30 GREAT BOOKS I HAVE READ... Part 2

Here is the continuation of the list of thirty great books I have read in thirty years. It's part of a compilation I have done as I mark my 30th birthday. For the preceding list, click here

13. The Tipping Point: Malcolm Gladwell’s bestseller has helped me to understand that it’s not enough to have a great idea but I must be able to share it with people who could make the idea work. I must also learn to share ideas in ways that people can remember.

14. The Magic of Thinking Big: I read this book when I completed high school. The key lesson I picked from this book by David Schwartz was that I should never limit my thinking. I learnt from Schwartz that if I believe that something is possible, my mind goes to work to find ways by which I can make it work. On the other hand, when I believe that something is not possible, my mind shuts down on all possibilities. I have practiced and seen how true this is.

15. Be a People Person: In his usual simple, sticky and profound style, leadership sage John Maxwell emphasizes that “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” From this book, I built confidence and learned principles that helped improve my relationships remarkably.

16. The Value of the Dot: Mensa Otabil developed this book out of a sermon he delivered in his church several years ago. When the book came out, he described the sermon as the best message he’s ever preached. What I picked from this book was that, it was possible to turn my liabilities into assets. It gave me a new perspective to the biblical parable of the talents.

17. How the Mighty Fall: Jim Collins knows how to write. He knows how to package his ideas in simple, clear concepts. In this book, Collins identify  the factors that precipitate the decline of great companies and brings out the values that guide those companies and leaders who never give in. It’s a book about taming greed and complacency; an intelligent work.

18.  The Greatest: An engaging autobiography of one of Muhammad Ali. Ali is a manifestation of how possibility thinking and positive confession can move one from obscurity to prominence. His optimistic mind gives birth to discipline, hard work and strategy which combine to make him one of the greatest athletes in the world of boxing.

19.  Gifted Hands: Beautifully written narrative of the life and work of Ben Carson. What fascinated me greatly in this work is the role Sonia (his mum) played to make him a self-controlled, studious and optimistic person. The book narrates how Carson grew to become the first person to conduct surgery to separate conjoined twins joined at the head. 

20. Thomas Edison: Janet and Geoff Benge give an account of the life and times of prolific inventor Thomas Edison. Edison is a testimony of how self-identity and self-awareness can transform a boy who is described as addled by his teacher to become a man known as the brain behind many of the inventions that make the world we have run smoothly.

21. God’s Big Idea: This is one of many books by Myles Munroe which talk about how to implement God’s intention on earth. In this book, Myles Munroe eloquently espouses that God wants us to live and find fulfillment on earth, even before we get to heaven.

22. Eat That Frog: This is Brian Tracy’s work on how to effectively manage time. Tracy shares 21 proven principles for making the best use of time. When I finished reading this book, I resolved to always prioritise things that are challenging but important. I should not keep them on the back burner.

23. Unravelling the Secrets to Wealth Creation: Emmanuel Dei-Tumi launched this book the 2003 edition of Eagles Camp at the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Hall at Osu in Accra. I picked up a copy and it really awakened my consciousness about wealth creation. I see that book as a Ghanaian version of American Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad. It’s a classic guide on how to attain financial freedom.

24. Praying the Right Way: Chris Oyakhilome’s exposition on prayer transformed my understanding about prayer. I like how he emphasized that in Christianity, we don’t pray through Jesus but we pray directly to God the Father in the name of Jesus. Since then, my prayer life has never been the same.

25. Transform Your Pastoral Ministry: This is a book I consider a pastor’s manual. Dag Heward-Mills teaches eloquently on the four pillars of every pastor’s ministry – praying, visiting, teaching and interacting. This is a book that helped me to understand the work of a pastor and some of the dynamics involved in becoming a pastor.

26. Lay People and the Ministry: This is another book by Dag Heward-Mills which really sparked a desire in me to do the work of God. It made me realise that ministerial work is not exclusive to those who wear the clerical garb but a mandate on all believers. I grasped the revelation that I could be God’s instrument wherever I find myself.

27. See You at the Top: In this book, I learnt from legend Zig Ziglar that I cannot consistently perform in a manner that is inconsistent with the way I see myself. I also learnt from this book that I can get whatever I want if I help enough other people to get what they want. Another lesson I picked up was in relation to books; that I should never lend or borrow a book. I should buy my own, read it and keep it. You can tell this book made a tremendous impact on my life.

28. The More You Know, the Better it Gets: This is a seminal book by couple authors Albert and Comfort Ocran. The Ocrans, in my estimation are Ghana’s most committed writing team. Their passion to influence Ghana, Africa and the world with knowledge-based products drove them to publish this particular book which seeks to eliminate dinosaurs from the corporate world. The book is a compelling appeal to readers to add value to their lives to avoid getting into redundancy and irrelevance. It offers a roadmap for continuous learning and personal development.

29. The Five Love Languages: Gary Chapman is a good communicator. In this book he eloquently explains that a marriage is likely to be harmonious when couples learn to understand and speak each other’s love language. He outlines the five languages as words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. Needless to say, this is a very useful book for the already married and those aspiring to get married.

30. Cashflow Quadrant: This paradigm-shifting book by Robert Kiyosaki exposes readers to four possible ways of making money – as a(n) employee, self-employed, business owner and investor. He advocates that no matter where one starts from, we should progress to becoming either business owners (who will put in place systems for businesses to run without our direct personal involvement), or investors (where we would invest equity in businesses we may not have been involved in establishing). This way, no matter our personal circumstances, we could have instruments that generate wealth for us.

Terry Mante is a Life Coach and Motivational Speaker.

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE LAUNCH OF MY NEW BOOK ON DECEMBER 6

"Terry Mante is passionate about empowering and transforming lives through his writings and speaking. In Life Sense, he compresses his personal thirty-year journey into a thirty-day mentoring experience many will find very beneficial. I highly recommend this book." - Rev. Albert Ocran, Author, Minister and Management Consultant

"Life Sense is dotted with helpful signposts to guide you on the road of personal development. The language is clear, the style is readable, the message is relevant. You already know your life’s purpose or are still searching? Either way, it makes sense to read this book over and over again. Go for it!" – Kafui Dey, Morning Show Host, Starr 103.5 FM

"Life Sense by Terry Mante is a buffet table of knowledge with a vast array of subjects for his reader to pick and feast on. Each chapter is a gem of wisdom; teaching practical truths that are essential to daily living. I found Life Sense  an easy and enjoyable read; once I started it was a marathon for me and I could not stop until I finished the entire book. However, I sincerely suggest that you take on the challenge to spend the next 30 days in study; reading, reflecting, internalizing and daily proving these truths, I believe they would certainly lead to holistic personal development. There are several chapters that ring true to me, but I must say three of my favorites remain: The magic of asking questions, Humility is not timidity, an Unsinkable ship and Spiritual capital....did I say three? Well I just had to list four. Bonne appetite, enjoy the banquet!" - Karis Senanu, Administrator and HR Manager, Aviation Alliance (Delta Airlines), Accra, Ghana

“In many ways, LifeSense promotes and challenges a complete paradigm shift from the old ways of doing things and proposes a new exciting and practical approach to moving from our comfort zone to the flying zone.” – Em Bartels, Founder, GPA Africa Awards

30 GREAT BOOKS I'VE READ

“You will be the same person in five years except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet.” – Charlie Jones

As I continue to reflect over my life of three decades, I realize that reading has played a major role in who I have become. I am still convinced that reading will be critical to who I will become in the next thirty years and beyond. So, I took up a task to recollect thirty books I have read and how they have influenced me.

It is my joy to share my list with you.

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad: I grasped the principles of personal financial management and wealth creation from this masterpiece by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lecher. This book helped me to distinguish between assets and liabilities and transformed how I managed my finances.
2. Purpose-Driven Life: During my undergraduate years at University of Ghana, Rick Warren’s classic was the toast of many of my Christian friends. I read it too and it caused me to pursue my purpose in life more decisively. That is why I do what I do – life coach, author and motivational speaker.
3. Youth Power: Youth Power is a revolutionary book published in 2004 by my friend Yaw Perbi. This book talks about how young people could play significant roles in life and impact their society. From this book, I learnt from my friend that the youth are not just future leaders, but leaders of today.
4. Buy the Future: This is a book I’ve read every year since 2004, and each time I read it I pick new lessons from it. The author is pastor of International Central Gospel Church in Ghana, Mensa Otabil. It’s a book that teaches about the need to sacrifice short term pleasures for long term fulfillment.
   
5. The King of Torts: It’s one of the numerous books of American thriller novelist John Grisham. In this work of fiction, Grisham skilfully teaches about class action and tort law. As an author, I realized that serious lessons could be communicated through fiction. Fiction was not only for entertainment but could educate as well.
6. Good to Great: I bought and read this book sometime in 2006. After reading it, it took me about six months before I could read any other book. Author Jim Collins and his research team shared some intriguing lessons on business, leadership, excellence and personal development that are hard to come by in any other book. It is a masterpiece.
7. How to Influence People Through Public Speaking: It became necessary for me to get Dale Carnegie’s classic work when I lost an election in St Peter’s because I couldn’t speak with confidence. Carnegie’s book was very useful in my development as a speaker. Till date, it is the best book I’ve read on the subject of public speaking.
8. Future Wealth: It is the work of Chistopher Meyer and Stan Davis. This book stresses the primacy of human capital and how it will underpin the economy of the future. It strengthened my resolve to develop myself and others.
   
9. How to Win Friends and Influence People: Another classic from the stables of Dale Carnegie, this book had a landmark impact on my social skills. As an introvert, I did not know how to initiate conversations with people but this book came in handy. I also learnt about how to persuade people and a whole lot more.
10. Beyond the Rivers of Ethiopia: In this book, Mensa Otabil tracks the role of black people in the Bible and establishes that in God’s scheme of affairs, no race is superior to another. As an African, this book helped me to embrace that God thinks about me, God has a plan for me and I can become an influential person in the world.
11. Tough Times Never Last but Tough People Do: This was the first motivational book I read. I was in high school at St Peter’s. I read this book just before we wrote our final examination. It was in this book that I embraced the mindset of a possibility thinker. At the time I read it, it was relevant for the impending examination battle which would qualify me to gain admission to the university. Robert Schuller’s book helped to jump this hurdle successfully.
    
12. Seven Keys to Abundant Living with no Regrets: I bought this book in 2002 at Aburi Girls High School when I served as a delegate for St Peter’s in a congress of student leaders. On the last day of the congress, I spotted a book stand mounted by the Scripture Union, went close to it and what I got was this book by Stephen Adei. It was in this book that I first read about the 10:10:80 strategy for wealth creation. This strategy recommends that for every income we earn, we must give out 10% as tithe to God, set aside another 10% for investment and live on the remaining 80%.

Click here for continuation.

30 THOUGHTS THAT SHAPED MY ATTITUDE

I found out early in life that more than anything else, my attitude influences the outcome of my life. Here are thirty thoughts that shaped my attitude to life.

1. Abraham Lincoln: Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.

2. Anonymous: Your attitudes and the choices you make today will be your life tomorrow, build it wisely.

3. Brian Tracy: You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing tom master you.

4. Catherine Pulsifer: Your words, your expressions will reflect your attitude. Be conscious of how and what you say.

5.  Confucius: To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.

6. Demosthenes: Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.

7. Ella Williams: Bite off more than you can chew, then chew it.

8. Eleanor Roosevelt: No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. Never give it

9. Emmet Fox: You cannot be healthy; you cannot be happy; you cannot be prosperous; if you have a bad disposition.

10. Francis Bacon: Knowledge is power.

11. Frank Lloyd Wright: The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.

12. Fulton J. Sheen: The mind is like a clock that is constantly running down. It has to be wound up daily with good thoughts.

13. Helen Keller: When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.

14. Henry David Thoreau: Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be.

15. Henry Ford: If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right.

16. Isaac Bashevis Singer: If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of becoming a prophet.

17. James Anthony Froude: You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.

18. James T. McKay: No matter the level of your ability, you have more potential than you can ever develop.

19. Katharine Hepburn: Life can be wildly tragic at times, and I've had my share. But whatever happens to you, you have to keep a slightly comic attitude. In the final analysis, you have got not to forget to laugh.

20. Lou Holtz: Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.

21. Margaret Fuller: If you have knowledge, let others light their candles by it.

22. Marianne Williamson: As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

23. Martha Washington: The greatest part of our happiness depends on our dispositions, not our circumstances.

24. Michael Korda: To succeed, we must first believe that we can.

25. Napoleon Hill: Life reflects your own thoughts back to you.

26. Roger W. Babson: When we are flat on our backs there is no way to look but up.

27. Sally Aw Sian: Life’s challenges spur you on to greater efforts, train you to meet subsequent challenges and finally provide you with the moral and spiritual fiber to avoid arrogance in success and despair in failure.

28. Thomas Edison: Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

29. Thomas Jefferson: Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.

30. Tony Bennett: It pays to be different. When people see you as different, they are attracted to you. The best way to be different is to be yourself.

Terry is a Life Coach, Motivational Speaker and Author.

DUNCAN WILLIAMS: A PROPHET WITHOUT HONOUR

A lot has been said about what Archbishop Duncan Williams was supposed to have said to his congregation about women and marriage. For what he said, he has been criticized, abused, ridiculed and even insulted.

Before I get into the substantive issue, I’d like to highlight the practice of positioning reporters in church auditoriums to track sermons by pastors and file reports, sometimes with sensational headlines. For some time now, I have observed that Starrfmonline.com consistently reports on aspects of almost every sermon that is preached by Archbishop Duncan Williams and Pastor Mensa Otabil. Only their news editor can explain why they do that. On a number of occasions, I have cited reportage on old messages of Pastor Otabil that were played back on his Living Word broadcast on Joy FM. Now to the substantive issue about Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams.

WHAT DUNCAN WILLIAMS SAID

• The Action Chapel Founder is quoted by various news portals to have said that “It’s a privilege to be married. It’s a privilege in the time we live in when it’s seven (women) to one man”.

When a pastor preaches to his congregation, he speaks to them within the context of a long-standing relationship he has had with his congregation. The congregation, to a large extent, having known the pastor over a number of years, can relate to what he says and situate it in a particular context. For example, when he says C, they know that it is based on an A and a B he talked about a month ago. So if a media house picks only the C and places it in a different context, it could be interpreted by others that the man does not know the alphabet.

I believe that Duncan Williams has been taken out of context. Of course marriage is a privilege because not everybody who desires to get married gets the opportunity to marry. And not all who get married stay married. That makes marriage a privilege. To be fair to the man, he DID NOT say that those who are not married are not privileged. He did not say that at all.

His reference to the 7:1 ratio was not to say that men are scarce so women who are abused in marriages should not seek redress. I’ll address that shortly.

• Again, the Archbishop was reported to have said that “Sister, when you get married, be thankful and stop misbehaving because it’s seven to one. It doesn’t matter how pretty and beautiful and intelligent you are; until a man proposes to you, you are going to stay beautiful, pretty, intelligent, nice and whatever, and rotten”.

Definitely, Duncan Williams is not a male chauvinist. Neither is he an advocate of domestic violence.  The implication of what he said was that, if you are blessed to be married, be thankful (to God), don’t take your marriage for granted, and work hard to keep it going. Don’t feel too beautiful or too intelligent to do what you must do to ensure that the marriage works. Don’t let your beauty or intelligence get in the way of your marriage. If anything, let them enhance the strength of your marriage. The reference to the 7:1 ration implied that other women wished they had what you have but they don’t because their paths have not crossed with their ‘dream man’. And to the unmarried women who desire to marry, how are you going to get married and enjoy your marriage if no man shows interest in you. Even if you are turning down men who propose to you, it should not be out of spite and disdain. In my own small world, I have met some amazing women whom I proposed to but they turned me down. I continue to have good friendly relations with these women. Some have gone on to marry. Others are not married yet, although they are not rotting away. Intelligence has nothing to do with whether one is married or not.

The bishop’s advice is simple: don’t let your beauty and/or intelligence make you so proud that you ruin your marriage or your chances of getting married. I see his use of the word ‘rotten’ as a metaphor to imply that pride could obstruct your marriage or success in relationships to the extent that you may get lonely and menopausal (inability to conceive and make babies). He did not mean to say that women who do not get married will waste away.

• Another statement attributed to the iconic pastor, after he made the statements above: “That’s what it is, and somebody needs to tell you because there [are] so many women out there misbehaving. You got to be told the truth. And the reason why a lot of marriages are not working is because everybody is afraid to offend women to tell them; ‘Come on girl, you got a good thing going, hold fast onto it, don’t misbehave and don’t lose it’”. He also declared that, “We get offended when the truth is said, but I have come to a place [where] I tell people that I have lost my reputation a long time ago, and so it doesn’t really matter whether you like me or you don’t like me, and I don’t preach to impress people anymore. I stopped doing that a long time ago.”

The man knew the message was not a popular one but he felt compelled to say it. Of course there is room for disagreement but it gets irritating when people who do have half the credibility he has; people whose entire ancestral and personal accomplishments are nowhere near this man’s track record,  insult and seek to discredit him because he has said something they disagree with or don't understand.

Let me go off with a caveat. I am not and have never been a member of Duncan Williams’ church. I have no personal relationship with him and I doubt if he will even see this write-up. But I just felt that as a Christian, I should attempt to set the records straight. I believe many of the people who are commenting (or criticizing) him on this are doing so from an emotional perspective, rather than being objective about it.

TO THE BISHOP AND THE MEDIA

I’ve got word of note for the bishop though. After almost forty years of ministry and national relevance, the bishop should realize that his ministry transcends the four walls of the Prayer Cathedral. His ministry has become trans-denominational; thus anything that happens there is likely to slip elsewhere. I believe that for the sake of preserving the integrity and influence of the church corporate in Ghana, he should moderate his statements and explore ways to communicate without being vague and/or controversial.

As for media houses which sift five-minute lines from hour long sermons and present them under sensational headlines for attention and patronage, they should sit up and treat us to intelligent, analytical and research-based news.

I sign off with a quotation from Isaiah 4:1 –

 “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, ‘We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by your name, to take away our reproach” (NKJV). 

Terry Mante is a Life Coach, Motivational Speaker and Author.

30 LESSONS I HAVE LEARNT IN 30 YEARS

In December 2014, I’ll be thirty years and like Jesus, I’m just beginning. I've been reflecting over my life – the valleys, the mountains, the plateaus, the people, the mistakes, the achievements, the lessons and the future.

Here are thirty lessons I’ve learnt in thirty years.

1. Conviction: Beliefs that are firmly planted in my heart will determine what I do with the resources in my hands.
2. Compromise: Values count. If I compromise my values, I will lose my promise. It is the values I hold that ultimately take me to my place of promise.
3. Character: Who I am in private speaks louder than what I project in public.
4. Control: I am responsible for the outcome of my life. I cannot blame God, Satan or people. I must take charge of my thoughts, actions and pursuits.
5. Change: Change is inevitable. To be on the right side of change, I must expect it, plan for it, create it, manage it and respond to it.
6. Connection: An experience from one area of life could be valuable in another area if I learn to link and apply the principles.
7. Conformity: Short cuts could offer nothing but quick fixes; and quick fixes expire quickly. I must seek to align my life, work and ideas to best practices.
8. Competition: I am not on earth to be better than somebody else. I am on earth to reach my God-given potential. By setting myself in competition with others, I lower the standard.
9. Conception: Vision is life’s best tour guide. If I want to see something with my eyes, I must first see it with my mind.
10. Calling: I am not on earth by accident. God designed me for a specific assignment. It is the discovery and fulfillment of God’s assignment for my life that will give me satisfaction in life.
11. Confidence: The level of my success in life will never exceed the extent to which I believe in myself.
12. Choices: The choices I make determine the actions I take. My actions produce the results I see. I must learn to choose wisely.
13. Comprehension: Without understanding, I cannot be effective. Pursuing the right knowledge will enable me to operate with understanding. Knowledge is power.
14. Competence: To produce quality, I must perform with relevant knowledge, requisite skill and right attitude.
15. Commitment: The only way to benefit from the things that are important to me is to devote my time, effort and money to them.
16. Consistency: What I do daily determines who I will be tomorrow. To see my dreams materialise one day, I must work on them daily.
17. Complacency: So long as I am alive, there is no point of arrival. No matter what I achieve, there will always be something more to strive for. The day I say I have arrived will be the beginning of my end.
18. Conflict: The battles I face are indication of the booty that lies ahead. Champions are produced only after battles are won.
19. Comportment: If I am gentle, I can control my emotions and temper; I can conduct myself in dignity in the face of provocations; I can manage my anxieties wisely.
20. Composure: Attitude is everything. My posture at the point of success will determine how long my success will last.
21. Compassion: The best way to show my love for others is to empathize with them; not to judge them.
22. Collaboration: It is not possible to succeed without people. People come in many forms – business partners, sponsors, bosses, subordinates, customers, family, friends, mentors and fans. Relationships are critical to my success. To succeed with people, I must love them, respect them, forgive them, serve them and help them.
23. Charisma: I may not appeal to everybody but I certainly appeal to the people God has called me to influence.
24. Crying: It is better to release my pain through my tears than to hold it in and suffer in silence.
25. Candor: Honesty is the best policy. Telling a lie under any circumstance is a serious breach of my honor, dignity and conscience. Speaking the truth wisely and graciously is the best way to keep my integrity intact.
26. Communication: My ability to receive and transmit facts, figures and feelings will determine what I get in life and what I give to my generation.
27. Clock: Time affords me space within which I can pursue and fulfill my aspirations. If I manage time wisely, it is most likely that my life will turn out pretty well.
28. Completion: When I begin something worthwhile, I must endeavor to finish and do so remarkably. Things done half way do not generate substantial rewards.
29. Christianity: The best way to live is to submit to the person, principles and power of Christ.
30. Contentment: Gaining everything in the world and losing my soul makes my life fruitless. True satisfaction comes by securing my soul in Christ.

  

             © 2014 Terry Mante

             CEO, Personal Development Network (PEDNET)

             Accra, Ghana

             Tel: +233.267.186.420