It happened again — another success story.

I watched and listened attentively to the famous, quite affluent thought-leader-and-world-changer. He was brilliant. Engaging. And powerful – in a good way, because he shared his power in open, free dialogue, for others to enjoy and use. I marveled at how so much wisdom came from this kid.

I say kid because he’s young. Very young. And I’m constantly amazed at the wisdom pouring from his entire being.

I’ve watched him rise. I knew him when he was the meager 20-something pecking away at the computer keyboard in his bedroom, telling the world his story. And I wondered the BIG QUESTION, the ultimate question, burning in pulsing heat waves and dancing against the agitated flames, the blaze leaping and reaching to the ceilings of my mind:

How did this guy get to be so smart and successful?

And successful he is. He has a worldwide following of millions, book sales in the millions, and dollars in the bank in the millions. People want what he has, and (rightly so) they pay for it.

Wouldn’t you know, right then, someone asked the BIG QUESTION: “What are some of the practices that got here, to where you where you are today?”

His answers didn’t stun me. Because they were the same few answers I’ve heard over and over, from successful people making top money in their fields.

I’m going to share his top three answers here and in the next two posts, because it’s true: If you and I want to be successful like him, we need to do what he does.

So…what was his first answer?
“I read a book a month.”

Simple. Unremarkable. But think about it: What would happen if you read ONE book a month from a though-leader in your field? That’s twelve books a year, and sixty books in only five years. Now what if, on top of that, you “read” in the car, with digital or Audible books, as you traveled from point A to point B?

How good would you be? And just how just plain SMART would you become?

But more than that –
What would happen to what you create?

I’m talking your business. Your product. Let’s not even talk about the quality of your quality of relationships and interactions with others. Let’s stick with your success in your work.

Here’s a truth:
Multiplying your entrepreneurial value walks hand in hand with multiplying your own personal information and wisdom.

You’ve heard of synergy, right? It’s the potential to create more of something, because of adding two or more entities or ideas together. Well, let me say what’s obvious (but what we often simply don’t think of):

Synergy happens when you have enough in your head to stir your heart, in order to put something new together with your hands. (You can tweet that.)

Let me say it again.

Synergy only happens when you and I have enough. Enough knowledge – enough information, enough of the right ideas, all mixed up together and simmering in our minds – to put it all together into the new, groundbreaking idea – solidifying the exact thing to make your success explode.

Simmering our ideas. We know the phrase. But tell me – have we put enough ingredients into the pot, to make the best soup possible? Have we actually given ourselves enough information, enough wisdom, and enough pure-and-simple ideas to make it happen?

Perhaps one of the reasons we don’t have the groundbreaking moment is because we’re not putting enough into the pot.

Perhaps we’ve not “made it” because the wisdom, know-how, and seasoning from those before us, housed elegantly in books, hasn’t been poured into our minds and hearts.

Authors, think of the level of craft you’d reach, reading a how-to book a month.
Leaders, think of the level of wisdom you’d own, infusing the acumen of a book a month.
Whatever business idea is on your heart, think of the level of pure know-how and what-to-do-now you’d gain, with only a book a month.

It’s pretty simple.
But who of us will actually do it?

I’m pretty sure the ones who, among other things, read a book a month
will end up like the friend at the beginning of this post.

*Thup

PS. Through an every-day commitment and the help of Audible, here’s what I’m reading right now…
* 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do, by Amy Morin
* The Way of the SEAL, by Mark Divine
* Ask, by Ryan Levesque
and
* Sign of Chaos, by Roger Zelazny

What are you reading?