A few books I have ran through recently and an explanation of why I read them

The Men Who Stare at Goats:
A look at the U.S. Army's dive into the Paranormal, led by a General who was convinced he could walk through walls, if he just got into the right state of mind. Apparently, this weirdness is all true and it is very bizarre. Soon to be a movie starring George Clooney.

Alice Cooper, Golf Monster:
His story in his words. Includes some interesting insights into how he replaced alcoholism with a golf addiction and is now a 5 handicap player. He also talks some about how his Christian Faith impacted his career and relationships.

What Got You Here Won't Get You There:
A look at the annoying bad habits that keep successful people from obtaining greater success. Ok, here is the list of those habits-
1. Winning too much: The need to win at all costs and in all situations - when it matters, when it doesn’t, and when it’s totally beside the point.
2. Adding too much value: The overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion.
3. Passing judgment: The need to rate others and impose our standards on them
4. Making destructive comments: The needless sarcasms and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty.
5. Starting with “No,” “But,” or “However”: The overuse of these negative qualifiers which secretly say to everyone, “I’m right. You’re wrong.”
6. Telling the world how smart we are: The need to show people we’re smarter than they think we are.
7. Speaking when angry: Using emotional volatility as a management tool.
8. Negativity, or “Let me explain why that won’t work”: The need to share our negative thoughts even when we weren’t asked.
9. Withholding information: The refusal to share information in order to maintain an advantage over others.
10. Failing to give proper recognition: The inability to praise and reward.
11. Claiming credit that we don’t deserve: The most annoying way to overestimate our contribution to any success.
12. Making excuses: The need to reposition our annoying behavior as a permanent fixture so people excuse us for it.
13. Clinging to the past: The need to deflect blame away from ourselves and onto events and people from our past; a subset of blaming everyone else.
14. Playing favorites: Failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly.
15. Refusing to express regret: The inability to take responsibility for our actions, admit when we’re wrong, or recognize how our actions affect others.
16. Not listening: The most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for colleagues.
17. Failing to express gratitude: The most basic form of bad manners.
18. Punishing the messenger: The misguided need to attack the innocent who are usually trying to help us.
19. Passing the buck: The need to blame everyone but ourselves.
20. An excessive need to be “me”: Exalting our faults as virtues simply because they’re who we are.
I find myself picking out leaders I have dealt with recently as I go through this list. I think the intent of it is to apply it to ourselves, rather than others.

Now, here is why I read like I do:
As a former and future (perhaps) ministry professional and communicator, I think reading from a variety of subjects and fields is important. Yes, it is important to know and understand your field and to try to keep up with the latest and to stay grounded in God's word. But, I try to read outside of that as well.

Reading outside helps one understand the world from other perspectives, helps you see how others think, provides an ability to communicate on topics that appeal to others, thus giving you a chance to relate better to them, gives you more examples for teaching and illustrating, provides insights and outlines pitfalls relating to problems you may face, or be facing and is kinda fun.