Monday, January 16, 2012

101 Simple Truths We Often Forget


Courtesy of: Marc and Angel
It‘s not where we stand but in what direction we are moving.
Sometimes we find ourselves running in place, struggling to get ahead simply because we forget to address some of the simple truths that govern our potential to make progress.  So here’s a quick reminder:
  1. The acquisition of knowledge doesn’t mean you’re growing.  Growing happens when what you know changes how you live.
  2. You can’t have good ideas unless you’re willing to generate a lot of bad ones.
  3. A good idea without action is worth nothing.
  4. Change is often resisted when it is needed the most.
  5. Discipline is choosing what you want most over what you want right now. Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
  6. People seldom do things to the best of their ability.  They do things to the best of their willingness.
  7. You can’t change other people; you can only offer guidance, and lead by example.
  8. Right now, there’s a lot you don’t know.  And if you never challenge your own beliefs, the list will never shrink.
  9. If you’re talking to someone you don’t know well, you may be talking to someone who knows way more about the topic of conversation than youdo.
  10. The most common and harmful addiction in the world is the draw of comfort.
  11. Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone.  Stepping outside of your comfort zone will put things into perspective from an angle you can’t grasp now.
  12. When you spend time worrying, you’re simply using your imagination to create things you don’t want.
  13. It’s usually only as good or bad as you think it is.  Most of what we see is only what we think about what we see.
  14. Most of the bad things you worry about will never happen.  Most of the bad things that do happen will have never have crossed your worried mind.
  15. Some circumstances are uncontrollable, but we can always decide how we react to those circumstances.
  16. Those who complain the most, accomplish the least.
  17. Whenever somebody discredits you, and tells you that you can’t do something, keep in mind that they are speaking from within the boundaries of their own limitations.
  18. Every problem you have in your life right now is your responsibility, regardless of who initially caused it.
  19. It’s not so much about finding opportunities as it is about creating them.
  20. Having a plan, even a flawed one at first, is better than no plan at all.
  21. Paving your own road is intelligent only if nobody has gone exactly where you are going.
  22. What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while.
  23. What you don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow.
  24. If you’re waiting for the perfect conditions, ideas or plans to get started, you’ll never achieve anything.
  25. Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.
  26. Putting something off makes it instantly harder and scarier.
  27. You cannot change what you refuse to confront.
  28. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.
  29. The harder you work, the luckier you will become.
  30. Kindness and hard work together will always carry you farther than intelligence.
  31. Lots of successful people have failed as many times as they have succeeded.
  32. Failures are simply lessons that help you prepare for next time.
  33. Being successful is a journey, not a destination.
  34. To be successful does not mean you have to dominate others; it means you have to dominate your own potential.
  35. Your success isn’t just about you.  It’s about how you positively impact the lives around you.
  36. Being busy and being productive are two different things.
  37. Being happy and being successful are two different things.
  38. You have every right to be happy, but it’s up to YOU and only YOU to exercise that right.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
  39. Everyone you meet is better than you at something.  We all have different strengths.  What worked for someone else might not work for you.
  40. When you’re worried about what others think of you, you’re really just worried about what you think of yourself.
  41. The bad news: nothing is permanent.  The good news: nothing is permanent.
  42. You don’t have to settle.  It’s simply a choice you make every day.  If you don’t like your life, then it’s time to start making changes and better choices.
  43. There’s no such thing as ‘risk free.’  Everything you do or don’t do has an inherent risk.
  44. No matter how smart you are, you will make mistakes.
  45. Problems, when they arise, are rarely as painful and hurtful as the process of fearing them.
  46. Confusion isn’t a bad thing.  It means you’re growing and thinking.
  47. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
  48. In the beginning, you need to say “yes” to a lot of things to discover and establish your goals.  Later on, you need to say “no” to a lot of things and concentrate on your goals.
  49. Even if it doesn’t cost any money, it’s not free if it takes up your time.
  50. No matter how you make a living or who you think you work for, you only work for one person, yourself.  The big question is:  What are you selling, and to whom?
  51. Money makes life easier only when it’s yours free and clear.  The stress of financial debt can change a person.
  52. The fewer possessions you own, the more you will use and enjoy them.
  53. Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.
  54. There is good reason why you should wake each morning and mindfully consider what and who you will give your day to:  Because unlike other things in life - love, money, respect, good health, hope, opportunities, and many more - time is the one thing you can never get back once it’s gone.
  55. Cutting your losses is often better than the alternative.
  56. We sometimes do things that are permanently foolish just because we are temporarily upset.
  57. Screaming at people always makes things worse.
  58. Everyone likes a person who gets straight to the point.
  59. First impressions are oftentimes inaccurate judgments of a person’s true character.
  60. When you’re up, your friends know who you are.  When you’re down, you know who your friends are.
  61. If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.
  62. When someone truly loves you, they don’t ever have to say a word.  You will be able to tell simply by the way they treat you over the long-term.
  63. We rarely lose friends, we usually just figure out who our real ones are.
  64. Just because one person doesn’t seem to care for you, doesn’t mean you should forget about everyone else who does.
  65. Family isn’t always blood.  They’re the people in your life who want you in theirs – the ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.
  66. Good looks attracts the eyes.  Personality attracts the heart.
  67. In human relationships, distance is not measured in miles but in affection.  Two people can be right next to each other, yet miles apart.
  68. Being nice to someone you dislike doesn’t mean you’re fake.  It means you’re mature enough to control your emotions.
  69. If you aren’t happy being single, you won’t be happy in a relationship.  You have to create your own life first before you can share it with someone else.
  70. Whenever you hate someone or something, you are giving that person or thing a piece of your heart.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
  71. Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.
  72. It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.
  73. Saying “no” to right people gives you the time and resources required to say “yes” to right opportunities.
  74. When you stop chasing the wrong things you give the right things a chance to catch you.
  75. You can raise the bar or you can wait for others to raise it.  Either way, it’s getting raised.
  76. In life you get what you put in.  If you want love, give love.  If you want friends, be friendly.  If you want money, provide value.  It really is this simple.
  77. Cynicism might seem warranted at times, but it’s never useful.
  78. Everyone dies, some sooner than later, and often unexpectedly.  To know this means you are alive, with a chance to make the time you have left count.
  79. You are in competition with one person and one person only – yourself.  You are competing to be the best you can be.
  80. Trying to be somebody you’re not is a sure path to self-hate, and a waste of the person you are.
  81. It’s better to be disliked for who you are than to be liked for who you are not.
  82. Giving up doesn’t always mean you’re weak, sometimes it means you are strong enough and smart enough to let go.
  83. Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
  84. You can’t make the same exact mistake twice. The second time you make it, it’s no longer a mistake, it’s a choice.
  85. Not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
  86. You never have to deal with more than one moment at a time.
  87. Many of the greatest lessons we learn in life we don’t seek on purpose.
  88. You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.
  89. A harsh fact of life:  Bad things do happen to good people.
  90. Regardless of the situation, the sun rises the next day and life goes on.
  91. You never know how strong you really are until being strong is the only choice you have.
  92. We end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
  93. We meet no ordinary people in our lives.  If you give them a chance, everyone has something amazing to offer.
  94. Every passing face on the street represents a story every bit as compelling and complicated as yours.
  95. People are not as beautiful as they look, as they walk, or as they talk.  They are only as beautiful as they love, as they care, and as they share.
  96. Silence is often the loudest cry.  So pay attention to those you care about.
  97. Making one person smile can change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.
  98. Blowing out another’s candle will not make yours shine brighter.
  99. No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.
  100. Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out.
  101. Life is short.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Home-Styling: My Tiffany's Christmas Table

Photo’s courtesy of: Home-Styling: My Tiffany's Christmas Table:

The magazine 'Casa Claudia' is out! The Christmas production I told you about, only got 2 pages and all the other pages are from the rest of...

LOVE it all!!!



Monday, December 12, 2011

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself...


When you stop chasing the wrong things you give
the right things a chance to catch you.
As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
  1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
  2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
  3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves. 
  4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
  5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you likeeveryone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
  6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
  7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
  8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
  9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
  10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.  
  11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
  12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
  13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
  14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
  15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
  16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
  17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
  18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
  19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
  20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
  21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
  22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
  23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  
  24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
  25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
  26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
  27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
  28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
  29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
  30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Monday, November 14, 2011

30 Books that Could Change Your Perception on Life...

Here is a list of books that could change your perception on life
Compliments of http://www.marcandangel.com  (BOLD = Books I have read, so far)
  1. Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert – Gilbert, a Harvard professor of psychology has studied happiness for decades, and he shares scientific findings that just might change the way you look at the world.  His primary goal is to persuade you into accepting the fact that happiness is not really what or where you imagined it would be.  This is my favorite book on happiness by a long shot.
  2. The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck – Pretty much the granddaddy of all self-improvement books, it’s easily one of the best nonfiction works I’ve ever read.  By melding love, science and spirituality into a primer for personal growth, Peck guides the reader through lessons on delaying gratification, accepting responsibility for decisions, dedicating oneself to truth and reality, and creating a balanced lifestyle.
  3. Getting Things Done by David Allen – The ultimate ‘organize your life’ book.  Allen’s ideas and processes are for all those people who are overwhelmed with too many things to do, too little time to do them, and a general sense of unease that something important is being missed.  The primary goal of this book is to teach you how to effectively get your ‘to-do inbox’ to empty.
  4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey – Covey presents a principle-centered approach for solving personal and professional problems by delivering a step-by-step guide for living with integrity and honesty and adapting to the inevitable change life brings us everyday.  It’s a must-read.
  5. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand – This novel is an explanation of what hasbeen and always will be at the core of America’s prosperity: freedom and capitalism.  It should be required reading for every American.  All 1,069 pages are worthwhile.  Hands down, Atlas Shrugged is one of the best, most influential books I’ve ever read.
  6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho – More parable than novel, ‘The Alchemist’ uses the story of young shepherd Santiago’s search for his personal legend as an allegory for everyman’s struggle to break from the comfortable confines of conformity and pursue his life dreams.  Along the way, of course, our young everyman is beset by numerous setbacks, testing his resolve and forcing him to become attuned to the Soul of the World in order to survive.  By paying attention to the details in the world around him, which serve as omens guiding him towards his goal, young Santiago becomes an alchemist in his own right, spinning unfavorable circumstances into riches.  I’ve read this tale a few times now and it always provides priceless inspiration.
  7. Walden by Henry David Thoreau – Thoreau spent two years, two months and two days writing this book in a secluded cabin near the banks of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts.  This is a story about being truly free from the pressures of society.  The book can speak for itself: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
  8. The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz – Schwartz gives the reader useful, proactive steps for achieving success.  He presents a clear-cut program for getting the most out of your job, marriage, family life and other relationships.  In doing so, he proves that you don’t need to be an intellectual or have innate talent to attain great success and satisfaction in life.
  9. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely – Looks at the reasons so many of us continuously make irrational decisions on a daily basis.  It’s a scientific but easily readable and unquestionably insightful look at why we do what we do on a daily basis, and why we never change our ways even though we often ‘know better.’
  10. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss – Ferris challenges us to evaluate our perspective on the cost and availability of our dreams, and he teaches us that hard work isn’t very hard when you love what you’re doing.  Although there’s certainly some pages of self promotion within, Ferris provides invaluable tips to help us remain aligned with our goals, set expectations on our terms, and eliminate unnecessary time-sinks while increasing our overall effectiveness.
  11. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie – Easily one of the best and most popular books on people-skills ever written.  Carnegie uses his adept storytelling skills to illustrate how to be successful by making the most of human relations.
  12. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse – A short, powerful novel about the importance of life experiences as they relate to approaching an understanding of self, happiness and attaining enlightenment.
  13. 1984 by George Orwell – 1984 still holds chief significance nearly 60 years after it was written in 1949.  It’s widely acclaimed for its haunting vision of an all-knowing government which uses pervasive, 24/7 surveillance tactics to manipulate all citizens of the populace.  In today’s world of continuous online connectivity, Orwell’s visions hit pretty close to home.
  14. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – Set in the Jazz Age of the roaring 20’s, this book unravels a cautionary tale of the American dream.  Specifically, the reader learns that a few good friends are far more important that a zillion acquaintances, and the drive created from the desire to have something is more valuable than actually having it.
  15. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck – Steinbeck’s deeply touching tale about the survival of displaced families desperately searching for work in a nation stuck by depression will never cease to be relevant.
  16. The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason – The best book on money management ever written.  Although only 145 pages, this book is packed to the brim with powerful, life changing information.  I’ve read it three times and I still pull new pearls of wisdom out of it.  Babylon should be mandatory reading beginning at the grade school level, then again in college, and should be given as a gift right along with a college diploma.
  17. Quitter by Jon Acuff – If you’re looking for an honest account of what it’s like to make the transition from your day job to your dream job, this book is for you.  The author doesn’t sugarcoat the journey or convince you that it’s worth making stupid decisions now that you’ll pay for later.  He stays grounded in reality while inspiring you to truly connect with the things you’re passionate about, and he gives you hope and a plan for getting yourself there.
  18. The Success Principles by Jack Canfield and Janet Switzer – The creator of the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series reveals secrets to success with sixty-four timeless principles packed into this one book.  Sixty-four principles may seem like a lot, but each receives a concise, easy-to-digest chapter that challenges readers to risk creating their lives exactly as they want them.  This is easily one of the most practical books I’ve ever read on achieving your dreams.
  19. The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz – Faced with too many options or decisions in your life?  We feel worse when we have too many options.  This book will make you feel better and change the way you look at them.  Schwartz discusses people making difficult decisions about jobs, families, where to live, whether to have children, how to spend recreational time, choosing colleges, etc.  He talks about why making these decisions today is much harder than it was thirty years ago, and he offers many practical suggestions for how to address decision-making so that it creates less stress and more happiness.
  20. The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman – Unfortunately, the title may limit the market to business people, but the truth is we are all in the business of managing and selling ourselves no matter what our occupation.  What makes this book warrant such a strong statement is the fact that it’s a comprehensive synthesis of all of the concepts you need to know to understand business inside and out.  There are no complex models to learn or outdated theories to memorize just to get marks or pass exams.  What you get is a clear, comprehensive set of ‘rules of thumb’ for any possible scenario you might encounter in running a business (or just your life in general).
  21. The Art of War by Sun Tzu – One of the oldest books on military strategy in the world.  It’s easily the most successful written work on the mechanics of general strategy and business tactics.
  22. The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowieckiv – Great examples of how groups of diverse people acting independently are smarter than any one person in the group.  This is one of the most entertaining and intellectually engaging books I’ve come across in a long while.  The author has a gift for making complex ideas accessible, and he has a wonderful eye for the telling anecdote.  The material within has huge implications for management, markets, decision-making and more.
  23. The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz – The authors worked with the best athletes and executives for years and found that the best ones knew how to push themselves, then recuperate, push, recuperate, and so forth.  Take this same approach to your emotional, mental, physical, and even spiritual life, and it’s a powerful metaphor.  Think of sprints, not marathons.  Be fully in whatever you’re in, then give time to recuperate.  But push further each time, past your comfort zone, like a good exercise plan.
  24. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath – An easy to read psychology book about real ways to make change last – both personal and organizational.  So many powerful insights, based on fact not theory.  Inspiring counterintuitive stories of huge organizational change against all odds.  Highly recommended for people in all walks of life.
  25. The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz – I have read so many books promising joy in my life, yet I have read none as simple and practical as that of ‘The Four Agreements.’  This book is a beautiful instruction guide to achieve a life of freedom and happiness.  The author teaches four lifestyle commitments which can transform life into the realization of your own personal dream.  Simply put, this small book has made profound positive changes in my life.
  26. Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt – The chapters are short, the prose is easy to follow and the logic is compelling.  I’ve never seriously studied economics in my life, yet I had no trouble following the reasoning in this book.  This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand basic economics and the keys to widespread prosperity in the long run.
  27. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki – It is unfortunate that in America, arguably the greatest nation in the free world, few people including those with high incomes understand the value of investing and the proper use of money strategies.  You can live off your income, but you can’t get wealthy off your income.  True wealth is the result of using principles described in this book.  This is a classic, must read for everyone.
  28. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams – This novel is hilarious and depicts some pretty insightful observations about life, people, and the world in general.  Under it all, it’s an enjoyable read that will leave you yearning for more.  If you don’t like science fiction, it doesn’t matter; read this book just for the laughs.  The most amazing thing about Adams’ humor is the fact that everyone seems to get it.
  29. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee – The themes within primarily involve racial injustice and the destruction of human innocence.  The author also addresses issues of class, courage, compassion, and gender roles in the American Deep South.  It’s simply a classic piece of our American history that depicts racism and prejudice, childhood innocence, and the perseverance of a man who risked it all to stand up for what he believed in.
  30. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey – The plot followers a sane man that, due to a brush with the law, opts for being committed in a mental asylum rather than be incarcerated with hard labor.  Upon his entry into the secluded world of the asylum, he strips all the barriers formed and starts laying his own rules, in his own way.  This leads to problems with the head honcho of the place.  The rollercoaster that the protagonist takes the inmates through finally leads them to realize the ultimate goal.  That man, no matter the situation, can always hold his destiny in his hands.
What are your favorite books?  How did they change your life? 

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