As you might know I have a hunger for reading, but more importantly it’s a hunger for actually thinking about what I read and then doing something with it. I purposely limit my practice size so that I can devote time to thinking and applying best practices in serving clients, my family, and the community. Reading books, collaborating with clients and others (like attending conferences and my peer group), and then thinking about it takes time.
Each year I aim to read — or listen to via Audible — about 12 to 24 books. This is manageable and enjoyable. I have a wide range of interests, from practical financial planning applications, to current events, history, fiction, and raising kids. Every year I find at least two to five great books that I want to do something with. For example:
- In 2014, some of my favorite books were Think Twice by Michael Mauboussin and The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brain by Nicholas Carr. On a personal note my favorite books were Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters: 10 Secrets Every Father Should Know by Meg Meeker and Nurture Shock by Bronson & Merryman. All of these books helped me become a much better thinker, father, and husband, which hopefully made me a better advisor, as well.
- In 2015, I absolutely loved bestseller Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Faber and Mazlish most certainly supported the goals my wife and I have of improved parenting and marriage. Practically speaking, Courtney Pullen’s Intentional Wealth and the Thin Green Line by Paul Sullivan helped me guide my clients to think deeper about legacy goals and prudent wealth transfer.
That brings me to today. So far I’ve read/listened to 16 great books this year. For example, Simple Rules: How to Thrive in a Complex World will help in how we design financial planning deliverables in the future. And Originals by Adam Grant opened my mind to challenging conventional wisdom on what makes one a successful leader. The autobiography My Personal Best: Life Lessons from an All-American Journey by John Wooden is a great read on why sticking to core values matters and living a disciplined life can lead to great success, service, and fulfillment.
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But the most inspirational book I have read to date that is both very current and applies to not just my practice, but my life, your life, and most importantly, our children’s lives, is Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in the Digital Age by Sherry Turkle. This book is, in my opinion, one of the best books I’ve read on the powerful — and often negative — influence digital tools are having on our relationships with each other and the social development of children.
There are a bunch of great reviews of this book on Amazon. You can also find a great review here from the Washington Post.
This is a passion point for me. As cliché as it sounds, children are — literally — the future. I feel very responsible to participate in that positive development. Smartphones, tablets, etc. are a necessary fact of life, but I’m convinced that their misuse is fundamentally altering our thinking, our communicating, and most importantly, our very important family and community relationships.
The book is as much a recap of the issues to date as it is a call to action for parents, teachers, and society to get in front of this challenge before we lose our valuable conversations to digital tools that can’t possibly replace them. This book gives us great direction on how we can take positive action to help our children, our families, and each other.
I encourage you to pick up a copy. Let’s reclaim the conversation together.
Here’s to a prosperous New Year!
MICHAEL DUBIS is a fee-only CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and president of Michael A. Dubis Financial Planning, LLC. He previously served as lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Business School James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate. Mike can be reached at financialperspectives@gmail.com.
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