Listed in no particular order, I am very pleased to present a very special selection of books and recordings that have become my must-have recommendations. While it is hardly an exhaustive list, it does represent the top ten resources you should get cosy with now in order to give you maximum momentum.
Some of these are books which you will actually have to make time to read. And I mean read, not flick through a couple of times only to leave them sitting on your shelf, wasting space. (Anthony Robbins calls this “shelf-help”, which isn’t really very effective!) Most of these are also available as audio books (try Audible or iTunes) which is awesome really – if you are anything like me and have no choice but to multi-task, you can listen when driving your kids to school, or sitting on the tube or even while washing the dishes. (See, you can be seriously domestic as well as diligently committed to your own self-improvement.)
Are you ready for some serious motivation? Let’s get started!
“How To Get What You Really, Really, Really, Really Want” by Dr Wayne Dyer and Dr Deepak Chopra.
This recording first taught me the importance of attention and the power of thought. Because the truth is, you keep on getting the things you think about the most. If your attention is on how fat you are, then funnily enough, being fat just doesn’t go away. We don’t say “pay attention” for nothing – attention is currency, and Dyer and Chopra reveal how to spend it more wisely.
“Rich Dad, Poor Dad”
Before I read this book, I had no idea what “cashflow” was. How could I, when at the time I wasn’t earning enough cash to even notice the direction it was flowing to. (Out the window, incidentially.) I discovered I could choose to spend money on things that actually made me more money! I discovered I could make money even when I wasn’t singing! (Money that I didn’t have to give to my agent or the taxman!) Take control of the money in your life, starting now. You will never look at the ways in which you earn and spend it in the same way again.
“Who Moved My Cheese?” 
What does cheese have to do with change? Quite a bit, actually. While this appears to be a very easy to read fable about two mice in a maze in search of their missing cheese, on a more grown-up level it is really about change. If you imagine your goals and desires in life as being a wedge of the finest fromage – what do you do when one day, you discover your cheese has moved? Disappeared even? Do you sit around and wait for more cheese to appear? Or do you do the scary thing and start searching through the maze for a new wedge of cheese, even though it means…gulp…moving on? Ignore the management speak and buy it to decide if it’s time to move on to new and better cheese somewhere else.
“The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment“
“Living in the now” is possibly my most important challenge. I can sometimes devote inordinate amounts of time and brain space to worrying about the future. I notice myself stressing too much over events that have long since passed, and I often care waaaaay too much about what other people think of me. (Not great when you work in the performing arts and have people criticising and judging you, 24/7.) But if you take the time to really get into and apply the principles in this book, you will find yourself happier, more content and peaceful, just by being more “present” and less resistant to life.
“Ask and It Is Given: Learning to Manifest the Law of Attraction”
If you have seen or heard about the movie called “The Secret” (see below) then you may not know that it was inspired by this work. One of the most profound and inspiring teachers on the planet today. See Esther and Abraham in action here.
“Excuses Begone!: How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits”
If you have heard of the “Placebo Effect” then you will already have a good idea of how powerful our beliefs can be. If you think you don’t have enough time, money, companionship or motivation in your life to achieve the things you dream of, this book is the answer.
“The Secret” (Extended Edition) [DVD] [2006]
The original version of this film included Esther Hicks and Abraham (who inspired the director Rhonda Byrne to make the film), but eventual disagreements led to all footage featuring Esther and Abraham being removed shortly after its release. I was lucky enough to download this first version and I’m incredibly grateful that I did – Esther is such a potent presence that I really missed her in the later, re-edited version, which is now the only one available. However it is still an excellent introduction to the subject, not to mention the other speakers featured – Jack Canfield in particular.
“E-myth Revisited”
As a performer, I am what Gerber would call “a technician”. Someone with a particular skill that they use in their occupation. Most of us, when starting our own businesses, use this “skill” and make it the focus of our new venture. But what we don’t realise is that we end up working harder “for ourselves” because there are no systems in place to hire someone else to do it for us. Surely that is the point of starting your own business – to work less, not more. To work smarter, not harder. This is why most businesses fail, and why this man is such a legend. Buy this book to rethink how you are running your own “business”, learn how to organise it differently and then finally your life back!
“Awaken the Giant within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Life”
One of the greatest turning points in my life occurred in May 2005, when I attended the Anthony Robbins “Unleash the Power Within” seminar and the extraordinary firewalk at the Excel in London. (Yes, I actually walked over hot coals.) His sheer energy, passion and intellect have inspired millions around the world to reach beyond their perceived limitations. And his Basket Brigade project is a perfect example of how to organise massive charity efforts on a local scale. (Get your hands on one of his recordings to get the best experience and results – email me if you want to know where to start.)
“The One Minute Millionaire”
I was so excited by the time I had finished this book I could barely sleep. If you want some outstanding techniques for generating significant income FAST, not to mention the mindset that goes with it, then this is where you should start. There is also a real emphasis on how you contribute and give back while you earn, which is in true alignment with the Tiny approach to living. You will be bursting with ideas and itching to get started on your own first million before you turn the last page…
There are many more books (and particularly recordings) that I can recommend, and no doubt you will find posts on specific authors and writers throughout the site. But even if you do nothing else, just choose one of the resources from the list above and allow yourself to get to know it. Take the time (and you can always find the time) to add a little more to your mindset every day, and you will begin to notice the difference in the way you respond to your thoughts, actions and reactions. You’ll feel noticeably better, more “juiced up” about life and more optimistic about your future.
I would love to hear which books and authors have inspired you to get moving and create some change in your life – what has made an impact on you? Do you have a story to tell about getting going and changing something for the better?
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