Commercial Integrator March 2023 - 64

FINAL THOUGHTS
Integrators'
Reading List, Continued
Another top integration thought leader shares a collection of books to help his industry peers
and colleagues learn and grow. By Dan Ferrisi
LITTLE DID I REALIZE that a chance conversation
at last year's CEDIA Expo would
produce an ongoing series of book recommendations
from some of the brightest
minds in AV integration. However, I'm
pleased to say that's exactly what happened.
To complement previous months'
recommendation lists, we present fi ve
selections from Alex Fortin, DSCE, who is
president of Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada-based NDS Integration.
Departing from previous editions, this
incremental, everyday routines can compound
upon each other to create massive,
positive change over time.
For me, what really stuck out in this
book is that you don't rise to the level of
your goals. Rather, you fall to the level of
your systems. Also, great results can be
achieved by compounding consistent,
incremental improvements, as opposed to
making huge changes.
month's column features fi rst-person commentary
(in italics) from Fortin to complement
the short synopses. I hope our " 40
Under 40 " honoree gives you a few titles
to add to your spring reading list.
The Untethered Soul,
by Michael A. Singer
According to Michael
A. Singer, author of The
Untethered Soul, the voice
inside your head is the
main obstacle to you realizing your true
self. Because this voice speaks to you in
your own mind, you've mistakenly come to
believe that it is you.
For me, the most powerful concept in
this book is that you are not your feelings or
your thoughts. Rather, you are the one who
is aware of them. And you have the power
to ignore or accept them if you choose to.
Atomic Habits,
by James Clear
Atomic Habits is the
defi nitive guide for how,
in four steps, to break bad
behaviors and adopt good
ones. The book shows you how small,
Making Money
is Killing Your
Business,
by Chuck Blakeman
This book debunks the
idea that small business
is necessarily a 30-year grind. Instead,
it introduces the concept of building a
business that, in just three to fi ve years,
runs itself. Making Money is Killing Your
Business also replaces the traditional
concept of retirement with using your
business to quickly build your Ideal Lifestyle,
moving your business and you from
survival, through success, to signifi cance.
Your business should throw off both time
and money - not money alone.
For me, the most impactful inspiration
was the idea that I could build a business
that would provide a life (both for me and
for others) that I would never want to retire
from. In short, why retire if you're having
too much fun enjoying every minute of both
work and what life has to off er?
Ego is the Enemy, by Ryan Holiday
Ego is the Enemy reveals a tendency that's
hardwired into our brains - the belief that
the world revolves around us and us alone
- and how it holds us back from living the
Commercial Integrator, (USPS 005-160) (ISSN 2165-9850), Vol. 13 No. 3, is published monthly by Emerald X, LLC., 100 Broadway, 14th
very life that it dreams up
for us. It off ers advice on
what we can do to overcome
our ego, be kinder
to others and ourselves,
and achieve more.
The author is a modern proponent of the
ancient philosophy of stoicism, which can
come across as cold and unemotional. But
what I love about this book is that it touches
on its soſt er side. Here's an example, and it's
one of my favorite quotes: " What is rare is
not raw talent, skill or even confi dence, but
humility, diligence and self-awareness. "
Man's Search
for Meaning,
by Viktor E. Frankl
Man's Search for Meaning
provides a vivid account of
a Jewish psychiatrist's experience
as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration
camp. The book focuses on love, hope, responsibility,
inner freedom and the beauty
that can be found in both nature and art, as
well as how all of these are means to endure
and overcome harrowing experiences.
My favorite quote from the book is:
" He who has a why to live for can bear
with almost any how. " It's a poetic way of
saying that, with a purpose, you can survive
through any of life's diffi culties.
If you would like to provide a set of
book recommendations for Commercial
Integrator to publish, please email me at
dan.ferrisi@emeraldx.com. Perhaps,
together, we can build up a library that
empowers AV practitioners to transform
their businesses...and maybe even
improve their lives.
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Commercial Integrator March 2023

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