Are you looking to improve your business acumen, grow personally and professionally, and be a better AT overall? Well, we’ve got you covered! As a company who promotes the idea that overall self improvement leads to us being better professionals, we created this blog post to recommend some of our favorite books that can help you in all aspects of your life. Check out 6 of our favorite books that we have discussed in The Business ATvantage podcast that can help take you to the next level.
In the realm of self help, like with any topic, there is the good, the great, and the holy grail. Our holy grail is Simon Sinek’s Start With Why. Sinek discusses what he has dubbed the “Golden Circle of Human Motivation.” The outermost circle is What, then an inner circle with How, and the target in the middle is Why. Sinek says, everybody knows what they do, some know how they do it, but very few know WHY they do it. What is your purpose, your cause, your belief? As a result of this, the majority of our thinking & communicating happens from the outside in. We stay discussing the what, which for example, might be our pay, but how often do we permeate to the how? For example, how is our pay determined? Rarely do we dive into the why, which would be why are we payed what we are, what is the value system behind it? Start With Why not only applies to all aspects of our life, but it also allows us to get to the root of what we are doing. In terms of self help and identifying fulfillment, there is no deeper level to penetrate than to identify the why. Very simply stated, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” This is why it is vital to the future of athletic training for you to identify WHY you practice, why you remain in the profession, and to tap into that fulfillment every day.
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Another favorite book of ours is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven R Covey. This is an old book with lots of great information, that we definitely recommend for all to read at some point in their careers. In this he discusses the win-win principle. An excerpt from this chapter: “Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing–that is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. Many people think in terms of either/or: either you’re nice or you’re tough. Win-win requires that you be both. It is a balancing act between courage and consideration. To go for win-win, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you also have to be brave. To do that–to achieve that balance between courage and consideration–is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win.” What Covey is touching on here is to be considerate & sensitive, but also brave. To achieve the balance between courage & consideration. Are you able to quiet your ego so that a win-win solution can be found? Relationship building, rapport, and communication are going to become some of your best used skills when needing to negotiate for something. An example from an AT in Texas: his ice machine went out in the middle of football season, the administration had already been generous in their funding of new AEDs & a golf cart, so he didn’t feel comfortable asking for a new machine. Instead, he spoke with the cafeteria director and set up a routine where they would cross campus several times a week to fill their coolers with ice. It wasn’t long before the AD noticed this happening and make a point of getting him a new machine that was 3x the size of their previous one. Some of you may hear that and think “spoiled AT in Texas” but what this displays is tenacity, the ability to problem solve, and demonstrating a need, that in the end, got itself taken care of. Sometimes we are able to negotiate by displaying behavior instead of saying anything at all.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
As with any kind of self help advice, there’s plenty to be had when it comes to managing your personal finances. Robert Kiyosaki is the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad and if you haven’t read this book, we highly encourage doing so. This book helps jumpstart actions to take on how to manage money. He has a follow-up book called Cash Flow Quadrant, which if you read that, would help you understand why we encourage people to be self employed as independent contractors. We understand it’s not a good fit for everyone, but the power you have over your finances is incredible. Robert speaks in easy-to-understand terms and presents general ideas on how to get ahead. Its an easy & quick read that will likely inspire lots of action or affirmation of what you may already be doing.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up is a book that on the surface seems like a book about how to clean up your house. But really, it has a much deeper meaning & purpose that can be applied to all aspects of your life, including how to clean up your house. Essentially the message is that what you surround yourself with should bring you joy. That includes organization, materials, and overall spaces. For ATs, having their work space, kit, documentation etc. organized is key to efficiency and success. It’s a small book and a quick read, but if you’re not a reader, just google KonMari Method.
Good to Great by Jim Collins is another favorite of ours! In this book he lays out how and why some companies are able to take it to the next level and what sets them apart from the rest of the competition. He presents detailed data and addresses a number of practices, behaviors, and attitudes that help companies transition from good to great. An overarching theme throughout the book is the need to define a narrowly focused objective and use all of the company’s resources toward that area of strength, which contributes to long-term survival and success. As the AT industry continues to grow and communicate its value, this book is a must-read in order for us to do our part on the individual level.
MONEY Master The Game by Tony Robbins
Tony Robbins is a current favorite, that we felt skeptical about for some time. However, watching his documentary “I am not your Guru”, listening to his podcasts and now reading his books have been incredibly helpful. His approach of the more you give, the more you receive is the biggest take away for us and something we should all think about more often. Tony strongly advocates for allocating a percentage of your income towards a cause or something beyond yourself, stating “if you can’t give 10 cents of a dollar you won’t give 1 million of 10 million.” We strongly agree with this principle, which is why his teachings really resonate with us. In this book he sits down with 50 of the most prolific financial advisors in the world, waters down their advice, and makes it applicable to the everyday person. It’s a 600+ page book, so it’s not for the faint of heart, but if you’re really into this kind of stuff, you’ll totally dig it.