Your cart is currently empty!
The Invisible Mentor Weekly Newsletter: Brain Food Wednesdays Number 99: How Can You Profit from Your Reading Time Part Two?
Dear Reader,
Profit reading is an important topic, so this week is part two. I also want to write a book on the topic, so writing a few articles is my way of gaining clarity. Luminaries understand the concept of profit reading. They may not call it profit reading, but they’re actively reading to get ideas to drive their business forward. Elon Musk’s primary way of learning is by reading books. Looking at his accomplishments, he has excelled in several industries. He has also talked about using first principles to solve the problems he has.
Wouldn’t you like to have some of their achievements, so you can live the life you imagined? Reading the right books, and applying the ideas, will enable you to make meaningful contributions to the world, while transforming your life in the process.
In the Ask Avil section, I’ll explore more deeply how to profit from your reading time.
Join my Facebook group Reading Rocks: Read a Book, Discover Solutions, Change the World.
In the News
Here are some podcasts I appeared on. They’re packed with a lot of information.
Ellevate Network: http://ow.ly/s8pR50GCBTy
Envision2BWell: https://blog.envision2bwell.io/post/1157/envisionwell-podcast-invisible-mentors
313 Challenge with Ryan Foland: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/avil-beckford-read-and-get-new-ideas/id1484382840?i=1000523572323
Ask Avil
How Can You Profit from Your Reading Time Part Two?
This week we’re still talking about profit reading because I think it’s such an important concept.
Process of Profit Reading
For simplicity’s sake, let’s focus on nonfiction books. The process starts, as always, with having a purpose for reading.
- Make a list of problems you want to solve and questions you’re seeking answers to.
- Prioritize your list, starting with the most pressing ones.
- Research to find books that possibly have the information you seek.
- Choose five to 10 books to read.
- Read the chapters and sections of books that likely have the information you seek.
- Take notes as you read.
- Review your notes a few times, picking out the big ideas.
- Implement the ideas – solve problems and answer the questions.
What is a Big Idea?
The following list is only a guide. Add more items to the list as you see fit. Use the list to stimulate your creative thinking. A big idea:
- Solves problems.
- Increases revenues.
- Cuts costs.
- Saves time.
- Prevents liability.
- Helps people.
- Saves, fixes, and creates things.
- Improves operational efficiency.
- Improves the organization’s reputation.
Don’t forget to add items to the above list to include things that make sense for your industry and niche.
Based on the information I have given you so far, last week and this week, do you think you can engage in profit reading?
Avil’s Profit Reading Example
In the article, Leadership Reading: Read to Learn What You Need to Know, I mentioned that a problem I’m trying to solve is how to increase the number of subscribers to my membership site, the Art of Learning. I’ll use that same example here.
- What are some strategies I can use to increase the number of subscribers to my membership site, the Art of Learning?
- I have to read books on the topic.
- I have to review my notes for the books I’ve already read to pick out the big ideas.
- Read the relevant chapters and sections of books I haven’t yet read that probably have the answer to my question.
- Implement strategies to see if they increase the number of subscribers.
The following are books I own on the topic. I plan to read them. I have already read quite a few books already.
- The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave by Robbie Kellman Baxter
- The Subscription Boom: Why an Old Business Model is the Future of Commerce by Adam Levinter
- Gym Membership Sales: Triple your growth, develop your team, change your life by Ryan Moore
- Retention Point: The Single Biggest Secret to Membership and Subscription Growth for Associations, SAAS, Publishers, Digital Access, Subscription Boxes and all Membership and Subscription Businesses by Robert Skrob
- Never Lose a Customer Again: Turn Any Sale into Lifelong Loyalty in 100 Days by Joey Coleman
- Membership Recruitment: How to Grow Recurring Revenue, Reach New Markets, and Advance Your Mission by Tony Rossell
- Subscription Marketing: Strategies for Nurturing Customers in a World of Churn by Anne Janzer.
Usually, I recommend that people read at least five books on a topic they’re interested in. I’ve already read six books and plan to read the seven above. This may seem like overkill to you. However, I want my membership site to be one of my main sources of income. So, I want to ensure that I can formulate winning strategies based on what I learn
from all the books. Also, I want to make it something special, and I think that by reading several books and applying the information, I can get there.
Reading List
Reading multiple books at the same time was an epic failure for me. So, I’m going through the list of books below and reading them like a leader. In no time, I’ll work my way through them. There’s an important lesson here. Failure is a part of life, so don’t give up. Not everything you try will work out, but that should stop you from trying new things.
Reading List
- The Score Takes Care of Itself by Bill Walsh, Steve Jamison, and Craig Walsh
- Self-Leadership by Ryan Reed
- The Leadership Gap by Lolly Daskal
- Love Leadership by John Hope Bryan
- Brave Leadership, Kimberly Davis
- How Women Rise, Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith
- Business Model Shifts by Patrick van der Pijl, Justin Lokitz
- Launching a Leadership Revolution by Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward
- The Invincible Company by Alexander Osterwalder , Yves Pigneur
- Love-Based Business Models by Shawn Driscoll
- Why Leadership Sucks by Miles Anthony Smith, Book 1
- Why Leadership Sucks by Miles Anthony Smith, Book 2
- Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
- The Airbnb Story: How Three Ordinary Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions . . . and Created Plenty of Controversy by Leigh Gallagher
- Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal by Nick Bilton
- Levers: The Framework for Building Repeatability into Your Business by Amos Schwartzfarb
- Five Stars: The Communication Secrets to Get from Good to Great by Carmine Gallo
- I Got There: How a Mixed-Race Kid Overcame Racism, Poverty, and Abuse to Arrive at the American Dream by JT McCormick
- One Big Thing: Discovering What You Were Born to Do by Phil Howard Cooke
The Invisible Mentor Blog
Blog Posts
Self Leadership: The Art of Becoming a Leader by Ryan Reed, Summary
The Score Takes Care of Itself: My Philosophy of Leadership, Book Summary
Profit Reading: Read Like a Leader to Solve Meaningful Problems
Read a Few Books Off the Beaten Path
The One Problem
I’ve published 38 podcast episodes already. Some topics are in books I’ve read. So, I’m thinking of adding the podcast videos to book summaries where appropriate. I think this will add more value for my readers and clients.
- Larissa Russell, Founder and CEO Queer Voicez and Creative U Business
- Glain Roberts-McCabe, Founder, the Roundtable, Group Coach Academy
- Dr Marsha Carr, Professor, University of North Carolina, Wilmington
- Gabriella O’Rourke, Business Consultant, Borden Ladner Gervais
- Stefanie Booker Atchison, Wisdom Coach & Motivational Speaker
- Michelle Griffin, Founder Brandthority, Building Your Personal Brand
- Donna Knutson, Founder of Write Journeys
- Sophie Gray, Founder of DiveThru: Being Disconnected from Yourself
- The One Problem Interview with Lois McGuire, Author
- The One Problem Interview with Roberta Liebenberg, Senior Law Partner
- The One Problem Interview: Angela Payne, Founder Leed HR
- The One Problem Interview: Rose-marie Fernandez, Founder Coaching Worx
- The One Problem Interview: Reverend, Dr Cheri DiNovo
- The One Problem Interview: Hillary Sobel, Lawyer
- The One Problem: Janet Zaretsky, BS Brilliance Master
- The One Problem: Julie Foucht, Art of Feminine Marketing
- The One Problem: Evelyn Jerome Alexander, Magellan College Counseling
- The One Problem Interview with Rosalin Krieger, The Unstucker
- The One Problem Interview: Tetyana Dudnyk, Director, Technology Project Management Office
Product Alert
7 Day Reading Makeover Challenge
This is an affordable program to get started on leadership reading. Leaders read to learn what they need to know. You’ll also learn how to synthesize information.
Art of Learning Membership Site
How would you like to access the best, most useful information I have, that’s better than book summaries? Buy monthly access to the Bookish Note that’s behind my paywall. I group Bookish Notes together by a common theme, turning them into a course. Imagine reading themed Bookish Notes and starting to lay the foundation for a new skill.
Until Next Week,
Avil Beckford, Founder, The Invisible Mentor!