This blog is written by Jen Josey, Real Estate Investor, and REIGN Coach. She is not a professional writer and writes as she talks so put your red pen away. Jen is extremely opinionated but reserves the right to change her opinion at any time because, well, that's the way she rolls. She may also use colorful language so don't be offended. Jen does not claim to be an expert, she is just sharing her personal thoughts and adding a perspective on investor topics that may benefit her readers. Jen also finds it strange to write in the third person. Enjoy!
I hated reading growing up. I took a speed reading course in high school just to get through The Great Gatsby. The only thing great about that was the "C" I squeaked out on that book report. It wasn't until decades later that I finally found pleasure in prose. Here are a few of my favorites...
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
To all the real estate investors out there, this is better known as the purple bible. When I first heard the title of this book, I honestly thought it was about parenting. Once I finally bought it, I realized it was a story about a young Robert whose best friend had a rich dad while his own, highly educated dad, was the poor one. Robert's dad was just like my own father. Growing up, I was expected to go to college, get a degree, find a great job, and work my ass off in a job for the rest of my life. I was also raised to not discuss politics, religion, and unfortunately, finances. This book was the first step in banishing my former, "ignorance is bliss" ideology. Robert Kiyosaki gave me the tools to create my own path towards financial freedom. If you have not read this yet, stop right now and order it immediately.
The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
This book was a total game-changer to how I start my day. Hal has faced some very traumatic events in his life and he got through them by using a morning routine he created, called SAVERS. This stands for Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing (journaling). For me, when we started our business, I was so focused on just our business, I put my own needs on the back burner. The Miracle Morning taught me to wake up an hour earlier and take care of myself first, which then provided a better focus on our business. Hal has gone on to write several Miracle Mornings for different careers but another favorite was Miracle Morning Millionaires. If you are not a reader, you'll be able to catch The Miracle Morning Movie which will be launched on 12-12-2020.
The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins
I love me some Mel Robbins. Even though her TV show was a bust, this book was a kick in the ass for me. When I first quit my corporate America job and was working our investment business full time, there were many tough days in the beginning. Some mornings, I would repeatedly hit the snooze button and lie in bed wondering if I had made the right decision by walking away from a steady paycheck.
Mel describes in her book a time where she was experiencing depression. She too would hit the snooze button over and over until one night, she was watching a rocket launch. The announcer on the TV counted backward, "5...4...3...2...1...BLAST-OFF!" The next morning, as she reached over to hit the snooze button, she thought, "5...4...3...2...1..." and launched herself out of bed. It was such a simple concept which blasted her way towards the start of a productive day. The book teaches how quick decisions make a huge difference in the long run.
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
I picked up this book from Target and immediately couldn't put it down. I remember having it with me as I was waiting for an appointment to get my LASIK surgery done. The young nurse saw it and asked how I liked it. I spent the next few minutes sharing how awesome I thought it was. When I finished, she responded, "That's nice, I just don't think I really need a self-help book." Ummmmm...what? Self-help? Sure enough, it was labeled as a self-help book, a book store section that you never want to get caught in.
Call it whatever you want, this book provided some profound revelations, described in a fashion that reflects my own personality sprinkled with plenty of curse words. I learned how to combat my self-sabotaging beliefs, beliefs I didn't even know that were holding me back from achieving greatness. The audio version is also great since it is read by Jen herself. I also recommend her daily calendar which is loaded with daily reminders that you truly are a badass.
The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber
The "E" in this title stands for "Entrepreneur." This book goes into great detail about why so many small businesses fail within the first few years. Gerber shows a triangle where the bottom, largest section represents the technician. Anyone that starts a business must play the role of a technician so they can fully understand every aspect of running their business. Once this is mastered, they move to the next level in the triangle as a manager. The manager must become skilled at leading others so the business can grow. Once this is accomplished, the business owner can advance to the top, smallest part of the triangle which is the entrepreneur. This book taught me to be systematic in my approach to building a lasting small business.
Vivid Vision by Cameron Herold
This short read will inspire your long-term goals.
Every year, between Christmas and New Year, Vance and I visit a secluded cabin and write our SMART Goals for the upcoming year. This past year, we incorporated Cameron Herold's Vivid Vision which gave us the foundation to visualize our next three years. For me, visualization is so easy, I do it every day since I started SAVERS (Hal Elrod). For Vance, on the other hand, visualizing the future was a real challenge. This book walks you through each step and teaches you how to write it as if it has already happened. I will say that Vance and I did not see the Rona disrupting our business as much as it did, but we have still achieved many of our goals. Because we had a vivid vision of the end result, we achieved several of those goals, the path towards achievement was just a little different. You can read our Vivid Vision by clicking here.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
I didn't realize how much I needed this book, especially during the Rona. It was an easy read with many inspiring examples of real people achieving greatness. In contrast to Vivid Vision, this book puts the microscope not on the goal but on the systems you use to reach that goal. Many people are quick to give up on their goals when they don't see immediate results. James teaches you to focus on tiny habits that when you do them daily, produce tremendous results.
The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
I first heard about Jack Canfield through his Chicken Soup For The Soul books and then later in the movie, The Secret. I was looking for a chunky book to dive into and found this gem waiting for me at Barnes & Noble. The first principle is titled, “Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life.” I have always been very proactive in taking action on my goals. Jack makes it clear that the entire book is based on this one principle in that only YOU are responsible for the quality of your life. Cool…this book is my jam. I read on with enthusiasm, until page 5, “You Have to Give Up All Your Excuses." Wait, what? The entire book is loaded with principles that when you put action behind them, will lead you towards success. The difference in this book was the much-needed zingers from this sweet man that brought us all those heartwarming stories. I was so impressed with his principles that I joined his coaching program and became a certified trainer for the success principles. Jack's no-nonsense approach to improving your mindset is a must-read.
If you have a book that changed your life, please leave it in the comments below. I am always looking for new books to add to my list!
Now...grab a book, go out there, and make it a great day!
To read more blogs by Jen Josey, visit www.REIGNmastermind.com or www.TheRealJenJosey.com