I often refer to one of my favourite Google experts, Perry Marshall. I guess that’s because he comes up with more tips, tricks and, occasionally, inspirational articles, than anyone else I know of. He recently sent a newsletter with the title “How much is that library worth?”.
He tells the story of a consultant with a booming import/export business who, prior to becoming involved in his current business, earned his living going around to estate sales, buying books for ten cents, and selling them on Amazon for ten dollars.
He wasn’t a reader, so books, to him, were things your bought and sold by the kilogram. (This rather reminded me of a “bookseller” who advertised heavily in Melbourne and Geelong that he sold books by the kilo — he opened up a few doors away from the Angus and Robertson bookstore I managed in Moorabool Street Geelong at the time — he didn’t last long.)
To return to Perry’s email. “Sam”, he said, “the value of my library isn’t its resale value on Amazon. The value is in how much of that information makes it from the books to my brain. It’s not worth ten thousand dollars — It’s worth ten million.”
“If you merely skim a book, absorb 5% of it and get one great idea, it’s not worth $20, it”s worth a thousand.
“If you go to a three day seminar, and get ONE seriously actionable strategy out it, it’s not worth $2,000, it’s worth $200,000.
“The most valuable thing you can ever possess in business is WISDOM. The amazing thing is, people pour out lifetimes of wisdom in books and courses. Why do they do that? Often it’s just so they can feel they’ve made a contribution. Then you can buy their wisdom for 1/100th its actual value.
“No matter what problem you currently face, some person, some book, some presentation, some gathering of people holds the answer you seek. Never forget that!”
I have two “takes” on that. The first is to ask yourself the question “To what extent have books shaped me into the person I am today?” For me, the answer is that they have had a huge influence.
The second, and more important “take” is again to ask yourself a question. “What wisdom have I accumulated over a lifetime’s experience?” The answer is most likely, a massive amount.
Many author’s assert that putting that experience, that wisdom, into print separates you from the many others in your field with similar levels of experience and wisdom, and qualifies you as an expert in that field — propels you into a position of leadership in your field.
Please consider putting YOUR experience, YOUR wisdom into print. You may be “just” making a contribution, but you may also be making a very important career move.
If you decide to take the plunge and go into print, consider self publishing. Subscribe to this blog, and trawl through the Kainos Print web site for numerous hints, tips and articles on self publishing and book printing.