generationbreakthrough.com

GenerationBreakthrough.com is not the only great source of support and inspiration for young entrepreneurs and professionals. One of the best places to find encouragement and advice is the business section at your local bookstore. There are tons of personal success stories, and books that offer both practical and motivational advice. But there are so many books, how can you possibly decipher the right ones for you? 

Almost any book you come across will offer some sort of advice, but they wont all offer valuable advice. There is such a variation of advice and perspectives in the business section, that you have to focus on the books that have a positive, and encouraging perspective. Just as we should not be following any over-structured path to success, even if it sounds good, you should never rely on any one book for advice. Take what you click with from each book you read, and create your own philosophy and perspective as you forge your own path. 

The Generation Breakthrough team practically lives in the business section at Barnes&Noble, Books-A-Million, Borders, Olson's, and even Amazon.com, and we have compiled a great first draft of our "book club" list, if you will, to give you some suggestions on what books may work for you...

One book that offers down-to-earth advice toward out-of-this-world success is The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell. In it, Gladwell remarks that there are many controlable factors that lead to an unstoppable avalanche of success. The book helps define the preparatory steps one can take to expedite that surge of popularity. The chapter on Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen insightfully describes the importance certain types of people have in any social epidemic. Certainly if you can follow the book's examples, you'll be able to spark a surge of interest that no ad campaign could ever replicate.

However, to hit any tipping point, the biggest necessity is actually your mindset and perspective. Many inspirational authors agree that an idealistic, positive, and demanding perspective is the key to success. Barrack Obama titled his book The Audacity of Hope, which, no matter your political preferences, is a clear message to readers that you need to have the guts to believe in the positive possibilities. 

The pop-culture rage, The Secret, discusses the somewhat controversial Law of Attraction. It may inspire many in Generation Breakthrough to consider the concept that you can access an unseen power that belief exerts in the real word. It claims that when you believe that what you want not only will happen, but is already happening, the universe will make it a reality no matter if the desire is big or small.

It's somewhat illogical thoughts like these that are encouraged in How Come That Idiot's Rich and I’m Not?. The author, and self-proclaimed 'Rich Idiot', Robert Shemin, discusses how often people who are smart and therefore follow the rules, get left behind when idiots question the rules and strive with often irrational determination. We're not encouraging Generation Breakthrough to become a bunch of idiots, but Shemin certainly has a point that the most successful people aren't always the most intelligent. Like our philosophy, Shemin believes that if an idiot like himself can make it, that anyone can.

These are just a few of many books that have and will continue to play a large role in helping us to develop the Generation Breakthrough philosophy. They are helping make our lives more fulfilling, passionate, and profitable, and they can do the same for all of Generation Breakthrough. This isn't a complete list of course, and we'll share any new books we come across that are also beneficial. In fact, if you have any other book suggestions that you think will inspire and support those who are part of Generation Breakthrough, please add them to the comments of this blog, email us, or add them to the Inspiration forum!

Inspirational books we recommend:

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, and It's All Small Stuff: Richard Carlson, PhD

Predictably Irrational: Dan Ariely

You Call the Shots: Cameron Johnson

How Come that Idiot's Rich and I'm Not?: Robert Shemin

The Secret: Rhonda Byrne (or you can also check out The Secret, the DVD)

You’re So Money: Farnoosh Torabi (It’s not so much Torabi’s book that’s inspirational, as it's the example she sets).

The Tipping Point: Malcolm Gladwell 

The Four Hour Work Week: Tim Ferriss

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written by Amanda Fogel, August 17, 2008

Thanx for all of the awesome suggestions. I have read a few titles named in the "book club" list; and, each one has turned on another light and/or opened another door in my mind. I see things differently after reading and reviewing these inspirational books. I can't wait to check out some of your other suggestions. I was thinking, perhaps you might consider adding "Who Moved My Cheese," by Spencer Johnson, as another suggested reading!?~ I read it a number of years ago; and, I remember, it creatively encouraged the concept of "change!" And, I believe that is ultimately what Generation Breakthrough is all about!

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written by mac5, August 22, 2008

Freakonomics by Steven D Levitt and Stephen Dubner -This was controversial for all the wrong reasons.

Also, check out the first few chapters of The Illusion of Certainty by Erik Rifkin and Edward Bouwer.

And, Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. (Yes, it was on your reading lists at college. You may want to read this a few times in your life. It's one of those books that has something different and worthwhile to offer at different life stages.)

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