Day 13: Read Motivating Books

It’s day 13 of the self discipline challenge. If you’re new, you can read what’s it all about here. Don’t worry, it’s not too late to jump in at any point. You’ll need the ebook 21 Days to a More Disciplined Life.

Today we’re talking about reading motivating books to help us with discipline. I really enjoy reading, but I have a hard time finding the time to read. Earlier in the year when I was driving to work by myself, I listened to several audiobooks. Now I listen to some audio every now and then while working out or cleaning, so I get through about one every other month.

I’ve read two of the books that Crystal recommends in the ebook. I’ve read Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time and I do recommend. It’s an easy read, with short chapters that are easy to squeeze in whenever you have time. I love that it’s very practical and to the point and highly motivating. One thing I noticed is that when he talks about “eating your frog,” he defines frog a little differently than I might. I originally thought the “frog” was supposed to be the thing you most dread but to him it’s really the thing that would have the biggest impact if you accomplished it. In some cases it is the thing you most dread but not always.

I’ve also read 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think and I can recommend it as well. It was eye opening to me. I especially benefited from detailed tracking of how I spent my time for a few days that the book recommends. While the goal of the book is to show you that you have more time than you think, it actually helped me realize that I need to be realistic with the time that I have and that I need to be more realistic with what I can accomplish. I realized that I spent a huge majority of my 168 hours doing things that I either have no choice about (such as basic personal care, sleeping, commuting to work, going to work) or things that really are important to me (such as spending time with my family, working out, spending time with friends, and church). After that I really don’t have much time left, so I need to stop feeling guilty for the multitude that I’m not accomplishing.

I haven’t read the third book she recommends, but I’m adding it to my audible wishlist.

I would add one more book to her recommendations that really impacted me in very positive ways when I read it earlier this year: Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from EverybodyElse. I found it to be fascinating and so motivational! It delves a lot into the psychology and process of how people learn and really excel at things. Basically, it can be boiled down to this: what separates people who excel at things from those who don’t is a whole lot of proper practice, not genetics or heredity. So, if you aren’t good at something but you want to be, you just need (the right kind of) practice!

I didn’t work on my mega project today (taking Tuesdays off because there’s no extra time to squeeze that in around work and church) so not much to report there.

Have you read the books she recommends? Do you have any other recommendations for motivational books to read?