[caption id="attachment_2790" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Get Motivated with the RIGHT BUSINESS BOOKS for 2012"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-2790" title="Must read business books for 2012! " src="http://business-strategic-solutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/photo-81-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" />[/caption]

<strong>Creating GENIUS  in 2012! </strong>

<strong>Must Read Book Bites to Get You Moving!</strong>

I have always used the "winter break" as a time to catch up on my reading; I stockpile all my magazines and make a list of all the books I want to read. For the past 20 years, my family and I have gone to Maui for the winter break. Sitting on the beach for days on end provided the perfect backdrop for reading. So this year, with our Hawaii plans on the back burner, I was anxious I wouldn't catch up on my reading. All that anxiety aside, I read more than I've ever read on any Maui vacation! Here are the “book Bites” I found particularly noteworthy! Cliff note versions!

<strong>Awesome Nuggets For You!</strong>

<strong>Newsweek - Rent your life</strong>? <strong><em>(Nov 28th issue)</em></strong>
<strong><em>Really? Really</em></strong><em>?</em> <strong><em>Really?</em></strong>
This idea takes finding new ways to make money in this economy and thinking "outside the box" to a whole new level. The guy in the article (Rob Baedeker) not only rented out a room in his house, he rented his blender, his barbeque, his dog, a borrowed air mattress, his patio deck, his guitar, an electric sander the list goes on. He made $654 in a week. Just off renting his own stuff! Creative or what? Check out these websites to either rent something you need for a particular reason and don’t want to commit to a purchase, or to demo something before you invest in the purchase, or heck, to rent something you currently own and never use! <a href="http://www.zilok.com/">http://www.Zilok.com</a> -  <a href="http://www.rentoid.com/">http://www.Rentoid.com</a>.

<strong>One Small Step Can Change Your Life -<em>The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer</em></strong>
The Kaizen Way is a method/philosophy developed by the Japanese, after World War II to rebuild business one step at a time. <strong>This ONE – STEP APPROACH</strong> spurred such phenomenal results that the Japanese gave this approach its own name, Kaizen. Imagine taking one small step a day, before you know it 3 months goes by, and then 6 months, and then... You've reached your goal, you've changed your life, your business. You’ve actually taken a giant leap. When we get overwhelmed with a Gigantic Goal “the fear of change” (because every big goal requires “change”)  wakes up the amygdala part of our brain, which is the fight or flight part designed to alarm us whenever we want to, or need to, make a change. The amygdala views any deviation from what we've been doing as a threat (even if it what we've been doing is not working!) When we wake up the amygdala we shut down the cortex part of the brain (the stem) where rational thoughts and creative impulses take place, where <strong>our GENIUS lives! </strong>Where we take new ideas and turn them into ACTION.  .

<strong>Uncertainty </strong>– <strong><em>By Jonathan Fields</em></strong>
This book was fascinating, so fascinating I sent it to many clients and friends who I thought would enjoy it. Jonathan Fields talks about how uncertainty prevents us from taking the risks necessary to do great things and lead deeply rewarding lives. He explains how fear of judgment is a huge “buzz-kill” to the creative process and how the willingness to <strong>EMBRACE THE UNKNOWN</strong> is important to the continued success of every entrepreneur. Here’s an excerpt:
“Uncertainty and fear of judgment go hand in hand. The more you lean into uncertainty and the greater the risks you take to create something that didn’t exist before, the greater will be the potential for you to be judged and criticized” Unfortunately I think everyone of us are all too familiar with judgment. Fields puts judgment into (3) categories:
<strong>1.     Judgment from those whose approval you seek.</strong>

<strong>2.     Judgment from those whose money you seek in exchange for your creations.</strong><strong> </strong>

<strong>3.     Judgment from yourself. <em>Sound familiar?</em>
</strong>

Fields also suggests forming “Hives” or “Mastermind Groups” where you can use others to help take ideas to new dimensions and how having sounding boards where groups can contribute to the evolution of ideas is a powerful tool in creating greatness.
Another great point he makes, having a champion in your life, such as your partner, spouse, parent or sibling, is a powerful motivator for taking risks, a champion believes in you, even when you loose faith in you. http://<em>www.<strong>jonathanfields</strong>.com</em>

<strong>Here’s how we step it up and be the GREATEST and the most POWERFUL business leaders in 2012?</strong>
1.     Don’t be afraid to think of <strong>creative ways to make money</strong>, (as long as they’re safe and legal) like the guy who rents his life away!
2.     <strong>Shhhhhh…Don’t wake up the amyadala;</strong> taking small steps everyday gets us closer to desired results and keeps us from going into FIGHT or FLIGHT MODE which paralyzes and stops the creative process dead in its tracks.
3.     <strong>Lean into uncertainty</strong>, be aware of how fear of judgment stops the creative process, and be sure to have a “Hive/Mastermind Group” for a sounding board, and don’t underestimate the power of a champion in your court who is invested in YOU and your success!

This time next year, we're going to be saying "2012 was the best year ever!" How