I read a lot of books. Most of what I read is entertaining for a while but forgettable in the long run. There are a few profound books that changed my life when I first read them, and they continue to impact me years later. I enjoy making lists. I have an embarrassing collection of lists such as countries, and national parks visited. When I travel, I simply must have a spreadsheet listing the itinerary. I also have a list of the most profound books I have ever read. Shown below is a short sample I will use to enhance the key point of this article.

  1. The Bible
  2. The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh – A. A. Milne
  3. Mere Christianity – C. S. Lewis
  4. Foundation Trilogy – Isaac Asimov
  5. Lord of the Rings Trilogy – J. R. R. Tolkien
  6. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
  7. A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
  8. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
  9. The Scarlet Letter – Nathaniel Hawthorne
  10. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway

In reviewing my top 10, you might say there are indeed some heavy hitters on this list. You might pause at my number 2 choice. How does a “children’s book” like Winnie the Pooh get on a list that includes some of the best books ever written? Well, because Winnie the Pooh is one of the best stories ever written.

My criteria for a great book is a well-written narrative with the plot and characterization standing the test of time. Winnie the Pooh clearly meets this criterion. I recently saw the movie Christopher Robin. In the film, Christopher Robin is an adult and re-encounters his friends from the hundred-acre woods.  I won’t spoil the movie for you but seeing it rekindled a few of the profound lessons from the Winnie the Pooh books.

The first lesson I relearned from Winnie the Pooh is balancing time is critical to a happy life. For me, this lesson hit home when reflecting on how much time I was away working when my children were young. My intent was noble in that I was trying to build what I perceived as a great life for my family. What I failed to recognize was the price I paid trying to construct this misguided vision of a happy life. Pooh teaches us that life is now. “This is your life, right here, right now.”  There are experiences of life happening all around that can never be repeated. Your ability to influence family and friends is now and in the future. Take time to enjoy your life now. Spend consistent time with family and friends. Sure, work is important, but balance is critical. Winnie the Pooh would advise you to hold a red balloon and watch a sunset with a friend. When was the last time you engaged in such an activity?

Next, Pooh reminded me to slow down and not overreact. One of Pooh’s key themes is “something can come from nothing.” I have a type A personality and have been known to spring into action with limited forethought. I once had a boss who spewed out assignments at a rapid pace. At first, I tried to complete every assignment ASAP. This response generated a high level of stressful activity that was not sustainable. I began to realize that my boss was not responding to my completed assignments. Many of my reports went unread. I finally learned to “let the dust settle” a bit whenever this person gave me an assignment. It even got to the point where I didn’t start some assignments until my boss asked about it a second time. Pooh teaches us to slow down and “think, think, think” before rushing into misguided action. Even if the action is required, it is essential to listen and think before reacting too quickly. Speed is not the goal; accuracy is the winner.

You may notice I don’t have any business or self-help books on my list. I believe you can gain more knowledge about work and life in general from books that focus on human nature and morality. That is why whenever someone asks me for a recommendation for a business or self-help book, one of my responses is The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh. When was the last time you read Winnie the Pooh?

Make the most of this day!