Big Question

DHS 39/100



"Big question... Are you reading the books that are going to take you where you want to go in the next 5 years?

"Excellent question. See, you want to make sure. I would assume for all of you, to get to where you want to be in the next 5 years, you are either reading the right books or you're not. You're either engaged in the disciplines or you're not. But, here's what we don't want to engage in: disillusion. Hoping without acting. Wishing without doing.

"The key is to take a look and say 'Where am I? What could I do to make the changes to make sure that I can take more certain daily steps towards the treasures I want, the mental treasure, the personal treasure, the spiritual treasure, the financial treasure? I don't want to make any more errors, now's the time to adjust my daily program to take me where I want to go.
...

"But the key is to start right now making these changes to walk this new road. And here's what's exciting to me, just a few daily disciplines makes a great deal of difference in one year, three years, five years. And before you know it, you will be walking a brand new road."

Jim Rohn
From his Take Charge Of Your Life CDs


So, i spend part of a Sunday asking myself, am i reading the right books? Subject, quality, and quantity? And, am i acting on them? As much as i can? Am i? Really? What about the rest of you?

I read of a great new way to look at this — and to build a small bonfire under my butt at the same time.

I'm 56. Let's assume i live another 20 years. My mother died in her young 70s and my father in his young 40s, so 20 years could be about right. Lets say that i don't see any hurry so i commit to reading 1 new book a month for the rest of my life. That's 12 books a year and 240 books between now and when i'm done reading in this life.

Out of all the books in the world, all the books that have ever been printed and all the books that will be printed over the next 20 years, i can only read 240 of them. That's it. 240. That's a minuscule drop in the bucket. That's nothing. How could i possibly chose which 240 books to read out of all the books available? Obviously that commitment isn't good enough.

Or, if i commit to learn one new "something" each year, i have to choose 20 out of everything i could possible learn. 20 subjects. No more. Or, only 20 more annual vacations. Out of all the places in the world worth visiting, which 20 do i choose? Or, only 20 more Christmas's?


So, as Jim Rohn said, "The key is to start right now making these changes to walk this new road. And here's what's exciting to me, just a few daily disciplines makes a great deal of difference in one year, three years, five years. And before you know it, you will be walking a brand new road."