I love reading. I have always loved reading and now that I think back, I am kind of proud of the scope of my hobby.
I devoured every book in our house as a child, including the set of encyclopedias, A-Z. I finished probably all the series in our school library. The ones that come to mind are the Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, Goosebumps, Babysitters Club, and the timeless, Choose Your Own Adventure Books.
Over my lifetime I have read an insane amount of words. Especially when you include those 5 inch thick books I had to read throughout law school.
But all this reading comes with a cost. I could borrow books for free from the library. But, ADHD. I suck at returning library books. I have paid so many late fees! Because, ADHD. I can’t just read one book at a time. And I can’t return them one at a time. Late fees add up exponentially when you have six or seven books out. I’ve racked up enough late fees to fund a library of my own, many times over!
So, I browse the used books sections at local thrift stores, and find AMAZING deals! The used books at thrift stores are sometimes filled with great little treasures like margin notes, personal book-marks, and little random notes and papers that readers had stuffed in them and long ago forgotten. Plus they’re so CHEAP! AND, I often find older, off the mainstream titles, like this less popular book from Dale Carnegie. All of us have read or heard of the book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” But this other title, “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living,” I found at Goodwill. It was in a clearance bin too, so it cost a dime!
It got me thinking about a few things;
First, how many artists create stuff, thinking, “I sure hope I find this sitting in a clearance bin at Goodwill some day?!”
But second, this book, is WAY more valuable in terms of content than his more popular titles. This is truly a gem!
“How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” is an amazing example of how things seem to have changed, but they’ve really stayed the same in the self-help book industry.
The value in this book stands as strong today as it did when it was written, and it is filled with little vintage reminders of 1948 book writing. Like including the addresses of people who he cites in the book.
It is also not only an example of perfect content marketing principles, but if you read between the lines it serves as a template for anyone who wants to write a self-help book and start a self-help empire. And, it is a testament to the fact that not everyone will find your content to be valuable, but one man’s junk, is another man’s treasure.
Finding Dale’s book in a clearance bin at Goodwill and paying pennies for it was one of the most exciting things to happen to me all week!
Bold Courage. Fearless Love. 