Two Great Books You May Want to Check Out
In today’s Activator we’d like to share two particularly noteworthy books that we’ve recently read and found to be both insightful and thought-provoking. It’s our hope that one or both of these books may be of interest to you. We believe that you’ll agree with us that they are well worth the read!
The first book, The Road to Character by New York Times best-selling author David Brooks, examines the deeper personal values that determine who we are and describes how we can strike a balance between financial success and our core values, to produce a legacy we would be proud to read about in our eulogy. The second book, Traction by Gino Wickman, is more appropriate for those of you who are business owners or executives in any type of organization. This book provides insight into a systematic method of revitalizing and enhancing your business and professional success.
We feel it’s worth both your time and money to invest in these texts as they empower you to move forward in your careers and daily lives.
The Road to Character by David Brooks
We at Wealth Impact Partners identify closely with this book, because it focuses on something we hold in the highest regard – that is the deeper values which determine how we live our lives, who we choose to become, and the legacy we leave behind. David Brooks, through his comedic, intellectual, and engaging prose seeks to identify the difference between what he refers to as “résumé values” and “eulogy values.” “Résumé values” are those that define success in the modern day and age of the “Big Me” complex that solely focuses on external achievement of fame, wealth, and other ultimately fleeting successes. He advocates for the “eulogy values,” or those one would wish to be remembered by, such as passions, relationships with others, and personal core values, such as compassion, generosity, and loyalty.
Chronicling the lives of many extraordinary and influential individuals throughout history, Brooks describes the developmental paths toward their establishment as significant thinkers and leaders worldwide. By recounting how they struck a harmony between striving toward external success, while retaining an unrelenting dedication to their internal values, Brooks reveals the truths about how they became the amazing people we recognize today. Commencing in an interdisciplinary style that evokes the human science as well as spiritual, economic, political, and cultural values, this book challenges the reader to decide what is important to them and to cultivate these deeper passions, which ultimately make us better human beings.
As a good introduction to this book, David Brooks discusses some of these key tenets in a TED talk that focuses on this text.
Watch Brook’s TED Talk here You can purchase The Road to Character here
Traction by Gino Wickman
As suggested above, Gino Wickman’s book is closely geared toward the entrepreneur, business-owner, and self-made man or woman in all of us. We know many of our clients at Wealth Impact Partners have spent their lives working and building successful careers and lives, as leaders, founders, and CEOs of successful businesses or organizations. We think it would be helpful to share Wickman’s specific business advice that we have personally found quite valuable.
This book Traction asks an important question: “Do you have a grip on your business, or does your business have a grip on you?” This vivid inquiry strikes at the heart of the book, challenging the individual to assess the current state of running their business. Using the Entrepreneurial Operating System®, Wickman emphatically advises business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs on how to take control of their organization and put themselves on the path for greater success. All businesses and organizations face similar problems and this book provides user-friendly and constructive tools and methods to curb these issues and turn them into beneficial aspects of organizational leadership.
In the text, Wickman develops his process of strengthening the “Six Key Components™” and the “EOS Model” overall to help unlock the potential in your business. His book covers many important topics such as: developing leadership skills, empowering employees, expanding a business, and find more enjoyment in running your business. Having a strong record of success, Wickman delivers a straightforward and effective system for running a prosperous business.
You can purchase Traction here
In our next issue of The Activator, we will be sharing with you two stories of local organizations doing inspiring and impactful work here in our community. We hope to do more of this throughout the year, to shine a light on local groups doing great work that we think more people would want to know about.
Disclosures:
The material contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual nor does it take into account the particular investment objectives, financial situation or needs of individual investors. Any tax advice contained herein is of a general nature and is not intended for public dissemination. Further, you should seek specific tax advice from your tax professional before pursuing any idea contemplated herein. This advice is being provided solely as an incidental service to our business as insurance professionals and investment advisors.
Neither Wealth Impact Partners, Valmark Securities nor its affiliates and/or its employees/agents/registered representatives offer legal or tax advice. Please seek independent advice, specific to your situation, from a qualified legal/tax professional.
Securities offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Valmark Advisers, Inc., a SEC Registered Investment Advisor. 130 Springside Drive, Suite 300 Akron, Ohio 44333. (800) 765-5201. Wealth Impact Partners is a separate entity from Valmark Securities, Inc. and Valmark Advisers, Inc. BSW Inner Circle and AES Nation LLC are separate entities from Valmark Securities and Valmark Advisors.
