’s next?

It’s quite obvious that I spend an exorbitant amount of my time reading. Going through a book or two a week I’m often asking myself the “Which book should I read next?” question. Finishing a book last night, I started thinking this morning about my thought process in picking my next one. So why is this process important? Because of the importance I place on what I do AFTER I’ve read the book.

I read because of the concepts I learn, the characters I meet, and the ideas I generate. I read for entertainment. I read because of the content I’m then able to teach to others. And I read all sorts of things – fluffy non-fiction, novels, business non-fiction, motivational parables, nutrition books, financial books, biographies, and on and on and on. If I pick the wrong book for rightnow, I will have to force myself through it. I won’t learn as much, I won’t remember as much, and it surely won’t be as enjoyable.

After all, how can I move my business forward if I’m not taking the best advantage of my time reading new things? If I’m not really learning? The answer: I can’t.

And I’m not one who likes wasting time. :)

There is a time for each book and I have to accept the fact that sometimes I simply don’t feel like reading about a frustrated business man climbing a mountain but am totally feeling a fluffy autobiography about a wonderfully goofy, depressed, mommy-blogger. You can’t fight it.

It’s kind of like what I’ve heard my Dad say for ages about his golf swing. In the moments before you take your swing you run every, single tip and reminder and new instruction through your head about how to attack the ball, all of the logical stuff. And then you promptly flush it all out of your mind, think NO thoughts, take a deep breath, and swing away.

Review all of your considerations, think logically. But in the end you just have to go with what comes naturally.

Because if you don’t? It won’t work. You’ll fumble, things won’t go smoothly, and you will most definitely not get the result for which you’d hoped.

Sometimes I know which book is next before I even walk up to the bookshelf. Other times I stand and stare and mull it over for a few moments until the answer pops out. Once in a while I have to pick out four or five and consider them separately. But every time I consider all sorts of things…am I going to hear an author speak in the near future and want to make sure I’ve read their work…did I recently read the first book in a series and want to immediately follow-up with the second…am I tired today and want to read something light and entertaining…which book has been sitting on the shelf the longest…am I working on a project a specific book might help complete…

…you get the point. It’s a quick process but a surprisingly important one that can affect your business more than you think.

And you know what? This process could relate to practically any decision.

Interesting…

So, what say you? Do you think your reading choices (whether they’re books, magazines, websites, blogs, etc) impact your business?

Disclosure: Links are Amazon affiliates.

Tagged as: books, decision-making