The Readers are The Leaders

I have a friend that often says, "The readers are the leaders."  As an athletic, well educated, family man, a great friend to many, volunteer coach, and an amazing heart surgeon, he's a good example of the truth of this statement.

I've probably also mentioned that I have a daughter that devours books like most kids eat up television shows.  She reads an average of about five, age appropriate chapter books per week.  I'm not sure if it's true, but I like to think she's this way because I read to her so much when she was young.  Okay, Nancy read to her quite a bit as well, but I'm the one that read an entire 3rd grade reading text book to her before she even started school.

I have not always been a great reader.  In fact, if you don't count Hardy Boys books, of which I read maybe 15, I can count on one hand all the books I read for fun in the four years of high school. 

When I was in kindergarten, my mom moved us from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, about half way through the school year.  In Salt Lake we did a lot of crafts and ate cookies and drank milk every day.  We probably worked on our ABC's, but I don't remember for sure.

In my new school in Las Vegas, it became quickly apparent that I was about a year behind the rest of the other kids.  On my first day at Ruby Thomas Elementary, when the teacher asked the kids to pull out their books and read silently, I knew I was in big trouble.  I held the book out in front of me and did my best to look like I was reading, but the teacher realized almost at once that I was faking it.  I can clearly remember her coming to my side, squatting down next to me and saying, "You don't know how to read, do you?"

I had just stepped onto the long and bumpy road of a kid who is constantly running to catch up with his peers.  That road lasted all of my elementary, junior high, and high school career. 

About 15 years ago, my mom was big into her real estate sales profession and occasionally went to motivational seminars.  She invited me along to a couple of them, including a day listening to Jim Rohn.  I had never heard of Jim Rohn at the time, but I have never forgotten him.  He was down to earth, logical and straight forward.

One of the things I remember most about the seminar, and the one thing that has made the single biggest impact in my continuing education, was a comment about library cards.  He mentioned that just 3% of Americans carried a library card.  He also mentioned some statistics about high achievers, also in 3% minorities.  I don't remember the details, but I do remember feeling like this was something I needed to do.  I leaned over to my mom and said, "Sounds like I'm going to be getting a library card this week."

I don't remember now if it was that week or sometime afterword, but I soon went out and joined that 3% by signing up for my very own library card.  My first ever.  Since then, I have read or listened while driving to at least one book per month.  15 years x 1 book per month x 12 months = a conservative 180 books since Jim Rohn challenged me to get a library card and use it.

180 books:  business books, leadership books, classics, motivational books, biographies, autobiographies, educational books, military histories, even the Old and New Testaments.  And that doesn't count any Dr. Seuss, or A. A. Milne, or 3rd grade text books either.  180 books - and counting.

I don't know why, but it seems like it isn't cool to talk about motivational speakers.  At times I'm bugged that it's such a taboo subject.  If they aren't exactly taboo, they are at least never discussed like they should be.  There are some great motivational speakers out there, and they have a lot to offer.

Jim Rohn is among the greatest.  His little bits of wisdom are amazing, and they are presented in a way that really rings true to me.  I have tons of quotes by him stored in my phone. For example:

- Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
- Don't wish it was easier; wish you were better. 
- If you spend five minutes complaining, you have wasted five minutes.
- Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all you want.

      and one I just posted a few days ago
- There is no better opportunity to receive more than to be thankful for what you already have.  Thanksgiving opens the windows of opportunity for ideas to flow your way.

This great man died earlier today, after an 18 month battle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. 

I didn't know him personally, and only heard him speak the one time.  I've listened to some of his other tapes and CD's and have read some of his articles.  None of these - even combined - have compared to the influence of that one challenge to start reading more.  I'm sad that we have lost a man like this and I'm thankful for the impact he's had on my life and the lives of my children.  Jim Rohn  (September 17, 1930 - December 5, 2009).

Clark