Who will you be: A Call to Arms to Read More

I’ve heard it said that five years from now, you’ll be the same person you are today except for the people you’ve met and the books you’re read.

To me you’re not reading any books, that means the only thing left to influence who you will become is the people you meet.

Since I’m in a “service” industry, I tend to meet a lot of people. And whether I want them to or not, each person will change me–for better or for worse. Hopefully it’s for the better. I don’t think anyone wants to meet people who will change them for the worse.

But I know I will. Between now and five years from now, I’m sure I’ll meet people who are annoying, argumentative, rude, cynical, close-minded, who know just which of my buttons to push to really turn me ugly. And there is nothing I can really do about it.

Sure, I could try to shelter myself from those people, but in doing so I would also be sheltering myself from people who would influence/change me in a good way. Isolation is not the answer.

What I can do however, is minimize the effect those people have on me.

And how will I do that?

By becoming more of who I am through a method I can control rather than through a method that I can’t control.

Through reading books.

Through reading books I know will inspire me to live better, love better, be better. Choosing to read books that will challenge me and push me out of my comfort zone, books that will help to teach me skills and knowledge I have yet to learn.

From DIY home improvement books to inspirational and business best sellers, from blogs about gourmet cooking to news articles about the latest tech toys, I resolve to watching tv less and reading more. To putting down the remote and picking up my Kindle.

All that is left is to gather up the books and reading.

What’s one book you found invaluable to who you are becoming?

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