Tyler Jorgenson

In January I posted that I planned to read a lot this year so I figured that an update is required.

Books read:

The Four Hour Work Week

This is without a doubt the book with the most influence on my life this year. I have read the original edition once, the expanded update three times and listened to the audio book at least three times. I strongly recommend this book for anybody looking to live a little more and stress a little less.

Atlas Shrugged

Can somebody please explain why these books haven’t found their way into my life sooner?  Sure, it’s over a thousand pages but this book is amazing.  To many it seems prophetic since it was written in 1957 but mirrors the issues of our times so well.  This book motivates me and inspires me more than any other novel I’ve read.  My main takeaway is to take personal responsibility and to not make excuses.  A movie by the same name is currently in production.  Who is John Galt?

Good to Great
I really enjoyed the first few parts of the book and then it sort of died off for me.  I guess it went great to good.  My main takeaway was in making sure you have the right people on your team.  The concept of ‘first who, then what’ is something I consider whenever approached about a business opportunity.

The Purple Cow
This is one of Seth Godin’s 12 best sellers.  Each one that I’ve read is good but I enjoyed this one for reminding me that you have to do something different if you expect the market to notice your product or service.

Linchpin
This is Godin’s most recent, and possibly last traditional, book.  I had the pleasure of meeting Godin in Orange County and the advice he gave me when we spoke altered the course of my business and I am eternally grateful.  You can read more here about the concepts of the book Linchpin.

Robinson Crusoe
I started to read some classics and found a lot of great wisdom buried in their stories.  This book is about self discovery, survival, loyalty and determination.  It’s a classic for a reason.

Pride and Prejudice
Yes, I even read a Jane Austin book.  Pride and Prejudice was a great book.  For me it’s about being yourself and allowing others to be themselves as well.  It’s handle on the topics of pride and the prejudicial judgment is what makes this a must read classic.

Treasure Island
I read this just after I took a sailing class and so my increased sailing vocabulary added to my enjoyment of this book.  This was a quick and easy read but I enjoyed the journey.

There are a few other books that I’ve read portions of, even most of, but that I don’t feel need a summary.  Think & Grow Rich, Crush It, and a few select sections of my finance, stats, accounting and marketing textbooks.

He who never leaves his country is full of prejudices.
– Carlo Goldoni

Living in South Africa for two years changed me in many ways. One major lasting effect that it had on me was the knowledge that material goods have very little connection to ones happiness.

During my time in Africa I worked in a variety of locations, each with their own sub cultures and sometimes different languages. At one point I was in a wealthy suburb with guard gated communities, fancy cars, maids and even milk and bread delivery services. I remember sitting down as a dinner guest at one particular house and being taken back that each course of dinner was brought out at the ringing of a bell which the lady of the house kept next to her plate. A week later I was in a remote area outside of Bloemfontein and was working with the people that would have been grateful to answer the bell and have a job.

More surprisingly was that, after my initial callousness wore off, I realized that the people in the new area appeared to have greater happiness than many of the people I had known in the rich suburb.

I share this story and the above quote because I think some prejudices are only removed through experience. It is for this reason that I want to travel the world with my children and let them see and learn first hand how people live outside of Southern California.

Have you ever traveled somewhere that has changed you?