Over the past couple of years, I have become a much more avid reader – especially of books that will help me succeed with my goals. I have been able to cut out a lot of television and other non-productive activities, and I have used these “found” hours to concentrate more closely on success oriented tasks. I have heard the following phrase several times, although, I have no idea who said it.
“If you’re not getting smarter, you’re getting dumber.”
The essence of this statement revolves around the idea that educational opportunities are so plentiful that the average person is getting a little smarter each day. If you are staying the status quo, then by comparison, you are drifting lower and lower down the “smart” versus “dumb” scale in relation to everyone else.
With the growth of the Internet and the vast amount of knowledge resources in the market today, I believe that this is much more true than ever. Individuals and organizations have the ability to supercharge their learning today with countless educational opportunities available online. From a nearly infinite number of educational videos on YouTube (it’s not just funny videos), to a never ending supply of educational podcast on iTunes, there is no end to the number of free educational opportunities in the market today. And, of course, let us not forget the old standard – books.
While I have always read industry periodicals and research to stay on top of things, I had rarely picked up a book and read it. Last year, I set a goal to read more books – enough to total 5,000 pages during the year. After finishing thirty books last year, I had blown through over 5,800 pages and had expanded my knowledge on several key topics that have helped me immensely in both my business and my life.
The question everyone must ask themselves is: “What am I doing to make myself smarter today?” Phrased another way, “What am I doing to grow my knowledge today so that I can help fuel my business and personal growth?”
Quite often, I run across many educational opportunities and items that I feel might help or be of interest to my small business clients. Therefore, we are going to start incorporating a weekly segment into the blog called “Smart’n up with…” to discuss these things. Quite often, they will be books, but they may also include Podcasts, YouTube educational segments, or any other item that may interest our clients. Hopefully, I can pass along a few great resources to each of our clients and blog readers as well.
Also, I would like to add that if you come across any great resources or books, please pass them along to me. I would love to hear about them.
Donna Bordeaux, CPA with Calculated Moves
Creativity and CPAs don’t generally go together. Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can’t talk with people. Well, it’s time to break that stereotype. Lively, friendly, and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with your CPA as demonstrated by Donna and Chad Bordeaux. They have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs. They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They have been able to help businesses earn many times more profit than the average business in the same industry and are passionate about helping industries that help families build great memories.