Every now and then someone writes something interesting about personal development. This always gets me excited because by learning what keeps others ahead of the competition will also keep me ahead.
Like this post (in swedish):
http://www.hurjagblevrik.se/nar-larde-du-dig-nagot-nytt-sist/
This particular post explores the benefits of reading more books than your peers. And he is right of course: if you read books related to your profession you are probably going to be better at that profession. Not necessarily always better than all of your peers, but most of them.
Anyway, this post claimed you should read about one "proffesional" book per week. That is really insane. I consider myself kind of a "reader" - I read a lot! But I have to admit that my goals are more along the lines of a 2-5 books per year, plus all sorts of technical articles, manuals, blogs, tech-sites, magazines, etc. that I constantly "consume".
Another article I read discussed the amount of work-hours put in by the average run-of-the-mill millionaire. The normal millionaire work 60-80 hours per week. How many hours do you manage to work between picking up children from school or daycare, commuting to and from work, spending time with your family, etc. ?
My opinion on this interesting subject is that what you really need to stand out and to stay ahead of the game is:
Passion
Without passion, you won't stay up until the middle of the night when the rest of the family are soud asleep, just to crack that bug.
Without passion, you won't skip lunch just to finish that elegant piece of code.
Without passion, you won't be writing silly blogs like this that none reads.
Passion will make you go to work with a smile every monday.
Passion will make you want to learn something new every day.
Passion will make you stand out. Passion will make you stay ahead.
I have it. Do you have it - passion?!
3 comments:
I seem to lack some of your passion as I can't check off some of those criterias. Bugger! Does this mean I won't get rich or does it mean I won't get rich through this line of work?
Gents,
Of course you are right Tobbe, without passion the things you wish to achieve tend to fail. But Morkeleb, no, I do not believe that you have to fulfil all the criteria. Passion means different things to different persons, but a certain portion of passion has to be part of ones life if the urge for success - whatever the goals are. Of course, getting rich just by working is a hard thing and probably needs an enormous amount of passion if there are other things needs you attention 24/7/365. You have to put in that extra gear, and without passion I totally agree with Tobbe, you will get burned out, buried earlier than you might have wished. Other things do take time. Like kids. Like being involved in a partner. Like working full time with other stuff. In my case, dreams are changing as I have grown older. My need for money has become less important as income increases from my employment. Also, getting older, I think that being fit, being healthy, being happy with the life that I lead, is getting more and more important. But nevertheless, without passion for those matters as well, life would be boring. And less rich. I have begun to understand that I never will be rich when it comes to money. But is it important to have more than a bed to sleep in, a lovely wife, a kid, food to eat and a sound body and a good portion of passion for living, at the end of the day? Right now I have three books lying on the table beside by bed (Freud, a book about Healing and a book that carries me away into an exiting adventure). I am still working with sales with book that has been published. It does not sell itself, a kid who is great, a wife that is still surprising me, at times I get that extra amount of energy to start thinking of new ideas, time to spend on dreams. I eat good, I have a lovely house and I do my Taekwondo on a weekly basis. And I am pretty happy even though my bank account is not all that full of figures….
No Morkeleb, it means you wont't get a heart attack when you're 45.
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