Need help and inspiration
Need help and inspiration
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UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
I believe the best way to change your actions and your life is to first change your thinking.

I want to expand my existing businesses, get round to starting new ventures too, and in a material sense really achieve something to be proud of. At various times in my life Ive found books to be hugely inspiring. Right now Im experiencing the life moves pretty fast feelings, I know 'now' is always the best time to act, so Id like to get my ball rolling a little faster.

Who has something (reading material perhaps) to suggest or recommend?

alexkp

16,484 posts

273 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
How about "Mushrooms Are Not The Only Fruit" by some author I can't remember.

nervous

24,050 posts

259 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
my thesis on Monocular Capture and Depth Enhancement will change the way you think for ever. In that youll never ever want to read again. that should cure up your wonder-lust quick smart.

failing that, The Art of Happiness by the Dalia Lama is very good. isbn 0-340-75015-4.

Jinx

12,018 posts

289 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance.

morebeanz

3,283 posts

265 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
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Personally I find that reading doesn't do it for me, but try listening to other people. Imagine you are going to "build" a best in class person. What would you take from people you know to build this person.

Then you have something to aim for that works for you...

UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I know the guy He was a DipM MDMA AcId, first to win the P.o.T award... or some such IIRC

Warning - philosophical drivel ahead. I believe Im capable of achieving whatever I set my mind to, everything I need to know I already know, I have all the qualities (debatable ) of the 'best in class person' or those I need to succeed. What I want to do is focus, and act. Rather than spend my lifetime thinking about acting, as so many of us seem to do.

Ive got mates with 10 and 20 houses each, plus additional businesses, all the trappings etc. Money doesnt buy happiness, but making plenty of it was something I 'decided' to do eons ago. Ive read scores of zen and related philosophical books, was after something with more of a materialistic business angle

A book is only as enjoyable as its relativity to your frame of mind at the time of reading I figured a good read might get me shifting through the gears faster, thats all.

Hilts

4,684 posts

311 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
Tony Robbins is very inspirational IMO, he's worked with a lot of top peeps and is great to listen to.

srebbe64

13,021 posts

266 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
Well, believe it or not, the book that's helped me more tha any other is: "The Bible" - and I'm not a right wing fundamentalist. Seriously, if you read the Bible it changes your mind more than you can imagine. Most of the best business decisions and inspired ideas have come during or after reading "The Good Book". Sounds crazy, I know, and I can't explain it away logically, but it works for me!

nervous

24,050 posts

259 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
the financial times? if nothing else, the pink pages would look well with your silly yellow car

alexkp

16,484 posts

273 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
Alright Bob - here's some advice.

Don't try to set up a revolutionary new business.

Identify something simple that people need, then focus on doing it well.

Grow your business organically, and try to avoid borrowing funding.

There are two ways to make money - sell something everyone needs for a pound, or sell something a few people need for a thousand pounds a time.

..and stay off the mind altering stuff. You will need your wits about you and the brain does not repair itself. Damage it and you are stuffed.



I can say all of this with some credibility because I was once awarded "Business Innovator of the Year".

Jinx

12,018 posts

289 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
UKBoB said:

Ive read scores of zen and related philosophical books, was after something with more of a materialistic business angle


Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance; isn't really about zen and there is not particularly much stuff about motorcycle maintenance either. Gets you thinking about Quality though

nervous

24,050 posts

259 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
business innovator of the year? for what, we HAVE to know now...

srebbe64

13,021 posts

266 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]


Really? What did you innovate, Alex?

UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
nervous said:
business innovator of the year? for what, we HAVE to know now...
Yeah, tell us mate. Anything to do with caption competitions per chance?

alexkp

16,484 posts

273 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
I was once a chap who invented a new means of delivering and tracking full multi-media messages and advertising campaigns to your inbox....


Sorry about that.

Had a huge list of blue-chip clients too....

Hilts

4,684 posts

311 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]


Bit of a business paradox that Alex...



Guess you could always this lady for advice...

srebbe64

13,021 posts

266 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]

I've got one idea which I'm sure there's a market for. Specifically: a product which does your work, allowing you to surf the net all day. I reckon the first tranche of customer would be PH'ers.

UKBoB

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

294 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
Back on topic, what great inspirational reading material have the PH collective come across? (By 'come across' I actually mean read and enjoy)

sj78

3,615 posts

260 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
Not very business-focussed, but a book that gave me a kick up the a*se a couple of years back was the Lance Armstrong book, 'It's Not About the Bike' - charting how he dealt with his cancer and got back to win the Tour.

I'd always done a lot of sport since the age of about 9 to HIGH standards, but didn't quite make it to the very top and went to uni where I still did a lot. After uni, I sort of let work take over and let the fitness slide, then I read this book whilst lazing in the sun on holiday and got immediately back in the pool and when I got home, the boat.

His story might be slightly cheesy, but I found it quite inspirational and a spur to start doing again what I had enjoyed yet let slide to make the most of life

jacobyte

4,768 posts

271 months

Tuesday 12th April 2005
quotequote all
I found Creating Affluence by Deepak Chopra very good indeed.

Also, YHM.