“The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

One of the first investments my mentor Sal Castillo made into my future was the book “The Millionaire Next Door” by Stanley and Danko.

When we think of the affluent lifestyle, we picture expensive cars, mansions, designer clothes, laughter over drinks, shopping sprees and a lifetime of vacations. People living without a care in the world. But this is not the movies people.

In fact, their may be a millionaire living right next door to you and you wouldn’t even know it because they do not fit societies depiction of a millionaire. According to “The Millionaire Next Door” authors Stanley and Danko, most people have it all wrong about how you become wealthy in America. Being wealthy in America has more to do with hard work, saving diligently, and living below your means than it is about inheritance, advanced degrees, or even intelligence. The millionaires spoken about in this book are extremely frugal, spending a lot of money on managing their expenditures and investments, and little to none on materialistic things. We have this misconception that those with the expensive cars, clothes and jewelry are the rich, when in reality, they are going broke trying to “keep up with the Joneses.” You can be The Millionaire Next Door with great discipline. Without saying too much…a must read.

“Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson

During a 3-day real estate workshop, my instructor spoke on the difference between those who make it in life and those who don’t. Two of the big indicators were those who took the leap of faith and who adapted to change.

Our homework assignment was to read “Who Moved My Cheese?“ by Dr. Spencer Johnson. This book is amazing in putting things in perspective in regards to the way we conceptualize change. Have you ever wondered why we are so afraid of change? How do we ever expect to grow in our comfort zone?

In the story, the 4 characters are faced with unexpected change. Each character deals with change in a different way, ways in which we all can relate to at some point in our lives. Eventually, one of the characters deal with it successfully and writes on the maze walls what he learns along his journey. “Who Moved My Cheese” is written for all ages. The story takes less than an hour to read, but its unique insights and lessons are principles that will last you a lifetime. It’s a great conversational piece for family, friends and colleagues alike. Another must read!

“Unfuck Yourself” by Gary John Bishop

“Unfuck Yourself” by Gary John Bishop is an amazing read. Bishop, without hesitation, open-handedly slaps you in the face with his brutal honesty on how we cap our potential with self-imposed limitations. No one else or nothing else does it. It isn’t your job, the people around you, your money, your relationship, your upbringing, or any other unfortunate circumstance you like to place blame on. IT’S YOU! You are the barrier between the life you currently live and the one of your dreams.

Bishop coaches you through overcoming self-imposed limitations and gives you the tools to begin creating your unrestrained best-self. This self-empowering book pushes you into self-reflection mode, encouraging you to change thoughts and language used, so that you may actively take back control of your life.

No more excuses. Elude the distractions. The tough love you needed to get out of your head and into the life you desire is right here.

“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho is a story about a shepherd boy named Santiago, who is on a journey to find his “personal legend” or his life’s spiritual purpose.  Along the way, Santiago runs into different individuals who teaches him the importance of following not only his heart, but the signs the universe lays out for him. By the end of his adventure, Santiago discovers treasures beyond his wildest dreams.

We are all Santiago, in a life quest to find what makes us whole or fulfilled in this world. Sometimes we get distracted, placing our dreams to the side due to current necessities or the fear of never achieving our goal. Santiago was faced with obstacles throughout his quest, but never loss sight. He picked up nuggets from each stop, utilizing lessons learned that brought him closer to his treasure.

“The Alchemist” teaches you that in chasing your dreams, you will have to confront fears head on to elevate, hold tight to hope when faced with adversity, focus on your personal goals disregarding societal influences, and believe in your inner self to find happiness. The story reminds us that even in our separate walks of life, we are ALL interconnected in this universe and everything happens for a reason. Never fret the comings and going’s of people, jobs, or things because each served its purpose and, in some way, helped you to the next chapter in your life. Appreciate the good times and learn from the bad ones.

There were many jewels dropped in this story, but I’ll leave them for you to unveil. Just remember that the universe has a magical way of guiding us through life, so pay attention to the signs.