“Fred Factor” by Mark Sanborn

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Well, here we go another month and another great book. I’m having a lot of fun and learning some very valuable lessons by reading and reviewing these books for you. I highly recommend you get a copy of this next book and read it, then make it a part of your life. It’s very easy to read, it’s less than a hundred pages, or better yet listen to on an audiobook while you’re driving. Not only will these principles make your day so much better, they will have a huge impact on the people all around you. Many of us feel like our jobs just don’t make much of a difference or that there really aren’t any ways to do our job better. Fred will show you how to make a difference no matter what your job is.

Meet Fred.

In his powerful new book The Fred Factor, motivational speaker Mark Sanborn recounts the true story of Fred, the mail carrier who passionately loves his job and who genuinely cares about the people he serves. Because of that, he is constantly going the extra mile handling the mail – and sometimes watching over the houses – of the people on his route, treating everyone he meets as a friend. Where others might see delivering mail as monotonous drudgery, Fred sees an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those he serves.

We’ve all encountered people like Fred in our lives. In The Fred Factor, Mark Sanborn illuminates the simple steps each of us can take to transform our own lives from the ordinary – into the extraordinary. Sanborn, through stories about Fred and others like him, reveals the four basic principles that will help us bring fresh energy and creativity to our life and work: how to make a real difference everyday, how to become more successful by building strong relationships, how to create real value for others without spending a penny, and how to constantly reinvent yourself.

By following these principles, and by learning from and teaching other “Freds,” you, too, can excel in your career and make your life extraordinary. As Mark Sanborn makes clear, each of us has the potential be a Fred. The Fred Factor shows you how.

Seize the chance to be extraordinary.

Who has made the biggest difference in your life? Whose words and actions have uplifted and motivated you to excel? Chances are it was someone like Fred the postman–so outstanding in his service that Mark Sanborn realized this mail carrier could be an example for any person wanting to be extraordinary.

The “Fred factor” is summarized by four principles that will release fresh energy, enthusiasm, and creativity in your career and life:

* Make a Difference
* Build Relationships
* Create Value
* Reinvent Yourself

You, too, can apply The Fred Factor to enrich the lives of customers, co-workers, friends, and family members, as well as reach new levels of personal success yourself. Sanborn also shows how to discover and develop other “Freds.
Why not become a “Fred” yourself? You will turn the ordinary moments of life into extraordinary opportunities to make a difference in the world.

In our line of work, the trucking industry we come into contact with many people everyday. People from many other industries, and we have a huge opportunity to make a difference. The sad part is most of the time we are making a negative impact. This book will help you turn that around and make all of your encounters with other people positive. Get a copy of this book today, you’ll really be glad you did.

“Our Iceberg is Melting” by John Kotter

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Our Iceberg is Melting is a simple fable about doing well in an ever-changing world. Based on the award-winning Eight Steps work of Harvard’s John Kotter, it is a story that has been used to help thousands of people and organizations.

The fable is about a penguin colony in Antarctica. When one curious bird discovers a potentially devastating problem threatening their home, no one listens to him. The characters in the story, Fred, Alice, Louis, Buddy, the Professor, and NoNo, are like people we recognize, even ourselves. Their tale is one of resistance to change and heroic action, seemingly intractable obstacles and the most clever tactics for dealing with those obstacles. It’s a story that is occurring in different forms all around us today, but the penguins handle the very real challenges a great deal better than most of us.

On the surface this seems like a simple fable, its very easy to read and somewhat humorous. In fact it’s so easy to read you can easily miss how much is really being taught by this fable. I tend to read fast and I had to go back and slow down and really think about what was happening in the story. The book is primarily written about dealing with change in an organization as a group, but anybody will find that there is a lot to learn about dealing well with change in general. The trucking industry and the world as a whole are changing rapidly and the pace continues to get faster and faster. You can either sit back and complain, or pretend its not happening, the way the character in the book called NoNo does, or you can learn to take advantage of the changes and prosper. This book does a great job of giving each penguin a very distinct and different personality. You can identify each one with people you have dealt with and how they handle change and get a good feel for what works and what doesn’t. You will even pick a penguin and identify with them personally. The book clearly highlights the eight steps required to deal with change the right way. Unlike real life though the book progresses quickly, the problem is solved and the group saves the day despite all odds. We all know it doesn’t necessarily happen that way in real life. But by moving quickly through the problems and finding the solutions it makes for a very quick and easy read. I also think it helps teach the concepts better, rather than get stuck in the problems and complexities. My experience with the trucking industry in general and owner operators in particular is that they are very resistant to change. Many of the problems we face in the industry today and many of the issues we complain about have solutions. The industry just seems to be resistant to trying them. This book is a great starting point for understanding how to bring change about, in ourselves our companies and the trucking industry. I highly recommend reading this great little book and I will be buying multiple copies and giving them away, it really does make a great gift.

“The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S Clayson

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There are a few books of basic wisdom that endure for generations. One of these books is The Richest Man In Babylon, first published in 1926.

We have heard, again and again, the critical importance of putting aside a share of our income for investment.

There are a lot of ways to build wealth, but there is a simple, sure way that can always work. It is simply to develop the habit from a young age of saving a share of your income, say 10%. Paying this amount to your investment account must become the same as paying your monthly rent or mortgage payment.

Developing the habit of saving money should be developed the same as the habits of bathing, washing hands before a meal, or shaving.

If you can’t have certain luxuries now and maintain your savings ritual, postpone the luxuries now so you can enjoy them and financial security later.

I said this method is simple, I didn’t say it was easy.

The book is broken into chapters, each told in a parable format that takes place in ancient Babylon to explain a certain area of personal finances (investing, savings, insurance against loss, etc). What’s most clear is that these “ancient” financial secrets are actually applicable to people today, regardless of the advances in communications and technology. The idea is that sound personal finances are governed by rules that are everlasting.
And if you haven’t heard of or read The Richest Man In Babylon yet, maybe this is a good time to get a copy for yourself and read it.

Achieving a successful financial life is not rocket science, and after reading “The Richest Man In Babylon”, you believe that even infants can do this. George Clason’s book has become a classic in the financial market, attracting more than 1.5 million readers in the US alone. Originally distributed as flyers, the book teaches you to understand and correctly manipulate the forms of overcoming financial hardships. It presents the readers with stories of personal success based in consequences of acting right and wisely upon a hard desire and determination.
In fact, that’s the ultimate goal of the book: To show those aiming for financial success, an insight that will help them make money, save money, and make their money generate even more money (what’s called investing).
According to Clason, paying off your debts, cultivating your talents, respecting yourself and obtaining knowledge, are some of the advices for those wishing not to worry about not having money. Arkad is the main character in the book, always with wise words about keeping material tranquility, a tranquility that nowadays in the competitive and modern world is more valuable and important than ever.

In language as simple as that of the Bible, this book presents a sure path to prosperity and happiness. It offers an understanding of—and a solution to—your personal financial problems which will guide you successfully through a lifetime. The Richest Man in Babylon is a book you will want to read yourself, recommend to friends, and give to young people just starting out in life.

“The Wealthy Barber” by David Chilton

I’ve been reviewing and bringing you books that I think are, one easy to read, and two, very helpful for you in your personal and financial life. Here is one of the best. “The Wealthy Barber” by David Chilton. This book is easy to read and doesn’t contain a lot of technical jargon, it’s just very simple down to earth advice about how to handle our money and financial lives. It’s told as a story about Dave. Dave is looking for some advice about his money and asks his father. His father sends him to the local barber Roy who has become the “Wealthy Barber” through solid simple financial planning. Each month Dave, his friend Tom and his sister Cathy, visit the barber for a new round of financial advice, each chapter in the book covers a monthly visit.

The first month’s talk with the barber lays out the best secret for wealth, “the Ten Percent Solution.” The idea behind this is to “pay yourself first,” automatically moving 10% of your take home pay to a well-researched mutual fund that has exhibited a solid track record of strong growth. The idea is to save this money over a long stretch of time and let the powers of compound interest help grow that 10% contribution into a formidable nest egg. This fund, though, is not earmarked for retirement. Rather, it’s there to be used later in life, to buy that vacation home or luxury car. The wealthy barber argues that one will hardly notice a change in lifestyle if they pay themselves 10% first. (And he’s largely right, in my opinion; we easily spend 10% of our take home dollars on things and stuff that we forget about by the end of the month.)

The remainder of the book covers other common topics for personal finance books, such as using tax deferred and tax free retirement savings accounts, whether or not it makes sense to own or rent a home  and other such morsels of information. On a personal level, I found myself nodding my head in agreement while reading the vast majority of the book. I totally agree with the author on his concept of budgets. Most people will not stick to a budget and then feel guilty when they don’t, and stop trying to plan at all. The wealthy barber argues that while he thinks budgets are an important part of fiscal health, he doesn’t think they’re essential because people who start a budget rarely stick to it. Furthermore, he contends that if you follow the Ten Percent Solution that you need not tell every other dollar how to behave via a budget.

The method by which Chilton’s financial advice is dispensed is unique and helps hold the readers interest. Sure, the characters are one-dimensional and their dialog is a bit corny – they make a lot of un-funny jokes and references to the Detroit Tigers – but it works out well, in large part because the three “protagonists” – Dave, Tom, and Cathy – each represent a different archetype:

* Dave is a young, married guy with a child on the way. He works at a school so is eligible for a 403(b) retirement plan. He bought his first house recently.
* Tom is single and works in a factory that offers a 401(k) program. He rents, but recently purchased some rental property with a business partner.
* Cathy is self-employed and lives in a condo. She’s single, likes to travel, and is in a bit of consumer debt, we are led to believe. She makes about twice as much as Tom or Dave.

These three characters give Chilton plenty of room to explore the various insurance concerns, housing advantages, and retirement options available to different people. In addition to Roy the barber, there are also some secondary characters who are the “regulars” at the barber shop. They offer their own take on Roy’s advice every now and then, which might reflect the attitudes of certain readers.

I highly recommend reading the Wealthy Barber, it doesn’t matter whether you know a lot about money or absolutely nothing this book has something for everyone.

Remember, “Be Safe be Profitable, and Master The Journey”

“Who Moved my Cheese” by Spencer Johnson

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I’m going to share with you a book that has helped me and my business. My goal is to find books that will help you run your business more profitably, but from a different point of view than most business manuals will teach you.  Many of the things you will get out of each book can also be applied to your personal life.

In this issue, I want to share with you the book “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Dr. Spencer Johnson M.D., who also co-wrote the best seller “The One Minute Manager” as well as dozens of other books.

I know the title sounds a little strange, but this story deals with an issue that applies to all of us –CHANGE.  Change tends to make us all a bit nervous and uncomfortable so it would be helpful for us to learn how to cope with it in a positive way.  Most people are fearful of change because they don’t believe they have control over how or when change happens to them.  What this story shows us, is that what matters the most when confronted with change, is our attitude.

The cheese, symbolizes what you want or treasure in life. This could be health, a loving relationship, peace of mind, success or even something you are just used to.

The maze is where you look for what you want.  Such as your family, community, the company you work with or even inside yourself.

This book is written as a parable or fable and has an interesting cast of characters.  As you listen to a brief description of each character, see which one is most like you and which one you would rather be like.

The cast of characters consists of 2 mice, Sniff and Scurry and 2 little mice-sized men, named Hem and Haw.

Sniff is always out looking for new opportunities.  He’s the type of mouse who is always going to be the first one to find a new opportunity.

Scurry however, is no dummy either.  Even if it’s others who have opened his eyes, he is quick to take action.

On the other hand, Haw, who is the main character is slow to embrace the idea of change and is very comfortable in his existing circumstances.  However, he does possess the ability to break past the fear and eventually adjust to the change, yet it’s usually in a reluctant way.

And finally there’s Hem. He’s basically hemmed into his situation and simply refuses to change no matter what.

The book starts off with a group of friends meeting after their high school reunion.  One begins to tell the story about the 4 characters who live in a maze and must search for cheese every day to survive- and of course they love cheese.  They’ve gotten used to finding a big supply of cheese in one particular spot, until one day,, it’s not there anymore and we never do find out who moves the cheese..

But Sniff and Scurry run out immediately to find new cheese, while Hem and Haw are rather freaked out and waste a bunch of time wondering and worrying about the injustice of it all.  The mice of course come out ahead and find a new cheese source.  They prevail, we learn, because they kept it simple.  The mice didn’t act like victims by constantly asking “who” or “why” instead they took positive action.

Eventually, Haw learns to laugh at himself when he realizes he’s made a mistake by becoming too dependent on his cheese and by being unwilling to move on.  He comes to many realizations during the story and he writes them on the wall.  Here is the summary.

Change Happens:  They keep moving the cheese don’t they?

Anticipate Change: Get ready, the cheese is going to move

Monitor Change: Smell the cheese often so you know when it’s getting old

Adapt to Change quickly: the quicker you let go of the old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy the new cheese

Change:  Move with the cheese

Enjoy Change!: Savor the adventure and taste of new cheese

Be ready to change again and again:  They’ll keep moving the cheese.

Of all the things you may get out of this book, here is what I’d like you to think about right now.  Change does not always mean something totally new.  For example, you don’t have to end your relationship with your family and start all over with a new family, BUT you can Change your relationship with your family for the better and start enjoying it more.

As far as your trucking business is concerned, you don’t necessarily have to go to a new company to make your situation better.  In most cases that won’t help things anyway because the basic circumstance hasn’t changed. So please embrace this idea.  Most of us keep doing the same old thing hoping someone else will make a change to put more money in our pocket.  We think the only answer to more profit is getting paid more money per mile..  How many years have you been telling yourself and others this theory??

So what if I moved your cheese and said,, you need to make a change in the way you handle your business. You need a plan that will give you control over increasing your profit..  You’re willing to try something new and search out new ideas by investing in yourself aren’t you?  Wouldn’t you rather be one of the elite few who actively look for new ways to change the current situation than one who feels hemmed in? Think about this for a minute: rather than earning more per mile how about spending less per mile! If you’re ready to make a change for the better, listen to a couple of helpful books each month or seek out a business advisor. To see some immediate positive changes, let Kevin teach you how to be a Certified Master Contractor at one of our seminars..  You know you’re ready…

I’d love to know what you think about the book after you have listened to it.  You can reach me at 888-262-8585 ext 88.  Be safe and learn while you earn…