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Business guru Brian Tracy, once commented that whenever he interviewed a prospective employee, one of the first questions he would ask was, What’s the last self-help book you read? I’m guessing that the answer had a lot to do with how long the rest of the interview would last and the candidates chances of being hired. 

With job losses mounting, this is a question worth considering. Why would anyone, especially a prospective employer, care what you read?

From where I sit, it’s quite simple. If you’re not interested in your own personal growth and professional development, are you really someone I want representing my company?

It’s a fact that virtually every successful person makes a habit out of reading and listening to personal development information. Years ago, audio program producer, Nightingale-Conant, conduced a survey of their customers and asked what value, in dollars, they would place on having listened to one of the company’s programs. The average was $180,000.

Years ago, as I wrote in my book Stop Living paycheck to Paycheck, my friend, John, increased his income 15% during one of the worst automotive slumps in history. The only thing he changed was he started reading self-help books for fifteen to twenty minutes each day before going to work. 

Millionaire network marketers teach their people to read each day as a way to remain motivated. The people who are successful in that industry are the one’s who follow that advice. 

Sadly, most people have not read a book since they left school and a third of the population has not been in a bookstore in years. In Korea in 2006, more money was spent on cigarettes than on books. 

Joe Girard, the number one car salesman in the world, wrote a book, How to Sell Anything to Anybody about how he did it. It amazes me how few car salespeople I’ve meet who have read the book. 

Personally, I watched as my life changed in direct proportion to what I was reading and listening to each day. To this day, if I start to feel, “less than great” it’s usually because I have not been keeping up my practice of ongoing personal development. 

There are lots of great books published and more being released each week. Of course, I’d prefer you start with one of my books but it’s more important you read something that will nurture your spirit and help you maintain a positive outlook on life. 

If you’d like to know more about the books I’ve written, you can start here

But, don’t stop there. Make this a part of your daily routine and you will learn, as I did, that it is one of the “secrets” to a happier, more successful life.

Tags:brian tracy,living paycheck to paycheck,network marketers,nightingale conant,paycheck to paycheck,personal development,self help books