Have you ever stopped to think about some of the expressions we hear over and over again through life?  Have you ever considered if they are even true?  Have you ever looked at the wisdom some of these timeless statements contain?

Last week I was watching the Jim Rohn “Mentor To The Masters” web event and I heard him say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  I have probably heard that expression thousands of times since early childhood, but I never once stopped to consider the wisdom this profound statement contained.  Now this is not a verifiable medical claim.  There is probably zero research to uphold the health benefits of daily apple consumption.  That is not the point of this statement.  I never realized it before, but this simple statement so perfectly captures how to create a Healthy Slight Edge in our lives.

The awesome part about adopting daily disciplines and creating a positive The Slight Edge is this does not only work in our physical health.  It works in literally every area of our lives.  I would like to share with you one of the most important Slight Edges I ever adopted.  In my business I consistently counsel entrepreneurs and leaders who are pursuing financial freedom for their families.  I love what I do because I get to participate in the dream building process.  Now I share all sorts of wisdom and insight with these entrepreneurs, but one consistent wisdom tip I share with every single one of them is to become a reader of good books.

This simple discipline has been one of the most important keys to my personal and professional success the past eight years.  Through high school and college I completely lost any desire to ever read again.  Then my beautiful wife shared one short, simple book, Positive Impact, with me and it completely shifted my perspective on reading forever.  I quickly adopted the simple discipline of reading just 10 pages per day of a good book.  Like every other Slight Edge, this is easy to do and easy not to do.

I would not yet say I am a prolific reader, but that translated into one good book per month.  Now I read a good book at least twice per month.  My goal over the next year is to move that towards one book per week.  Did you know the average CEO reads one book per week?  Think about how many responsibilities a CEO has.  Isn’t it peculiar they dedicate the time to consistently read and grow?  This discipline is a great example of the seventh habit, Sharpen The Saw, from the The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Now I am not saying reading exactly 10 pages every day is the magic formula for success, but I am suggesting reading more good books is absolutely vital to helping you get where you want to be in your life.  I would go so far as to say you will most likely never accomplish the things you want most in life if you do not adopt the habit of consistently reading good books?  What if reading 10 pages per day was the only thing missing in your personal success equation?  What if you began consistently reading good books and you accomplished some of your health, financial, and relational goals over the next year to two?  Would it be worth it?

I think the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” can be rephrased,

Question: What are you currently reading?  What is one thing you learned from a recent good book you read?  Comment below