Finding Inspiration and Knowledge in Newsletters

If there is such a thing, I read too much. I’m the annoying guy at dinner parties who “just recently read an article about [insert any topic]…” I blame it all on my Learner trait. And, my parents…when in doubt, blame it on Mom and Dad. Damn genetics.

But, my brother had it right when gave me the best advice I’ve ever received, “Learn from my mistakes. I made them for you.” Think about it: instead of just mistakes, you can learn insights from some of the smartest dang people you’ll never meet – simply because they write and share. The opportunity to read, think, grow and take action for a more fulfilled life is up to you – bound only by your own willingness to invest in yourself.

Magical!

But, I read a fact recently that scared the hell out of me.

Total percentage of college students who will never read another book after they graduate: 42%.

I recognize there are many ways to learn and grow other than books, but I believe it identifies an overall mindset towards growth and learning. If you aren’t going to read a single book, you’re probably not investing a whole lot to grow yourself. In a world full of change, how do you keep up? The sad answer is that you can’t keep up; I’ve seen and worked with these people. The stagnation leads to expertly decaying skills no longer built for the current world and results in never unlocking your (earning) potential. Sad! Would you want your Doctor treating you if they never furthered their learning past medical school? I wouldn’t.

At the request of my friend who was looking for my sources of inspiration, I’m sharing the list of highly vetted newsletters that inspire me about living a fulfilled life and business insights. I want you to lead an amazing life and that only happens through growth and cultivating perspective And, trust me. I’m a sucker for a newsletter. I’m like a fat kid in a fried chicken joint when it comes to learning: Extra crispy, original, wings, white meat, dark meat, teriyaki, hot, medium, mild, sweet and sour…I love them all, so this is a well-vetted list.

Personal Development

Happify – Daily, bite-sized bits of insights and motivation
TED – Weekly video suggestions (Hint: Download the app and videos to turn your world into a mobile learning library.)
Keen Thinker (800CEORead) – A great source for new, interesting business books
TalentSmart – Tremendous insights from the author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0
Year of Happy – Kira Newman created  a year-long course looking at research about happiness; it is a weekly email with bite-sized learning through videos
Greater Good Science Center – My absolute favorite personal newsletter. Provides science based practices for a meaningful life
Flipboard – I use this app to aggregate articles across personal topics that I wouldn’t otherwise discover on my own

Business Insights

Strategy + Business -Writing and insights that rival Harvard Business Review
Harvard Business Review – The very best business insights from the smartest people on the planet. Worth the subscription price.
Fast Company – I fell in love with this forward-thinking magazine when I read the first issue. Still a reader.
Inc – A staple of any business insights
Startup.co – Aggregates the very best articles from around the web; if you’ve ever been an entrepreneur, run a company or wonder about growing a company, you will love the insights delivered here. Quickly becoming my favorite business resource for innovative thinking.
Delivering Happiness – A Zappos project and an outgrowth from Tony Hsieh’s namesake book
Where are you being inspired that I should add on my newsletter list?

Random Quote

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”

— H Jackson Brown

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