Whether you’re a 30-something professional woman or a 50-something woman small business owner, you want to know how to achieve success in the least amount of time. You’re interested in how to leverage reading and learning to secure authority, keeping your skills fresh in the process. You want to grow your career. Professionals have questions such as:
- How do you get authority?
- How do you become an authority in your field?
- What makes a person an authority on a subject?
However, it’s often difficult to figure out the resources you need to succeed. You hear every day that to thrive in an ever changing environment, lifelong learning is a must. Perhaps you look up to women like Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Barbara Corcoran, and Sallie Krawcheck. These women inspire you to achieve greatness and be your best self. They know how to build authority at work because they've already done it.
In your busy world, how can you find the time to read and learn?
- What books are invaluable and a must-read for a 30-something professional woman?
- What books will guide you to build a million-dollar business?
- What books do you need to read to stay on top of skills and to become more culturally aware?
- What books will teach you how to build authority at work?
- What resources are a must-have in your reading and learning tool-chest?
Lots of questions, but help is on the way. This article will show you how to leverage reading and learning to secure authority in the workplace. If you're interested in becoming an authority in your industry keep reading.
How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority
How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority: Use Brain Science to Study Books
You can teach a dog new tricks. If you know the right techniques and strategies to use. When you understand brain science, you can use the information and knowledge to learn faster and more effectively. The following books are invaluable on your reading learning journey to remain relevant in the workplace. And also to thrive in your career.
- Learning How to Learn: How to Succeed in School Without Spending All Your Time Studying; A Guide for Kids and Teens
by Barbara Oakley - How We Learn: The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens by Benedict Carey
- Teach Yourself How to Learn: Strategies You Can Use to Ace Any Course at Any Level by Saundra Yancy McGuire
- The Lifetime Learner's Guide to Reading and Learning by Gary Hoover
- The Thinker’s Guide For Students On How to Study & Learn a Discipline by Linda Elder and Richard Paul
by Barbara Oakley
by Benedict Carey
by Saundra Yancy McGuire
by Gary Hoover
by Linda Elder and Richard PaulHave you read?___________________________________________________________________
Do You Know How to Learn?
________________________________________________________________________________
Once you’ve mastered the reading and learning strategies outlined in the above books, you’ll become unstoppable. How? You’ll never read books the say way again. You’ll figure out how to apply the 80/20 Rule when reading books. This save you lots of time, allowing you to focus on the things that matter to you. This is an important step to becoming an authority in your industry. You'll have effective strategies to quickly digest industry information.
I’ve read all of the above books and more to learn about effective reading and learning strategies. I created a Two-Month Challenge to help you to learn these strategies and techniques. You’ll read only three books and I’ve included questions to assess your knowledge. It’s my wish for you to build a strong foundation, so that you can learn any skill in a shorter time frame. Keep in mind that everything is hard at first.
After you’ve mastered how to read and learn more effectively, it’s time to learn key skills to make you more marketable and valuable. These skills will help you to establish authority in the workplace. I’ve created the Performance Accelerator Plan Lite to help you.
In 10 months, you’ll be reading 15 books and you get the opportunity to use the strategies you learned while engaging in the two-month learning challenge. There will be a Facebook group where you can exchange knowledge with other reading challenge participants. Better yet, why not get a group of five of your friends and colleagues to join with you, so you learn together. The six of you will build industry authority together.
Additionally, you’re encouraged to combine ideas from the various books you read. I’ll provide you with a template to use. Innovation is about combining two or more ideas. How might your life change if you discovered and implemented that one elevated idea?
For those who are up for a more intense reading and learning challenge, I created the Strategic Reading Challenge Mission with you in mind. Here’s how Bustle, the digital publisher for millennials, describe my reading challenge. By the way, the Read the World Challenge has evolved into the Strategic Reading Challenge.
“Avil Beckford brought this one to my attention. Her Read the World Challenge consists of a month-by-month reading plan designed to make you a more well-rounded person and a better entrepreneur. With 60 titles needed to complete the challenge, it's not one for the faint of heart, but Beckford provides plenty of helpful lists to guide your book selection process.”
Join the Performance Accelerator Plan, what are you waiting for!
Have you read?____________________________________________________________
9 Reading Challenges For Adults To Take In 2016 by Kristian Wilson
After you've completed the Strategic Reading Challenge, not only would you have mastered in-demand skills, but you'd have also mastered intercultural awareness. You'll read the types of books that teach you how to become an authority.
How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority: Book Recommendations
Since people are always asking me for book recommendations, I created a list of books on Amazon that you can read to learn the skills. It is a wish list, so I have not read all the books on the list, but I plan to work my way through them. I like books off the beaten path, therefore, some of the books on the list will be unfamiliar to you. I will continue to add books to the list.
I once read that at age 65, only about five percent of people will be financially independent. If that is the case, why would you do what most people are doing? Why would you read the kind of books that everyone else is reading. I also read somewhere that if you want to master any subject, you have to read five very good books on the subject. Since you now know reading and learning strategies, you'll be able to digest books in no time. Click on the link below to see the list I compiled on Amazon and you can easily buy the ones you are interested in.
Check out Skills Needed for Future Jobs: Amazon List
Global Reading List to Become More Culturally Aware
Learning the skills that the World Economic Forum reports that you need to thrive is a big part of the Strategic Reading Challenge. However, I believe that everyone needs to be culturally aware and sensitive to thrive in an increasingly global environment. To use myself as an example, I had to interview someone in Bolivia for a project that I was working on for a trade organization. I was able to successfully complete the project because I had read Witch-Doctor's Apprentice.
I created a global reading list that I think will help you to become more culturally sensitive. I have read all the books on the list. Click on the link below to see the list and you can easily buy the ones you are interested in. Some of the books are lighthearted and others deal with serious issues.
Check out Global Reading List: Amazon List
How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority: Resources to Make You Smarter
You’ve heard the old adage, “Jack of all trades and master of none”? The new version is “Jack of all trades and master of many.” There is still a need for specialists, but it’s important to understand what’s going on outside of your area of specialty. The challenge you’re facing may have already been solved in another niche. But you won’t know that unless you step outside your niche — outside your comfort zone.
MentorBox
MentorBox can help you to expand your knowledge base — authors extract the key information from their books just for you. There are lots of negative reviews on the internet about the service. Use the stripped down version of the service that’s priced at USD $7 a month. Don’t have books mailed to you, simply go to their website and digest the information there.
If you’ve participated in my two-month reading learning challenge, you’ll know how to distinguish between essential and non-essential information. And you’ll know which information to pay attention to.
It comes down to exercising good judgement and do that with the MentorBox service. The upsells are annoying, but that’s the way of internet marketing. All I do is ignore them. Please use the service the way I instruct you to and you’ll find it invaluable. You don’t have to use it the way others are using it.
The Great Courses
I’ve bought courses from The Great Courses and they serve my purposes. The one thing I don’t like is having to stare at the lecturers walking around or standing looking wooden. Despite that, I enjoy the content. I really enjoyed “Books That Have Made History: Books That Can Change Your Life.” And now it’s time to revisit the course now that I’ve learned about reading and learning strategies since I first took the course.
I’m currently working my way through “Theories of Knowledge: How to Think about What You Know.” A little tip for you, I only buy the courses when they’re on sale.
They now offer The Great Courses Plus, a subscription service for as little as USD $14.99. I’m planning to sign up. Here’s what I do, but you can do things your way. Between 6:00 am to 8:30 am is my learning time. It’s in my schedule, and I decide what course I’ll work on. Each lecture from the Great Courses is about 30 minutes, so I’ll either listen to one or two each day, depending on what’s going on with me.
Make sure that you schedule your reading and learning time.
How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority: Organizations You May Not Be Aware Of
The Great Books Foundation
In the past, The Great Books Foundation used to offer a yearly subscription plan, but that’s no longer the case. What I like about the organization is that they have a methodology – shared inquiry – for discussing books. I was first introduced to shared inquiry at least 12 years ago when I participated in Toronto Pursuits, which I’ll talk about later. The methodology is a way of thinking about and discussing a significant piece of classic work from the Western culture. When I took the course more than a decade ago, two of the readings we discussed were The Overcoat
by Nikolai Gogol and Martin Luther King’s The Letter from Birmingham Jail
.
By using Shared Inquiry when discussing a book, you’ll get more from the text. This could be a good format for serious book clubbers.
Classical Pursuits
I’ve participated in three Toronto Pursuits: E=MC2, Book of Genesis, and the one I mentioned above where we discussed The Overcoat and The Letter from Birmingham Jail. Using the shared inquiry method, I participated in some of the most enriching discussions I’ve ever had about books. Classical Pursuits also has seminars that they offer overseas. Consider it a learning vacation. I’ve never been on the trips overseas but a good friend raves about it.
One of my hobbies is traveling, which I haven’t done in a while. This is a way to get started again. Classical Pursuits helps you to think critically about the classics.
Center for the Study of the Great Ideas
More than likely you’ve heard about the classic, How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren. Mortimer Adler and Max Weismann founded the Center for the Study of the Great Ideas. You’ll look at great ideas in the past, which will give you ideas about what are great ideas today. You can become a member, which will help you to think more critically. And you’ll become part of a community of great thinkers.
Foundation for Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is a skill you’ll use throughout your life. I’ve bought several books that the Foundation for Critical Thinking offers. But it makes sense and is more cost effective to buy the Set of Twenty-Two Thinker's Guides. The Guides that I own are not an easy read, but when you take the time to read and digest them, you’ll be farther ahead in your thinking and understanding of any subject or topic of interest. Can you see the implications for your career? The critical thinking guides will teach you how to leverage reading and learning to secure authority.
How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority: Free/Discounted Books
Who doesn’t like free or discounted books? For books in the public domain, two good sources are Project Gutenberg and eBooks@Adelaide.
There are three websites that I visit every day to see what free and discounted books they have on offer. The books are offered for free or heavily discounted as a way to introduce readers to new authors.
And sometimes, publishers use that as a strategy to introduce a new book that a well-known author wrote. Sometimes the promotion is so successful that by the time you visit Amazon to download the free or discounted e-book, the promotion has ended. So, pay attention to the price on Amazon.
Check out Digital Book Today
Check out Freebooksy
Check out Bookbub
How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority: Digital Note Taking Tool
Research shows that you remember more when you take notes by hand. And your level of comprehension increases. When you take notes by hand, you’re forced to rephrase what you’re hearing. And you remember more because you’re writing things in your own words.
Have you read?_____________________________________________________________
Take Notes by Hand for Better Long-Term Comprehension
Many people use Evernote to take notes, but I use the Livescribe Echo Smartpen. Your handwriting has to be legible for the pen to recognize it. When I am tired, my handwriting is not great. I bought a couple of grade school books that teach children how to write and I’m practicing how to write again.
I also plan to buy the Bamboo Wacom Spark, another digital note taking device. Why two products? Wacom Spark is also good for doodling and that is something I’m learning to do to tap into my creative side. Click the Buy button to purchase the pens and notebooks.
Echo Smartpen and 3 Subject Notebook Bundle
Livescribe 8.5 x 11 Single Subject Notebook #1-4 (4-pack)Livescribe Echo Ink Cartridge, Blue Medium, 5 Pack (ARA-00011)Wacom Bamboo Spark Smart Folio with Gadget Pocket and Digital Ballpoint Pen
Recently, I read “The 7 Best Note-Taking Apps for iPad and iPad Pro.” I’m interested in the Notability app because you can use the the Apple Pencil with your iPad and it converts your handwritten notes to text.
Final Thoughts: How to Leverage Reading and Learning to Secure Authority
If you’re interested in finding out how to leverage reading and learning to secure authority use a few of the resources mentioned above. Make sure that you invest the time to uncover the reading and learning strategies that can accelerate your career. These days, it’s important to do what others are unwilling to do. How many of your colleagues are willing to learn how to learn.
Some people may think it’s an insult to be reading books about learning. However, neuroscientists and cognitive scientists are making discoveries every day. The above books have tips for you to learn more effectively. And you can use the information the rest of your life. If you want to establish any kind of authority lifelong learning is a must.
Finally, I’m adding two videos that are self explanatory. They’ll help you to leverage your reading and learning time.
The above video is important because it's important to develop the habit of reading. Here is a blog post on BookRiot that explains how to use Habitica to gamify your reading.
Several people I know have used this technique and swear by it. I used it once and it worked after I got used to the unnatural sound when you speed up the audio. The one issue I had was my inability to take notes while simultaneously reading and listening to the audio. I suppose you could pause the audio after each chapter of the book, then take notes of what you just read and heard.
Note: A few of the links are affiliate links, which means the company will pay me a very small commission if you make a purchase.
