Gofaone Nina Tladi
I got a call from my favourite store informing me that the books I ordered had arrived. I love reading, it is not only a great way to occupy my time but a valued skill that I want to continuously build upon. I tell the story of my grandmother every chance I get to honour her memory and to remind myself of how fortunate I am to be able to read and find wisdom, understanding, adventure and hope in such a profound manner.
In my study of rich people, I have noticed that they are readers. Bill Gates reads close to fifty books a year which seems near impossible in comparison to my twelve. “I am too busy to read,” or “I simply do not have the time,” are the top excuses of people who don’t read. Unfortunatetly, we have glamorised busyness, doing things that mostly do not add value to our lives. If one of the richest men in the world prioritises reading, there must be something hidden in the pages of books that leads to wealth.
As we wind down, it is my hope that we truly use these remaining weeks to pick up a book and read about personal finances. If we are to be like the rich, we must adopt the habits that have helped them amass wealth and maintain it. Here is a list of books I have read and want to recommend to you for this season:
- The Millionaire next door by Thomas J. Stanley- A book that is based on extensive research of the everyday millionaire and debunks the myths about how “Millionaires look.”
- The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason- Based on age old principles of growing and maintaing wealth that can still be used today. The thing about principles is that they always stand the test of time.
- Your money or your life by by Joseph R. Dominguez, Monique Tilford, and Vicki Robin- This book seeks to help you transform your relationship with money. It asks what is most important to us and seeks to highlight the attitudes and beliefs we have toward money which ultimately lead to our success or failure with money.
- The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey- I received this book as a birthday gift and finished it in one day. Having filed for bankruptcy, Dave Ramsey set about to live like no one else so that later he could give like no one else. He is the founder of Financial Peace University which has helped over 5 million families get out of debt and begin their journey to wealth. I am a huge fan of this man’s teachings, he has completely changed my view of debt and how “the borrower is truly slave to the lender.” Be ready to get mad and make a plan to dump your debt after reading this book.
- Boundaries- When to say yes and how to say no to take control of your life by Dr Henry Cloud and John Townsend- This book is not about personal finance but it truly helped me to know how to set boundaries in my life that do not align to the financial goals I have set for myself. Personal finance, I believe is about our inner battles that manifest in how we handle or mishandle money and that money exposes deeper issues and that when we begin to recognise and deal with said issues we are able to build wealth.
- Becoming Michelle Obama- In her record breaking memoir the former FLOTUS speaks about her journey to the white house and her excitement for the future. Many of us are destination orientated, but the journey can be just as breathtaking and as life changing as the destination itself. This book is not just for women, we all can learn from the journeys of others, their failures and how they got back up. Indeed the best is yet to come!
It has been an honour to write for you this year, you have been a great support and as words are power, I pray that mine have touched you and have planted a seed to want to change the narrative of your financial story. All I want for Christmas is that those who are on this journey with me, fall in love with and seek out knowledge and understanding above all else, that we become readers and share ideas truly worth spreading. The greatest time to change your life is today, do not wait for January. Charlie Tremendous Jones said that “Five years from today, you will be the same person that you are today, except for the books you read and the people you meet.”
Happy holidays my people, I wish you a December full of mindful reflection and preparation and a 2019 of intentionality towards attaining financial intelligence, integrity and independence. May the books we read be the stepping stones to our goals.
Visit the “Help, I’m broke with Nina Tladi” Facebook group for more discussions and encouragement to get out of the broke cycle.