The book that’s had the biggest impact on my life?
10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace. By the late, great Wayne Dyer.
As I see it, his “Father of Motivation” moniker falls ludicrously short.
“Father of Changing Lives” wouldn’t be an overstatement. I can’t beat the drum for
Wayne enough.
And this book was by my side (in more ways than one) as I fretted and wrestled with the decision to quit my job in 2021.
Some of the passages in the book stopped me cold.
One section took me from lying flat on my sofa to sitting bolt upright, my heart pounding and my chest vibrating. It was like Wayne was gazing into my soul, talking directly to me and my situation.
And this passage had a huge influence on my decision to throw in the towel.
However…
Most of the book impacted me the way a manual for a self-assembly Ikea kitchen table impacts me. Sort of handy. Kind of useful. But certainly not life-changing.
I still dip into the book every now and then.
Some of those original passages have lost their power. They’re just words on a page now.
But the cool thing is that other passages have started
to pop and come alive for me. And yes, inspire me.
There’s a lesson here.
Finding new ideas, insights and perspectives isn’t always about looking somewhere new.
No sirree.
Instead, I’ll wager a pint of Guinness Zero that you can find fresh ideas in the places you’ve already looked. Especially if you’ve found useful ideas there before.
Revisiting a source means bringing new knowledge to something familiar. Which, in turn, lets us see things in a new light.
The Greek philosopher and all-round good egg Heraclitus once said "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man".
To extend (and quite possibly butcher) the metaphor:
If you’ve enjoyed a dip in the river before, why not take a dip in that river again?
Who knows what you might find.
Food for thought perhaps.
- Tom
p.s. I have an offer for you today.
If you’d like to know which 6 short paragraphs in 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace had such an impact on me, I’ll happily tell you.
Just hit reply and tell me a book which has had a big impact on you in some way. In return, I'll point you towards the exact chapter, subheading and pages where you can find those 6 paragraphs for yourself.