READING FOR PLEASURE

A recent spell in hospital has left me doing a considerable amount of reading over the past two weeks.

I've always read for pleasure and frequently have two or three books on the go but this has been an opportunity to start and finish books in one go or at worst over the course of a couple of days.

I've read all kinds from classics to latest bestsellers as well as a number of "self help / improve your life" type books. I've mostly enjoyed them all but a thought came to me that I'd like to share.

How many times have you read a great book and then seen the film and been disappointed? Conversely how many times have you seen a movie which has inspired you to read the book and had the same feeling?

I'd hazard a guess that more of you would be able to identify with the former statement. So often we feel let down. Generally it's because the film doesn't portray the depth of the book. Occasionally the movie comes up with a different ending or in some cases differs so much that you wonder if it's only the title they share in common.

But what about self help books? Full of promise on the cover. Crammed with the expectation that this will change your life and yet we all of us frequently complain that the book didn't live up to expectations.

Well the cause in the case of a bestselling novel becoming a Hollywood flop is most often down to the director or the producer but when it comes to a "self help" book we have only ourselves to blame.

The truth is that most self help books contain a wealth of good advice. Some of it may be obvious, some obscure. Some of it may need tweaking to personal circumstances but they all depend on one thing. Action! You do have to take it to heart. You do need to follow the rules. You do need to get up off your butt and start actually doing something about your life. You can read all the inspirational literature you like, become an "expert critic" of the genre, but if you don't put the ideas into practice you're never going to make it work.

When attempting to lose weight. "Eat less, drink lots of water and exercise more" are the fundamentals behind every diet but do we follow that advice. Do we hell! Most of us believe it can't be that easy. We find all kinds of excuses and still look like lardy boys months later. It's the same thing in the self help business.

We all know that that's what we should be doing. Take some advice on board and start putting it into practice. If you don't then all you've done is waste time reading a book that's going to end up leaving you as frustrated as if you've just seen another poor adaptation of a bestselling novel.

So next time you pick up a "life changing" book give it a go. At worst you'll do a little bit of good. At best you may change your life for ever. Don't forget it's only those who walk the walk that get to take make the journey. Those who just talk about it will get left behind.

Allcalma - it's a way of life.

Have a fun weekend.

Mikey