Strength By Sonny Book Recommendations
Let’s talk about reading.
Some of you have asked my opinion on books. “What books should I read?” “How often should I read?” “How important is reading?” Today, I will briefly explain my thoughts on reading and just how helpful it really is.
In a way, this will serve as an introduction article that will make far more sense once I start suggesting important books that you should read.
The education system ruins reading for most people.
Think back to your days in school. Elementary school. Middle school. High school. College. Notice anything strange? As students, we are often “forced” to read books that we have no interest in reading. As a result, it’s often very difficult for us to get in the mindset of “reading for pleasure.”
So how do start reading for pleasure? My answer is that you don’t. You want to get in the habit of reading for purpose.
Books should serve two main purposes: education and entertainment.
If success and self-improvement are important to you, the majority of your books should serve the purpose of self-education. The rest can be for the purposes of entertainment.
How important is reading and how often should I read?
” I can beat the machine”- John Henry
Reading is important because we are ultimately books ourselves. We are all on our own journey and we need help and inspiration along the way. That’s where books can potentially help.
Books can be seen as an investment. After all, you never know what lesson or inspirational quote you may come across in that $10 or $15 book you purchase. It could be worth millions to you. You never know…
Who would have thought that a book read to me when I was five would propel me to become a lifelong competitor?… But that’s exactly what happened. That work ethic… that drive that propelled me as an athlete in high school, along my journey in the gym, to now as I work on this website… it all started from a simple quote from a children’s book of all places.
As far as how often you should read, personally, I do not think you should become an absolute bookworm. The reason is because there simply is not enough time (especially if you are young, single, and in the midst of building something special).
Furthermore, you should be out in the real world making shit happen and mastering the business of people. Books should be viewed as tools. They are supplements to your overall experience in the world.
When I see guys writing about “52 books in 52 weeks” challenges… this tells me that they aren’t out there living life and learning from actual experience. They are simply living the bookworm lifestyle and relying on theory. To top it off, you simply cannot process that amount of information and put it to good use. You just can’t. So don’t even go there.
My advice: Read a couple good books a year that will enable you to process the information/important lessons and implement them in your life.
What books should I read?
Pretty soon, I will start giving you guys my personal recommendations for books you should read. I dare to be different so you will not find these recommendations anywhere else.
Many bloggers fall into the habit of following the lead and recommending the same books as everyone else. It seems like every website in this niche has a tendency to recommend Think and Grow Rich, The 48 Laws of Power, and Unlimited Power to name a few.
While these are all wonderful books, I don’t want to be known as just another blogger trying throw books at you and collect the commission from Amazon.
The books I recommend will all be original recommendations because they have all helped me fill out my own personal story line (which is in itself original).
That’s it for now fellas. Stay tuned!
7 Comments
Couldn’t agree more. I used to hate reading in high school, and I suppose it was because at that age we really can’t appreciate classic books at that age (although some of them really do suck). Also, reading for the sake of reading can be a bad idea. People should have a purpose when they pick up a new book.
I think you’re going to have to a lot of longevity being legit and honest Sonny.
There’s LITERALLY a handful of credible guys these days online.
One of the “gurus” who used to bash PUA’s all the time, now has one as a friend recommendation on his site. As soon as I saw that I completely lost all respect for him. He’s just as bad as a PUA in my eyes!
probably less than that… a lot of guys just talk a big game.
If you pay attention and connect the dots… you can see whats going on
hello sonny,
you’re the only one I trust on the internet about giving advice on dating,so if you could please answer me if do you think this actually works?
https://heartiste.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/the-fundamentals/
Thanks alot,sorry if i bothered you
If they don’t show their face/don’t make videos where you can see eye contact/confidence on display… chances are they are not legit.
thanks man,respect
if you could do a relationship “guide” it’d be amazing 🙂
[…] told you I had some killer book recommendations. And I told you I would not be recommending the generic self-help books that every guru and their […]