How Studying Business Turned Me into a History Buff
Nathan Rech
I talk about business strategy, personal growth, and personal branding | Local Business Owner | 8+ Years Transforming Homes
Maybe history buff is a little generous.
At what point does one become a ‘buff’ in a genre?
When I was 9 years old my dad paid $25 to read ‘The Millionaire Next Door.’
Understanding the opportunity (for the $25) I devoured the book and summarized the main points for my dad, proving I had actually paid attention while reading. Then he paid me another $25 to read ‘You Can Negotiate Anything.’ We were off to the races, eventually consuming so many books I cost my parents $300 on a spring break family vacation my sophomore year in high school.
This arrangement CHANGED MY LIFE.
I became obsessed with studying business and personal development. In my eyes, the two went hand-in-hand. What do business and personal development books have in common?
They’re full of stories.
More specifically, they’re full of stories throughout history.
I read so many stories about business, leadership, and personal development, I started to develop a love for history. For example, in John Maxwell’s book ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’ he uses the story of Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott, two explorers competing to reach the South Pole first in 1911, as an example of differing leadership styles. Stories like this are used to illustrate the point the author is trying to make and inspire the reader.
Therein lies the rabbit hole.
I found stories about grit, perseverance, and innovation inspiring.
I wanted to know the mind behind the people who developed these traits. So, I sought them out. I started with biographies:
The list could go on and on.
Reading these biographies opened my eyes to even more stories and case studies. Soon I found myself studying the Medici family and the impact of the Italian Renaissance. Then the revolutionary war!
My thirst for inspiring stories in history became insatiable.
As of today, my studies have become a lot more intentional.
I pick specific topics or people to study every week or every month. I immerse myself into the information I want to learn. This helps me with retention. And no, my father does not pay me $25 for every book I read anymore.
This intentional desire for knowledge has taken my education a lot further than my college degree ever has.
I consistently listen to 3 one-hour documentaries a week on whatever subject or person I am studying.
I will keep the same topic for the whole week. I do this so that I can hear the same information multiple times, from different perspectives, and really immerse myself into the world of the story.
This allows me to identify key takeaways I can apply in my own life.
I encourage you to study more history.
Not to recall specific dates or to remember the name of some government treaty. But to learn from leaders, businesses, and case studies that came before us that contain timeless principles.
Stories are the foundation for a business and personal development education. They’re used in the books we read for a reason. Perhaps you’ll find a story that will inspire you somehow.
I know I have.
P.S.
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11 个月Earlier today I was just thinking about how much I consume in the pursuit to learn. About every two weeks I totally commit and go hard (maybe too hard ??) into one topic.