This week I will be writing about all of the people that have influenced me to make huge changes in my life over the last three years. These posts will be long because there have been many people that have made a positive impact on my life. Today’s post describes the most influential career and professional development writers that have help me grow and start Pocket Changed.
I learned a lot in business school about economic formulas, ethics, corporate accounting and marketing principles. What I didn’t learn was how to be an epic employee and add value to the company. I also didn’t learn how to get my own business started, network with other like-minded individuals or escape the 9 to 5 grind. I don’t regret going to college, but I wish I would have spent more time learning about the real world from people living in it instead of just doing required homework and cramming for exams.
There are a lot of resources out there to learn about personal development, career advice and working for yourself, but the below recommendations have all greatly impacted me over the past three years. They have all been an inspiration for starting this website, becoming more personable and striving to be incredibly awesome.
Smart Passive Income with Pat Flynn
I came across Pat through his podcast on iTunes after I had heard his name mentioned a few times on the web. He writes from his experience of becoming a successful entrepreneur on his website and gives out tons of free information. I have used his free guide on how to make an eBook and his helpful post on how to create a Facebook landing page. Pat is living proof that someone can survive a layoff and make a successful online business.
Favorite Post: The Only 100 Words You Should Read Today
Think Traffic by Corbett Barr
Corbett has been a big influence on my progress with this blog and has inspired me to write epic posts. He also has a personal blog that talks about working online while living anywhere. I am in his membership program called “Traffic School” and would highly recommend it to anyone in the future when he opens it up again. The people I’ve met through it and the principles I’ve learned have been well worth the price of admission.
Favorite Post/eBook: 18, Months, 2 Blogs, 6 Figures
Get LIT: A Fire Under Every Butt by Todd Clarke
I met Todd at Chris Guillebeau’s book tour in Seattle last year and his passion is contagious. His blog is a great resource for advice on how to make a difference at work and turn your organization into a powerhouse of productivity. His personality shines through in every post and I really enjoy the infographics he creates to prove a point.
Favorite Post: Are you Acting Mainstream?
Lifestyle Business Podcast by Dan Andrews and Ian
This was the first podcast about entrepreneurship that I started listening to about six months ago. Dan and Ian are out there working for themselves and they give advice on how to do the same. They’ve even hired people such as Sean Ogle through their Tropical MBA program to work right alongside them. Whenever I am looking for a new idea or just need some inspiration to crush it, I turn on the Lifestyle Business Podcast. To quote Dan, “Yeah buddy!”
Favorite Episode: 5 Myths About Successful Internet Business
Escape from Cubicle Nation by Pam Slim
The title and the sheer number of recommendations I got to read this book by Pam Slim made me pick it up. Pam lays out a step by step plan for how someone can escape the grind and start working for themselves. This is a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in becoming an entrepreneur and building a business. Pam also writes at the Escape from Cubicle Nation blog.
Favorite Post: My Declaration of Independence
Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields
One of my life goals is to always go against the grain and live a life different from “everyone else”. Jonathan writes about how you can do that in his guide to entrepreneurship titled Career Renegade. He writes about how to find your passion, build your life around it and turn it into a career. My favorite part of his book was the last chapter about how to be your own guru.
Favorite Post: Be You Own Guru
Linchpin by Seth Godin
How do you stand out in a sea of employees at your massive corporation? Become a linchpin. Be the one person that holds your group together, that everyone knows can get the job done right and delivers the results. While I am also a huge fan of Seth Godin’s other books like Tribes and The Dip, Linchpin is my go to book for professional inspiration. Check out Seth’s blog for daily posts that will give you a kick in the pants.
Favorite Post: Art is what we call…
Internet Business Mastery Podcast with Sterling and Jay
With a huge backlog of episodes and a wealth of information for entrepreneurs (both online and off), Sterling and Jay offer up great advice on their podcast. A lot of the ideas that I have gotten for the business side of Pocket Changed have come from the IBM podcast. I highly recommend that anyone that is interested in making money online check out their podcast and website for insight and encouragement.
Favorite Episode: IBM | 99: How to Fail at Online Business in 3 Easy Steps
Ending the Grind by Steve Roy
Steve’s site is a huge motivation for me to break out of the 9 to 5 till 65 grind. He writes about his journey to escape and shares the story of others doing the same. Steve even recently featured me on his site in a guest post. I am currently working with Steve in a mastermind group he started up and the results are already coming to fruition. If you want to read stories of others that are trying to break the corporate chains, visit Ending the Grind.
Favorite Post: The Longest 4 Years of My Life
The World Needs You by Mars Dorian
Mars puts out epic content. There’s no other way to say it. He writes to make people better at being awesome. If you want to increase the following of your cause or impact the world in a positive way, Mars is a guy to follow. He has great tips for other bloggers. From how to create awesome business cards to 21 ways to spread your killer influence online, he puts out compelling posts like he’s been doing it his whole life.
Favorite Post: The One Question That Will Determine Your Fate
Getting Things Done by David Allen
As my first foray into productivity literature I read David Allen’s popular book Getting Things Done. This book explains a system for managing your tasks that allows you to accomplish more in less time. I know, it sounds boring, but it can be life changing. Once I started implementing some of the principles he recommends in GTD and in his follow-up book Making It All Work, I was able to take on more responsibility at work and do more outside of work as well. For a more detailed description of what GTD is all about, check out my book thoughts for Getting Things Done.
Favorite Quote: “Part of having healthy self-esteem is a general trust in your decisions.”
4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
The first time I came across this book was in the Portland, OR mega bookstore Powell’s. I immediately read the first chapter and put it on hold at the library. Tim walks through many different aspects of starting a business, outsourcing the work and minimizing the amount of time you have to spend working on it. All of the tactics and strategies in this book may not apply to your current situation, but the amount of “life hacks” he provides is incredible. He has since gone on to write 4-Hour Body and on his own blog.
Favorite Post: How to Check Email Twice a Day or Once Every 10 Days
I am always interested in finding more great people to follow and read about. Are there specific personal or career development resources that you keep coming back to? I’d love to hear from you in the comments or tweet me a response in the box below.
Don’t forget to sign up for the Pocket Changed Newsletter to get the Friday post about the people who have influenced my personal life the most.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Caleb, thanks for putting this list together. I wasn’t aware of Corbett’s e-book, but followed your link and downloaded it last night - very interesting!
That is a great resource. There are many other free e-books available that people have put out too that help tell their story. One example is Chris Guillebeau’s 279 Days to Overnight Success.
Caleb,
Great list of resources you have over here - many of them I haven’t ever heard of.
Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome Timo. There are so many people that have helped me out that I owe it to them to share their resources.
Hey Caleb - awesome list, I’m so happy to be on it!
I’m completely with you regarding college. I still think it’s something most people should do, if only for the personal growth you go through there, but there are lots of things wrong with what most colleges teach.
I doubt that universities are going to be able to keep up with the rapidly changing needs of the workplace and our growing entrepreneurial economy. Maybe college will be the place to “learn how to learn” and to learn how to become your best self, instead of a place that teaches you specific skills that are outdated anyway.
In any case, it feels great to finally realize how much information is available outside of college and how useful it can be to living the life you really want, doesn’t it?
It absolutely does Corbett. Even while I was getting my MBA I still looked for more resources to learn more than just the basic principles of business.
College for me was definitely an experience I would never give back, but you’re right about it being a place where you “learn how to learn”. Without going through college I wouldn’t have forged the work ethic that I have now, built my time management system and honed technical skills.
At least I went to an in-state school and didn’t rack up six figures worth of debt to learn what I did.
I’m a fan of many on this list. But it was nice to see a new name or two as well. Thanks for sharing!
Glad to hear I had at least a few new ones for you!
Hi Caleb- thanks for sharing your list. May I add another resource that’s often overlooked? Success Magazine is a great read that is published monthly. It captures all areas of success and you get a free audio CD of interviews.
Anyway, I enjoy reading your posts especially since I’m debating about going back to school and getting my MBA. I was on the fence about it but now I’m going to delay it because it won’t actually “make things better”.
Check out Personal MBA and look at the reading list he has.
Grad school in a box, haha.
Hey Caleb thanks for the shout
Great list here.
Definitely, I personally have learned tons from Andrew Warner at Mixergy.com.
This has to be the best resource on the net for entrepreneurs.
My training and background is in medicine so I didn’t have time to get an MBA.
I am learning from people who have created successful companies and this is my MBA. Like anything else the real learning starts when you start doing.