Comments on: You Gotta Read This…

By: Hank Wasiak

Hank Wasiak — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:42:37 +0000

Really liked reading all these posts and favorite books. KEVIN, a big “thank you” for picking our book, “Change The Way You See Everything- Through Asset-Based Thinking” as one of your favorites. Welcome to the positive ABT conspiracy!.

I’m always impressed at the positive energy that oozes out of great blogs and discussions like this one on The Wealthy Freelancer. Will be back again. You may want to check out our website and blog for some good discussion.

Keep up the great discussion

Hank

By: Jackie Leventhal

Jackie Leventhal — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:57:37 +0000

My reading list is growing – thanks for the suggestions, everybody. Ok, my turn –

My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire by Michelle Goodman is a not-to-be-missed, hard-to-put-down, thank-god-I-read-this treasure for seasoned and rookie freelancers. Goodman’s advice is clearly field-tested and her tips are realistic (coming from someone who tried some recently). I also really related to the freelance highs and lows shared by a diverse cadre of creative professionals profiled and interviewed in the book. Overall, it’s a well-organized resource that imparts practical freelance savvy in a way that makes you think, “Yeah, I can do this.”

By: cassie hart

cassie hart — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 16:46:06 +0000

First, congrats on your(soon-to-arrive) new baby!

Now, here’s a book I found inspiring and informative: Free Agent Nation by Daniel Pink. It’s a must-read for any entrepreneur!

And I will be making notes on the suggested books here. I’m always looking for more stuff like this. Thanks!

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 23:43:57 +0000

Excellent post! I am a book and reading junkie with over 2,000 books in my personal library and growing. Here are some suggestions I have found very helpful to my self-employment life…

1. Goals By Brian Tracy
2. Million Dollar Consultant By Alan Weiss
3. Value Based Fees by Alan Weiss
4. Lower Your Taxes Big Time By Sandy Botkin
5. Spin Selling by Neil Rackham
6. Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi
7. The Brand Called You by Peter Montoya

I think reading is one of the absolute best activities that will earn you the highest rate of return on your time. I am never without a book. I take one everywhere I go so if I have a few minutes to kill before an appointment or something I can read a little. This has increased my total books read per year more than anything else, we have a lot of wasted small blocks of time each day that can be put to better use with this strategy.

By: Kathleen Gage

Kathleen Gage — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:45:51 +0000

I’d like to share with you my Recommended Reading List of books that can help you take your business to the next level – either by directly benefiting the way you run your freelance business, or by delivering benefits in other areas of your life that spill over into your work.

By: Michael Campbell

Michael Campbell — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:03:55 +0000

Dan Ariely’s, “Predictably Irrational.”

I’ve read most of the titles suggested above. I really enjoyed the 4-Hour Workweek and am in the process of selling off my assets and finding my muse.

Here are some that have greatly influenced my work…

Dr. Robert Cialdini’s, “Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive.”

Roy H. Williams, “The Wizard of Ads” series and Wizard Academy Training.

Jeffrey Gitomer’s, “Little Red Books of Selling and Sales Answers.”

Seth Godin’s, “Small is the New Big” “Meatball Sundae” and “All Marketers Are Liars.”

The Eisenberg brothers, “Call to Action” and “Waiting For Your Cat To Bark.”

By: Avil Beckford

Avil Beckford — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 22:31:20 +0000

This is a very timely post and I am happy you published it. I would add the Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. When I interviewed highly accomplished individuals for my book Tales of People Who Get It, one of the seven questions that I asked was “which book have you read that made a major difference in your life?” not surprisingly, business books didn’t rank very high in having a major influence on people. In fact, most successful people seldom read business books.

I am in the process of writing a white paper on influential books and perhaps I will contact you when I am finished and share what I have found with you. Thanks again for publishing this post through your blog. Avil

By: John Hewitt

John Hewitt — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:10:57 +0000

Add “How to Win Friends and Influence People” which is a great guide to negotiation and works well with the Ferris negotiation rules in 4HWW. Not sure if I read it in 4HWW, but the point about staying silent after someone makes an offer is great. A lot of times you can get them to make a concession without even asking. This works especially well over the phone.

By: Debbi

Debbi — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:21:39 +0000

One book that has made pricing strategy and deciding what work to take (or reject) much simpler for me is “What to Charge: Pricing Strategies for Freelancers and Consultants” by Laurie Lewis.

It’s got very straightforward, easy-to-implement advice that’s made a great deal of difference in the way I do business.

By: Kevin Webb

Kevin Webb — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:13:39 +0000

Great list Pete! I’ve read and would agree with Think and Grow Rich as a pick. I’ll have to check out the other two.

One of the books that jumps to mind that I’d recommend is “The Magic of Thinking Big” by David Schwartz. I’ve read it at least a few times. It’s one of those books I’ve made the mistake of reading before bed, and had all these positive ideas zipping around my cranium. No sleeping happens when you’re ready to take on the world. Thinking of it now, I recall how Schwartz talks about how there are oodles (not a direct quote) more applications for the jobs that pay $10,000 a year, but very little for the jobs that pay 50 or 100 grand. It comes down to belief. The book was written in 1982, but easily still very applicable just like most parts of Think and Grow Rich.

But right now I’m reading “When ALL You have is Hope” by Frank O’Dea. It’s the story of the founder of the Second Cup coffee chain here in Canada. And I also have a little book on my desk called “Success Principles and Strategies for Success”

I picked up a book called “Change the Way You See Yourself Through Asset-Based Thinking” with Kathryn D. Cramer and Hank Wasiak back in May when I was touring Las Vegas. It has a lot of great quotes and methods for re-framing thoughts. It’s all about success.

A book written by a woman (sorry Dianna, not just for women ) you might want to check out is “Happy for No Reason” by Marci Shimoff. She was part of the book and movie, “The Secret” and has written with the Jack Canfield with one or some of the Chicken Soup books.

Oops. Pete you said one, didn’t you?

Oh just like Pete, I don’t benefit in recommending any of these books. Maybe I’ll work on that.