ROD'S RECOMMENDED READS
BOOK OF THE MONTH
July & August
The Laws of Human Nature
by Roberty Greene
From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power comes the definitive new book on decoding the behavior of the people around you
Robert Greene is a master guide for millions of readers, distilling ancient wisdom and philosophy into essential texts for seekers of power, understanding and mastery. Now he turns to the most important subject of all - understanding people's drives and motivations, even when they are unconscious of them themselves.
We are social animals. Our very lives depend on our relationships with people. Knowing why people do what they do is the most important tool we can possess, without which our other talents can only take us so far. Drawing from the ideas and examples of Pericles, Queen Elizabeth I, Martin Luther King Jr, and many others, Greene teaches us how to detach ourselves from our own emotions and master self-control, how to develop the empathy that leads to insight, how to look behind people's masks, and how to resist conformity to develop your singular sense of purpose. Whether at work, in relationships, or in shaping the world around you, The Laws of Human Nature offers brilliant tactics for success, self-improvement, and self-defense.
ABOUT THE BOOK CLUB
Rod’s Recommended Reads is an online book club that is part of The Relentless Finisher Brand. We pick one book to read a month with the books focusing on nonfiction books such as biographies, self-help, finance, business, history, science, career-related and educational books.
It is said that most CEO’s read 4-5 books a month. In an interview with The New York Times in 2016, Bill Gates shared that he reads around 50 books per year. Reading is, he said, “the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding”. Warren Buffett who reads 500 pages every day and spends about 80% of his day reading says, “That’s how knowledge works. It builds up, like compound interest.” Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg started his own book club in 2015 to challenge himself and others to read a book every two weeks. Billionaire Mark Cuban reads at least 3 hours a day. When asked how Elon Musk learned how to build rockets Jim Cantrell says that, “Musk literally taught himself rocket science by reading textbooks.” Oprah Winfrey has her own book club and has said that “Reading opens you up. It exposes you and gives you access to anything your mind can hold. It gives you the ability to reach higher ground”
In his book, Change Your Habits, Change Your Life, Tom Corley writes about the 5-year study in which he interviewed a host of self-made millionaires about their daily habits. He concluded that reading was a key factor in their success. In fact, a massive 88% of his wealthy respondents reported that they spent at least 30 minutes every day on reading and self-education. 63% listened to audiobooks during their commutes to and from work. He found that his successful participants were also disproportionately likely to read nonfiction such as biographies, history, self-help, history, science, career-related and educational books. 85% read two or more self-improvement books per month. The main driver of good reading habits common to his wealthy interviewees was a healthy dose of curiosity. 86% said they had a passion for learning new things.
As you can see many successful people incorporate reading into their lives and reap the benefits that come from it. Because I understand that knowledge is power and we should always be on a never-ending quest to keep learning, I believe reading and discussing books with others will help all of us learn, develop, and grow together!