7 Books For Success

By Dr. Jean Gilnord Mathurin

My biggest break in life came when I was 15 years old and someone I looked up to gave me a piece of advice that changed my life. That individual was a civil engineer, the person with the highest level of education I knew at that point.

He saw that I was uncertain when he asked about my goals for the future, and he told me that I could accomplish any level of success I desired in life so long as I sought mentorship from successful men and women in that specific field.

I did not have such successful people in my circle at that time, so he advised me to seek their mentorship through their books. What follows is a list of my top seven books for success (in no specific order).

1. See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar

In See You at the Top, Zig Ziglar helps the readers understand that individuals should not be defined by their failures. He explains that failures are setbacks that can serve as stepping stones on the journey to success and that failures are only failures if you choose to quit or to give up on your dreams.

Such advice has been priceless during my journey from my previous life circumstances in Haiti to a life full of opportunities as a Medical Officer in the biggest Navy on the face of the earth. I can attest that the road to success is full of setbacks but know from experience that if you dare to travel beyond them, boundless success will be yours. Conversely, if you chose to accept them as your limit, then they are no longer setbacks but failures; the only difference is in your attitude and approach. The decision is yours.

2. Mindset by Carol S. Dweck

If you closely examine the life of successful people, you will eventually realize that they don’t become successful simply because they are lucky, are born in a great environment or because they are smarter. Although the above may help, at the core of every successful man or woman is a positive mindset. When it comes to living a more successful life, a mindset of hope, opportunity, gratitude and abundance makes the difference.

3. Your Way to Success by Tom Butler-Bowden

Your Way to Success is an audiobook I have listened to multiple times. It is truly a goldmine, and one in which the author gives an excellent individual synopsis of 150 success, self-help and prosperity classic books. If I were to recommend just one audiobook on the topic of success, Your Way to Success would be it.

4. The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene

“Success is not achieved in a vacuum” is a statement every success seeker should be reminded of. No matter what success means to an individual or the level of success one wants to achieve, at some point, one will have to face the truth that success is based on relationships. Understanding The Laws of Human Nature can make or break these relationships. Whether you agree or disagree with Robert Green, the failure or success in understanding people’s personalities or their human nature can lead to great success or avoidable breakdown in relationships or interaction with others.

5. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Throughout our lives, no matter how fleeting it may be, we have all met with despairs and successes. Some of my first memories have been of hunger and impoverishment, but I have also experienced moments of great successes, and one such moment is Aug. 8, 1998, the day I immigrated to the United States of America from Haiti. The meaning I gave to that day was that once the airplane took off, I felt free from all the misery of the first 20 years of my life. Upon landing in Miami, I instinctively knew that my future opportunities were limitless. I am well aware that the idea of leaving one’s motherland to start over in a distant, foreign land could have had a completely opposite meaning for someone else. What is important in this is to search to give meaning to one’s circumstances based on the awareness of the outcome we seek. For example, until I read Man’s Search for Meaning, I could not seem to figure out why some people have to face extreme, unfortunate circumstances in life without the power, the means or the connections to change those circumstances. However, after reading Man’s Search for Meaning, I came to understand the fact that one may need to learn how to change one’s perspective of the circumstances or seek to develop the awareness to search and to create a different, or more empowering, meaning of the circumstances.

Man’s Search for Meaning has also led me to realize the meaning we give to our circumstances may, in fact, be as important a factor as these circumstances may be.

6. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist is a book that never fails to bring a smile to my face just by thinking of the title. This book is a great reminder that each one of us has, in us, the elements needed to transform our current life into the success we seek to achieve. Unfortunately, some of us don’t have the conviction of belief, the know-how or the awareness of where to look for the success we so desperately seek. The worst part of it all is that the success we are searching for is right there within us, the very last place we so often look. Often times, we will seek high and low, far and near but it never occurs to us to have the awareness to look within.

7. 7 Checklist Items for Success by Jean G. Mathurin, M.D.

For fear of being judged as self-servicing, I resisted adding the 7 Checklist Items to this list at first. I finally decided to add it because I have read numerous success books but wanted to put the key elements of success into one, simple-to-read book that, if I were to find during the time of my most ardent pursuit of success, could have led to my current awareness. While I do understand that I likely have my blind spot – or that “I may not know what I don’t know” – what I do know is that my current life is beyond my wildest dream. I am currently living a life far from the reality of where I started as a shy, young immigrant adult who could not even speak the language of his adopted country and am now in a place of advising others. While I remain humbled by all the blessings of my life, I must admit it sometimes feels like I am in a dream. If indeed my current reality were to be a dream, I wouldn’t want to wake up except for fact to wake up others and to bring to their awareness the fact of what is possible through a simple 7 Checklist Items for Success.

Dr. Jean Gilnord Mathurin, a Haitian immigrant who raised himself from a dishwasher to a United States’ Naval Medical Officer.

As a child growing up in poverty in Haiti, Dr. Jean Gilnord Mathurin knew he had a better life ahead, but naysayers said otherwise. When his second-grade teacher told Dr. Mathurin that he was from a dumb family and would not amount to anything, Dr. Mathurin decided right there that he would become a physician just to prove her wrong. His friends told him it wasn’t possible. Things didn’t change after he migrated to the US, either. While working as a dishwasher at a casino—with limited English and no money—Dr. Mathurin confided his dream to a co-worker, who told him it wasn’t possible under his circumstances. Jesus would come before he would even become a doctor, his friend would tease. That pessimism further invigorated his desire and ten years later, Dr. Mathurin not only achieved his goal, but found himself having the greatest privilege as a medical officer in the United States Navy.

Dr. Mathurin’s self-help book, 7 Checklist Items for Success: A Guide to a Richer and More Successful Life (May 14, 2018), is a must-read for teens and young adults making their way in the world. And it makes a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer! “I was inspired to write the book after I took a trip to Haiti in June 2016,” says Dr. Mathurin. “I wanted to find a way to motivate young adults of lower socioeconomic status, including my 16- year-old nephew, to show them that they too can be successful by applying the advice in this book.”

Dr. Mathurin offers insight from first-hand experiences and weaves in the wisdom of others, including Warren Buffett and late self-help authors Zig Ziglar and Napoleon Hill. Kirkus Reviews hails 7 Checklist Items for Success, “a book of noble, sincere, and expressive advice for living.”

Connect with Dr. Jean Gilnord Mathurin on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and at

The views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the United States Department of Defense or the United States Navy.

9 books every small business owner should read

I didn't learn how to be an entrepreneur in school—I have my JD, not my MBA. That meant I had to play catch-up as I made the transition from being an attorney to being the owner and leader of Pines Federal. The most helpful resources for me were books written by successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.

I've read more books about business than I can count. Some are trash, some are gold. Here, I've curated a few of my favorites—the ones that were and continue to be the most helpful throughout my learning experience. I know everyone's journey is different, but I hope you're able to take as much from these small business books as I did.

In Rich Dad Poor Dad , Robert Kiyosaki compares his working-class father to his childhood friend's rich parents to illustrate how investing and calculated risk-taking, among other things, allow the rich to stay rich. But the book also passes on valuable lessons about business and leadership. One particular quote from Kiyosaki continues to influence the decisions I make every day regarding my business:

In the real world, the smartest people are people who make mistakes and learn. In school, the smartest people don't make mistakes. — therealkiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) November 5, 2011

When I first branched out on my own and opened my law firm, I quickly discovered that law school didn't prepare me at all for the challenges I would need to overcome as a business owner and leader. Although some early mistakes cost me time and money, they also yielded practical lessons: namely, the importance of having thick skin.

Carla Harris's Strategize to Win speaks to anyone who's contemplating a career change, which makes it invaluable for new entrepreneurs. She shows you how to attract the kinds of opportunities you want, first by clearly defining your goals and what you have to offer, then by building relationships and making changes as necessary.

Harris offers practical advice and examples for everything from resilience to navigating interpersonal conflict. Here's one quote that stood out to me:

"Having as many conversations as possible with as many people as you can about your career aspirations will help you expand your ideas and bring to light options you may never have considered."

I lived overseas for three years in Jerusalem and studied Talmudic law at Machon Shlomo. My time in Jerusalem was spent immersing myself in the culture and getting to know people in the local community. Through countless conversations with strangers and mentors I met in Jerusalem, I discovered so many opportunities I'd never even dreamed of.

Good leadership isn't about telling people what to do; it's about motivating people so that they want to do it. That's the idea at the center of Simon Sinek's book, Start With Why .

"We are drawn to leaders and organizations that are good at communicating what they believe. Their ability to make us feel like we belong, to make us feel special, safe and not alone is part of what gives them the ability to inspire us."

I've never read a book that expresses this theory more eloquently than Start With Why. Whether it's narrowing down your ideal client or articulating your business strategy to your employees, the ways in which you communicate as a leader will send powerful signals to those around you and substantially impact whether your words are inspiring—or ignored.

Dare to Lead by Brene Brown is about creating a positive work culture. And that's why, as Brown argues, leaders need to allow themselves to be vulnerable and emotionally honest in tough situations.

"The courage to be vulnerable is not about winning or losing, it's about the courage to show up when you can't predict or control the outcome."

By modeling this, business leaders create an environment where failure is ok, where trying new things is encouraged, and where people are heard. Brown's words have inspired me to create a work culture that accepts and promotes vulnerability, and I've found that, as Brown indicates, it absolutely facilitates innovation and creativity among the people I lead.

In The Work , Wes Moore draws on his life story and his interactions with people from all walks of life to answer the question: what makes work meaningful? As an entrepreneur, finding meaning in your work isn't just a nice-to-have— it's a necessity .

"How we spend our days is how we spend our lives, and it's the rare person who can walk away from what feels like a sure thing."

Before I went off on my own to start a law firm, I worked as in-house counsel for a social security labor union. The job provided me with a fair salary and career stability, but when my wife wanted to move to Houston to be near her family, I knew it was an opportunity to have a job that made me feel a greater sense of purpose.

It was difficult to leave a secure position—especially with five young children at home—but it was the best decision for my family. Not only were we able to be closer to family, but I was able to do something that I felt more connected to, which made me more whole as a professional and as a partner and father.

There are lots of ways to make more money, but time is a non-renewable resource. As an entrepreneur, you need to protect your time, treating every waking hour like it's costing you money.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown is about saving your energy for the things that really matter, being intentional with how you spend your time in a world where we're bombarded by distractions.

"The faster and busier things get, the more we need to build thinking time into our schedule. And the noisier things get, the more we need to build quiet reflection spaces in which we can truly focus."

Essentialism taught me how to take control of my professional life and to live with purpose and intention. I still succumb to those distractions, yes, but they don't dominate my work life, and I've built time into my days to think .

For example, I now go for a bike ride once a week for an hour, listening to Audible business and self-growth books. I also pray every morning for 45 minutes, and after my prayer, I take time to think about the day ahead. And I observe the Jewish Sabbath, which means I don't use smartphones or any electronic media from Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown. The complete detachment from my work at that time recharges me and makes sure I'm connecting with my family and myself.

Often what holds us back—in life and at work—are our own limiting self-beliefs. Carol Dweck's Mindset examines the human capacity for growth. It asserts that assuming that your level of talent and intelligence is static limits your potential. Instead, adopting what Dweck calls a "growth mindset"—the understanding that your skills and knowledge are fluid and can be grown over time—unlocks new possibilities.

"The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it's not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives."

After reading this book, I tried to stop telling myself I wasn't good at one or another thing and change my mindset to believe that I could get better at something. And it's not just about working on my weaknesses: working on my strengths —knowing there's always room for growth—is just as important.

This extends into my personal life too. I've played guitar my whole life, but I never really improved my abilities as a musician. After reading Mindset, I was inspired to take up classical guitar and learn how to read music. I've grown leaps and bounds, and it was a reminder that what makes people great at what they do is mostly hard work and not innate talent.

You can't pull yourself up by your bootstraps . Successful entrepreneurs, especially, have an entire network of mentors, clients, investors, and friends who support them on their journey. It's impossible to repay all of that support and generosity directly, but you can pay it forward: help others achieve their goals as your support system has done for you.

In Give and Take , Adam Grant argues that giving to others isn't just the right thing to do—it also lays the foundations for your own success.

"The more I help out, the more successful I become. But I measure success in what it has done for the people around me. That is the real accolade."

That sentiment has shaped the type of leader I am today. Our law firm focuses on facilitating our employees' career development. We encourage them to grow with the firm, and we always try to find a place for them when they do. In fact, three of our intake specialists became paralegals and now assist with some of our firm's biggest cases and high-value clients.

J.T. McCormick's life story, I Got There , is about overcoming adversity—and how. The author started with nothing, grew up in some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable, hit rock bottom more than once, and rose above it all to become a successful CEO.

McCormick's story is inspiring, but it also provides readers with plenty of useful advice for leading a team:

"Everything in business comes down to focusing on people—your customers, your partners, and most importantly, your team. When you care about the people you're serving, then results are easy."

At my firm, we take on as many cases as we can for folks who can't afford our services. Of course, we can't offer pro bono work to everyone who needs it because we need to stay in business, but when we have the bandwidth, it's incredibly energizing. Many of our clients are disabled veterans, people who have given their hearts, souls, and bodies for our country, so it's a pleasure to be able to make a tangible, positive difference in their lives.

We don't focus on what's best for us—we focus on what's best for the people we represent. The beautiful thing is that, in the end, that's what ends up being best for our firm as well: positive reviews, word-of-mouth referrals, and the energy that comes from using our knowledge and skills to help people.

Each of these books for small business owners has guided me in my transition from being an attorney to being a business owner. Knowledge is power when you're an entrepreneur, and always striving to know more and learn from others will bring your business closer to success. It has for me.

5 Best Books About Learning From Failure

5 Best Books About Learning From Failure

For the last two years I’ve being thinking and writing about failure. I’ve taken a hard look at my failures and tried to come up with a way to work them out and to learn from them.

I read few key self-help books and I conducted an experiment to see if I could change my life over a year and be more successful. What I discovered is that you need to stop looking for failure to lead you to success. I also learned a lot about success and systems and goals and much, much more.

Here are 4 books that helped me along the way:

Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure — By Tim Harford

When faced with complex situations, we have all become accustomed to looking to our leaders to set out a plan of action and blaze a path to success. Harford argues that today’s challenges simply cannot be tackled with ready-made solutions and expert opinion; the world has become far too unpredictable and profoundly complex. Instead, we must adapt.Deftly weaving together psychology, evolutionary biology, anthropology, physics, and economics, along with the compelling story of hard-won lessons learned in the field, Harford makes a passionate case for the importance of adaptive trial and error in tackling issues such as climate change, poverty, and financial crises―as well as in fostering innovation and creativity in our business and personal lives.

Taking us from corporate boardrooms to the deserts of Iraq, Adapt clearly explains the necessary ingredients for turning failure into success. It is a breakthrough handbook for surviving―and prospering― in our complex and ever-shifting world.

How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big: Kind of the Story of My Life — By Scott Adams

Scott Adams has likely failed at more things than anyone you’ve ever met or anyone you’ve even heard of. So how did he go from hapless office worker and serial failure to the creator of Dilbert, one of the world’s most famous syndicated comic strips, in just a few years? In How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, Adams shares the game plan he’s followed since he was a teen: invite failure in, embrace it, then pick its pocket.

No career guide can offer advice that works for everyone. As Adams explains, your best bet is to study the ways of others who made it big and try to glean some tricks and strategies that make sense for you. Adams pulls back the covers on his own unusual life and shares how he turned one failure after another — including his corporate career, his inventions, his investments, and his two restaurants — into something good and lasting. There’s a lot to learn from his personal story, and a lot of entertainment along the way. Adams discovered some unlikely truths that helped to propel him forward. For instance:

• Goals are for losers. Systems are for winners.

• “Passion” is bull. What you need is personal energy.

• A combination of mediocre skills can make you surprisingly valuable.

• You can manage your odds in a way that makes you look lucky to others.

Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success by John C. Maxwell

Are some people born to achieve anything they want while others struggle? Call them lucky, blessed, or possessors of the Midas touch. What is the real reason for their success? Is it family background, wealth, greater opportunities, high morals, an easy childhood?

Most people are never prepared to deal with failure. Maxwell says that if you are like him, coming out of school, you feared it, misunderstood it, and ran away from it. But Maxwell has learned to make failure his friend, and he can teach you to do the same.”I want to help you learn how to confidently look the prospect of failure in the eye and move forward anyway,” says Maxwell. “Because in life, the question is not if you will have problems, but how you are going to deal with them. Stop failing backward and start failing forward.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success -by Carol S. Dweck

After decades of research, world-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered a simple but groundbreaking idea: the power of mindset. In this brilliant book, she shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. People with a fixed mindset — those who believe that abilities are fixed — are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset — those who believe that abilities can be developed. Mindset reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.

In this edition, Dweck offers new insights into her now famous and broadly embraced concept. She introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset. She also expands the mindset concept beyond the individual, applying it to the cultures of groups and organizations. With the right mindset, you can motivate those you lead, teach, and love — to transform their lives and your own.

The Value of Failure — by Shane Lester

The Value of Failure will help you embrace failure and learn from it.

The Value of Failure is an unconventional book that will give you insights into the nature of failure and help you learn how to pivot your life back on track.

Failure is inevitable, success is contingent upon your perceptions, actions and recovery from failure.

This book is an unconventional look at success and failure. Shane Lester is not a bestselling author, nor is this book endorsed by anyone important. Instead the author is going to tell you the truth about failure. And from that truth you can choose your definition of success. “This book isn’t 80 percent filler. I’m only writing what matters.”

After you fail it matters what you think, feel and do about your current state. All of these are definable if you know how to intellectually and emotionally process a failure event.

When you consider Lester’s insights you will be able to answer these questions for yourself:

•Why is setting goals the best way to fail?

•Have you ever wondered why the successful gloss over their failures?

•How can you fail with grace?

•Can you fail your way to success?

•What should you learn from your failures?

https://youtu.be/TYKdkEqOGhE